We're coming up to my favourite part in the story in the next few chapters. Very exciting!

She had appeared the following afternoon on the other side of his fence, her long brown hair swept up into a knot on the top of her head to avoid the heat. "Hi, Ash."

He felt his cheeks go slightly red as heaved a bale of hay over his shoulder and to his feet, removing his hat to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "How's it going, Lillian?"

He could barely pay attention to her as she replied, his mind beginning to race. She had hardly left his mind as of late; how many times a day did he catch himself thinking about her, his mind wandering to what she was doing? How often did he look south towards her ranch, wondering if she needed help, thinking of excuses to walk by? He cleared his throat gruffly, the slight pink tinge to Lillian's cheeks bringing him back to what she was saying. "... If you're not busy, would you like to go for a walk?"

He felt his cheeks turn red, all thought of work leaving him as he rushed towards the fence, his enthusiasm seeming to startle her slightly as he hopped over to her side. "Of course."

She seemed a little off put by his suddenness, an awkward silence settling between them as they walked, both their cheeks slightly pink. Even after being here for a season, he still couldn't control himself properly around her, the effect she had on him... He was acting like a bratty schoolboy with a crush, not a twenty year old man with... Well, whatever it was.

"How are things at your place?" He heard Lillian ask. They had come to a stop at Grady's field, the horses still out for their daily grazing.

"Fine." He struggled to elaborate. "Except... Do you remember that lamb Snow I told you about a week ago?"

"The one you just bought from that rancher out in the country?"

"Yeah." He leant forward on his elbows, pressing his weight against the fence. "I don't think she likes it here. She keeps getting out of the pen and trying to find her way home... It's like my place isn't good enough or something." He paused, watching Lillian as her eyes remained fixed on the horses, her attention clearly only half with him. "I mean... I guess not everyone can like Bluebell at first. It takes some getting used to." He felt his cheeks go red again. "But even you liked it after a while, right Lillian?"

A stray piece of hair had fallen down from the knot on top of her head, and he had to clench his fists against the fence to stop himself from taking it between his fingers. "I don't know." She sighed, her eyes still fixed on the horses. "Sometimes I still get a bit homesick, I guess."

It occurred to him that he had never bothered to ask her where she was from, but she saved him the trouble, her eyes leaving the horses and instead fixing on her folded hands. "I grew up in Mineral Town. The quietest place on earth." He couldn't quite think of anything to say, and was almost glad he couldn't- he had never talked like this with Lillian, never heard her speak about her past. "Nothing ever happens there... No new people, no new faces. Just the same thing, day in day out."

"Are you glad you came to Bluebell though?"

She seemed to spend a long moment considering the question. "I think so. There wasn't really anything for me in Mineral Town... Nobody to really have a future with, I guess. I mean, when Dad first moved there the place was thriving, lots of young people his age; him and mom used to joke about him having to fight off a few girls before he finally married her. But for me... There just weren't a lot of young people there when I was growing up... I guess, yeah. I am happy to be here. It's nice having some company my own age, at the very least."

Her cheeks had flushed a dull pink by the time she finished. He wanted to say something, anything; yet his mouth refused to open. He resolved to tap his boot awkwardly against the fence post, trying to force words out.

"... I guess I know what you mean. Small towns like this, there isn't exactly a massive selection... Sometimes I think that's why my Dad left. I mean, he wanted a family and the only way to make that happen and keep the ranch was with my Mom. I don't really know if they were ever in love or anything, it was just a convenience thing. I never wanted to end up like that. But when I was growing up it was the exact same thing, just me and Laney over here. It felt like my whole future was determined for me... If I wanted to have a future in Bluebell it would have to be with her. But then Georgia came, and Cam... and you."

He could see the corner of her mouth lift. "Planning an extensive future with Cam, are you?"

He chuckled. "You know what I mean. It's just... Nice. To not have only the one option."

"Ash?" She had turned toward him to say something, and for one wild moment he was half convinced she was going to ask if she had become an option... Yet before he had time to think about his answer she was suddenly looking over his right shoulder, her eyebrows raised so high they wrinkled her forehead. "Isn't that Snow?"

He wheeled around, groaning. "Of course it is." The sheep in question was frolicking along the cobbled stone path, her just brushed wool beginning to tangle and snare on the overgrown grass poking between the stones.

Beside him, Lillian sighed. "Well? Come on then. She's not going to round herself up." She nudged him gently on the shoulder, already abandoning his side in favour of herding the lamb. He sighed before following her, mentally cursing the sheep- she was nearly as bad as Cheryl for interrupting.

So much fluff! And a nice bit of back story for both characters. For those wondering, I always imagined Lillian as the daughter of Jack and a bachelorette from Mineral Town. Care to guess who?