Rocky Mountain Dreams & Family on the Range by Danica Favorite (summer beach reads txt) 📕

Margaret had been right about why he’d make a terrible husband. He was too busy with the family he already had to start one of his own. It was a good thing Annabelle had refused his proposal. He could rest with a clear conscience knowing he’d done the honorable thing, but also with the relief that he wasn’t forcing a good woman like Annabelle to give up whatever it was she dreamed of.

“Read!” Nugget lifted her head and handed him the book she’d been looking at.

The Bible. Fitting, considering his prayers and Annabelle’s confession. Maybe, as he shared the sacred words with his sister, Joseph would find some answers.

But as he opened the first pages, he realized the same thing he’d seen in his pa’s other books. His pa had been using it to write his own notes.

Joseph started reading the opening lines to the book, but as the words swirled around in his brain, all he could think about was how they connected. His heart raced. The mines—his pa had secretly written the key to finding his treasure within the pages.

“Joseph!” Nugget tugged on his arm. “More!”

He patted the little girl’s head and continued reading about Joseph in Egypt. Later, when Nugget went to sleep, he’d decode his pa’s mystery.

Annabelle listened to the soft sound of Joseph reading to Nugget. It was peaceful, being in the cabin with Joseph and Nugget. For the first time since meeting them, her heart didn’t hurt. Strange.

She put the last dish back in the crate. Maddie would tsk over her reddened hands when she got home tomorrow, but if that was the worst Maddie could find fault with, it would be worth it. Funny how as much as she’d been longing to go back east to visit Aunt Celeste, she couldn’t think of a more contented moment than now.

It had grown dark, and the last remnants of light faded from the one tiny window the cabin had allowed. Their lamps would make them easy targets for intruders, but she couldn’t bear to spoil the special time Nugget and Joseph were having. If only she had been given more similar moments with her own baby sister.

But she couldn’t. All she could do was give that time to Joseph and Nugget.

Annabelle turned down the rest of the lamps, conserving oil, and making their presence as unobtrusive as possible.

“Everything all right?” Joseph paused in his reading.

“Fine,” she said. “Everything’s fine.”

She stood at the corner of the window, looking at the dark landscape. The bandits could be anywhere, and she wouldn’t see them. The door was already bolted, but would it be enough? She spied a large barrel in the corner. Against the door, it would be an additional barrier.

Annabelle started pushing the barrel.

“Let me help.”

“I can do it. Nugget—”

“Is asleep.” Joseph had come alongside her, and together they pushed the barrel in front of the door. Even in the darkness, she could see his smile. Sometimes she wished she could have his same calm attitude. With all that he lost, how was it that his burden would be so light?

Having Nugget must make it easier.

Annabelle leaned against the door. Wisdom said they should rest. But what if the men came during the night?

“Why don’t you take the bed with Nugget, and I’ll make a pallet on the floor? We should both get some rest.”

She hated the way he could read her mind sometimes. It reminded her too much of how her father and mother had been together. Finishing each other’s sentences, often so alike that...well, that didn’t describe Annabelle and Joseph at all. Not only did they have no future together due to his mining ambition, but he wasn’t the sort of man she could fall in love with. Why, she didn’t even like Joseph.

Something tickled her on the back of the neck as a small voice reminded her that telling falsehoods was a sin. Fine, then. She mostly didn’t like Joseph. Sometimes, like when he was caring for Nugget, he could almost be all right. Not that her admission made the tickle go away.

Annabelle looked around the cabin. No sense in thinking about Joseph, not now. Not with all the other things they had to worry about.

“I think we should be safe enough for the night. I thought I saw—” When she turned to point out the trunk she’d noticed containing a number of blankets, she saw that Joseph had already beaten her to it. Yet again, he’d known what she had been thinking.

She huffed out a breath. Coincidence, that’s all. Joseph wasn’t a stupid man. Of course he would remember that the trunk contained blankets. Obviously being in these close quarters was addling Annabelle’s mind. She’d be thinking more clearly once she had a good night’s sleep and was home safe.

“That’s just what I was about to suggest,” she finally said, almost forcing a smile, but stopping when she recalled how it usually served only to irritate Joseph rather than placate him as she intended.

Joseph shifted slightly, then looked at her in a way he hadn’t looked at her before.

“I know you’d prefer to be anywhere but here, so um...” He shifted again, his shoulders rising and falling. “I appreciate everything you’ve done here with Nugget and me. I’m not sure what we would have done without you.”

She’d been thanked countless times, but none of the thank-yous she’d ever received had made her so queasy. So... Annabelle closed her eyes. She’d done what was needed, nothing more. Which didn’t explain why his thanks was so disconcerting.

“Of course I would help.” She didn’t look at him as she turned toward the bed she’d be sharing with Nugget.

But his silence didn’t feel right to her at all.

Obviously she was overtired and overwrought after such a day. Once she’d had a good night’s sleep, the jumble in her mind would make sense again. Then she could get them all back home and back to their normal lives.

Chapter