Space in My Heart For You

Nugget #7: Caught!

"He's a working cowhorse," Nathan teases Amy, reaching for her as she closes the stall door. "I happen to know what I'm talking about."

"Oh," Amy turns around and feels his arms sliding around her. She runs her arms up his own and around his neck. "You know what you're talking about? Trying to tell me how to do my job, cowboy?"

"No," Nathan closes the distance between them with a kiss. "Never. I just," he shrugs and nods from side to side playfully. "Remember how much my advice helped you out the last time I offered it to you concerning working cow horses."

She laughs and raises her eyebrows, "Is that so?" She kisses him again and strokes his cheek. "Still trying to change my luck, huh?"

Nathan hides his smile against her cheek before kissing it. "Something like that," he teases, capturing her lips with his once more.

His arms round the small of her back and he lifts her up as the kiss deepens. She holds on tighter as Nathan spins her around. Once her feet settle on new ground, they sway together, both hoping the kiss will linger.

"Amy, have you seen—" Lou steps into the barn to find a couple embracing. "Oh, my, god—" She watches Nathan and Amy break apart. He swiftly takes a clear step back from her. Lou's gaze darts between them, processing the idea of them together. "Wow."

"Uh—" Nathan starts.

"Look, Lou—" Amy takes a step towards her.

"Wow," she repeats. "At least I wasn't Dad or Grandpa. Do they—"

"No," Amy quickly offers. "Can you not—"

Lou shakes her head, dismissingly. Still in disbelief, she processes out loud: "Is this what you were trying to tell me last night?"

Amy's lips part to speak, but all that comes is, "Um—"

"It's okay." Lou puts her hand out to excuse Amy from talking. "We can talk tonight. Nathan," she faces him. "We really have to go, we're gonna be late."

"Yeah," he nods, "Right behind you."

As Lou walks to the truck, Nathan turns back to Amy with an apprehensive expression, she mirrors his expression before a hint of a smile tugs at her lips and a here-we-go attitude comes through in her body language.

He nods and matches her side smile. They hold each other's gazes for one more moment before he tears himself away to meet Lou.

Silence fills the car ride out the Heartland gate and onto the main road. Nathan tries to focus on driving, but surprise nerves flutter in his stomach. When he can tear his attention from the road, he looks over at Lou staring straight ahead, trying to gauge her blank expression.

"Okay, Lou," he breaks the silence. "Come on. You got to say something."

Lou laughs uncomfortably and raises her arms in an I-don't-know expression. "What? I don't know. I'm surprised. I had no hint from Amy that this was going on, so I just don't want to put my foot in my mouth or say something out of bounds." When Nathan does not respond right of way, Lou adds, "Believe me, holding my tongue is growth for me."

Nathan lets out a small chuckle. "Okay." Lou's small joke allows relief to settle back in his body for the first time since she found him with Amy in the barn.

"I'm happy for Amy…if you know, she's happy. I need to talk to her. But I'd be really happy for you guys if she was happy—and you too. I know you're a good guy, Nathan."

"Thanks." A smile tugs at Nathan's lips. "I want her to be happy too."

Lou nods. "Good."

He looks at her, still hesitant in the seat beside him. "But you have questions."

She turns him with a warning look. "I wouldn't be me if my mind didn't fill up with questions when I see my sister with a guy in the barn…but I can talk to Amy later, I don't have to ask you."

"Ask me," Nathan shrugs. "It's okay."

A new-found respect for him floods over her. "Okay." She adjusts herself in her seat with growing anticipation. "I know you guys have been friends…but how long has this—" she interlaces her fingers together. "Thing been going on?"

"Uh…" He can't help smiling at her interlaced fingers. "Not long. Less than a month."

"Okay…" Lou tries to recall any recent changes she's noticed in Amy. When nothing stands out, she remembers how long Amy can take when making decisions. "But you've probably talked about it for longer."

Nathan hides his smirk by looking over his shoulder to enter the main road. "Probably."

Lou chuckles and shakes her head, "Of course."

"What does that mean?"

"I just know Amy can take her time making decisions."

Nathan bites his lip, now unsure of how much to share. "It wasn't that. It was a lot of things."

"Oh. Okay." Lou's voice raises in surprise. Silence returns to the truck for several moments as Nathan continues to drive down the highway. "You know my dad and Grandpa are going to have a problem with this?"

"Yup." He keeps his reply short, having no desire to discuss potential issues with Tim and Jack at the moment. "I know."

"They can be pretty brutal, and not just because you're—well—" she motions to him and then to the 'Pryce Family Beef' sign in his truck. "You. They're unjustly hard on—" she catches herself, not sure how to describe Peter and Ty to Nathan. "The guys in our lives."

Nathan was expecting—almost waiting for Lou to mention Ty. He thought it would come sooner. He turns towards her and catches her eye. "You mean Peter and Ty."

"Not just Peter and Ty. But, yeah…" For the second time, Lou examines him with a mixture of surprise, impressment, and respect. "Did you and Amy talk about Ty?"

Nathan takes a deep breath. "A little."

Lou nods. "Okay."

Nathan bites his lip when Lou keeps her response short, unsure of how much he wants to talk about him. Fighting against his instinct to keep quiet, he asks, "Is there anything you want to tell me or that I should know?"

"Those are two different questions. I'm not one to talk about him. He, uh, he's hard to describe to someone who didn't know him. He was a really good guy who had more than his share of demons. But, man, he was so in love with her. Even being married myself, I was jealous of what they had." She looks over to see deep emotion in Nathan's face hiding under his blank expression. "I said too much. See, I told you—I put my foot in my mouth."

"It's okay, Lou. You didn't say too much."

"It's just…He was really like a brother to me and they were together a long time. He died suddenly out-of-blue, so it was a real shock."

"I'm sorry," is all he can say.

Lou waves off his apology. "It's really okay, Nathan."

They let Lou's words hang comfortably between them. Lou relaxes against the truck door, watching the Alberta hills pass by them.

Nathan tries to quiet his mind like it seems Lou has done beside him. One question keeps circling in his mind, though, and he knows he'll never have another chance to ask it. "Can I ask you something?"

Lou perks up and turns to him, curious. "Sure."

"You said you were surprised to see me with Amy. Was it because of me or was it a surprise to see her with someone else?"

"Oh, definitely you. Even knowing you guys were friendly, I did not see the two of you…well—I thought I had a radar for that kind of thing."

"It's not hard to see her move on?"

"No. I want her to move on. And just talking to you now—it's clear you care about her and you're respectful about Ty. So, you don't have to worry about me. I'm just sorry Dad and Grandpa already see you as a threat—and not the good-natured, quiet guy I know you to be."

Nathan nods as he pulls into a parking space. "Any advice?"

"Uh…" Lou raises her eyebrows and motions with her head out the window towards where they're meeting Jack and Tim. "Really know that it isn't you—no matter what they say about the business. They think they're protecting Amy." She reaches for the door handle but then turns back to catch his eye. "Don't let them scare you off."

A/N: I wanted to share my version of Lou's attitude towards Amy and Nathan before we see all three of them in the premiere tomorrow (yay!). Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think. Thanks to Scoutbooradley, Guest, and Martha for taking the time to share their kind reviews