A Friendships Love - Settler series book 1 (Wattpad version, first draft)

Coming Home

It was then, that I looked about me more consciously. I could see Pa out of the corner of my eye, his face was unreadable. I wondered how he took the Captains attentions toward me. He actually hadn’t seen me as I was now, a women, around a  gentlemen before.  Especially when, there was one showering me with such sentiments, right In front of him.  I scanned for Lady Townshend, more for comfort than actually needing to know where she was. When I found her in my gaze, I saw that two men were beside her, looking at me. I looked behind me, and then back at them, feeling a little self-conscious. They were both tall, as tall as Will, but much more muscular in their arms, you could see that right off, and Will was very well formed, these men filled out the button up farmer’s shirts they wore. Then my gaze lowered, and I could tell that they had powerfully built torsos and legs. I blushed again; this was not good I was starting to feel over heated, around all these males. My eyes took in their faces. They were both so handsome, and exceptionally masculine, one with brown hair, and the other with Black…

“Oh my Goodness!” My hands flew to my mouth and cupped it. Tears started to run down my cheeks. These were not boy's’ as my Pa had kept referring to them as. These were two men. They were two, of the very men, which I travelled over an ocean, to see. And now that I could see them, I wasn’t sure what to do. My legs wouldn’t move in my shock. But it didn’t matter; Nash came forward first, and grabbed me by my shoulders, and pulled me into his arms. Mine flew around his middle, and we tightly held each other, while our bodies shook with tears of joy. Mine, for finally seeing my brother.

Nash leaned away from me, but didn’t let go. His voice was low and deep as he said. “You’re all grown up imp, how did that happen? I was expecting to see a little girl.” Then he kissed me on my forehead and held me close again.

“Nash, I…” I couldn’t finish, words wouldn’t come out. I was too over whelmed. Then he pulled away and handed me his hankie. I wiped my cheeks and eyes. Nash gave me a light pat on the back and moved along to Ashley, who, I could hear was weeping also. When I was done trying to fix my face, I looked up and saw Charlie. He was watching me, his dark eyes felt as though they were boring into my very soul. He had his hands on his hips, which were cocked to one side. I looked at him trying to find the Charlie I knew. He had grown facial hair since the last time I saw him, and he sported a slight afternoon shadow. I found it  to be very rugged looking. Like Nash, he seemed to have the same features I remembered but more manly.  His right eyebrow had a scare running through the middle of it. I remembered the day when I tended that brow. Right now they were deeply furrowed. I wondered if he were taking in my appearance, as I was his, and maybe he found me lacking. I was starting to feel unnerved at the thought. Then he lifted his hands off his hips and opened his arms to me.  I laughed with pure joy as I took the few steps forward to close the gap between us, and threw myself into his embrace.

“Ahh Payton, I’ve missed you.” He was holding me so tight. I could feel the warmth from his body, soaking right through to my bones. He was rubbing his head over my hair, and I could feel where his tears had soaked a spot.

“Charlie, I’ve worried every day over you, my heart ached for your welfare right until now.” I said into his shirt. He smelt heavenly, through the layer of a freshly bathed person, I could smell the musky scent, of a man who worked hard. It was heaven. I sighed deeply feeling, at last, after eight long years I could finally rest. Charlie was well, and I could see that he wasn’t any worse for wear, after his ordeal of being carted away. Experiencing the horrible things I had heard stories of, from some of the crew on the Mayland, that the convict ships put their prisoners through. I sighed deeply.

“Um, Charlie I hope you keep some of that hug for me.” I laughed and wiped my eyes, as I pulled away from Charlie, to share him with Ashley. She giggled and ran over to hug him. Nash came up behind me and slung his arm over my shoulder.