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

Joseph tried making himself comfortable. He’d slept in far worse conditions, so he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t fall asleep. He’d need every bit of rest he could get for their trek in the morning.

He could hear Annabelle snoring softly. She’d be mortified if he said anything, but he wished he could tell her that her unladylike noises were actually somewhat cute.

Maybe if he took a look outside one last time to make sure everything was fine, he’d be more comfortable going to sleep. He stood, and in the faint light, could see Annabelle and Nugget curled up together. Absolutely beautiful.

A noise outside the cabin startled him. The men? Maybe his lack of sleep wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Joseph tiptoed to the small crack that would allow him a view of the surrounding area. Two riders on horseback were in the distance, heading toward the cabin.

Hating to disturb Annabelle’s peace, but knowing their safety depended on it, he crept to the bed, then shook her softly. As her eyes fluttered open, he put a finger to his lips, then pointed to the door.

She nodded, then scooted out of the bed. He couldn’t help but notice how she tucked the quilts around Nugget as she left. Someday, Annabelle would make an excellent mother.

Which made Joseph want to smack himself for being so daft when they were clearly in danger.

They went to the crack, and Joseph pointed out where he’d seen the riders.

“Get the gun,” Annabelle whispered.

He nodded slowly, wishing he didn’t have to let Annabelle do a man’s work. When they returned to town, the first thing he’d do was practice his shooting. If the place was so unsafe as for a man to teach a woman like Annabelle how to defend herself, then he’d need it, as well. Especially now that he had Nugget and her silver secret to protect.

As the riders drew closer, she set the gun down. “It’s my father.”

Though Joseph expected to have to face her father at some point, it somehow seemed more wrong for him to find them in the cabin together.

“Help me move this.” She pushed at the barrel they’d only recently put in the way of the door.

There was nothing Miss Annabelle Lassiter couldn’t do.

As the riders stopped just short of the cabin, Annabelle ran out, carrying a lantern.

“Father!” Her joyful cry made his gut ache. He supposed he wouldn’t have had such a reunion with his own pa. Even more than before, he’d like to punch the man for messing up so many lives. Not only was there the obvious evidence of his pa’s infidelity, but now, they had dangerous men after them.

What kind of man had his pa been, really?

Certainly not the kind of man who jumped from his horse and wrapped his arms around his daughter. He’d never seen such affection with his sisters.

Nugget made a small noise in her sleep as if to remind him he had another sister. A little girl who called their pa “Papa,” with such fondness he had to wonder if he knew his pa at all. Could a man change? And if he’d changed, why hadn’t he cared enough to make sure the rest of his family was provided for?

Annabelle, her father, and another man walked toward the cabin. He steeled himself for what would most likely be a confrontation ending in a marriage proposal. He knew how poorly that had gone over before. But with them being unchaperoned for so long, the preacher was bound to make him do right by his daughter.

Somehow, they’d make it work. And he’d make it up to Annabelle for ruining her life.

Joseph stepped out to meet them, but Annabelle shook her head. “We’ll talk inside.”

Once inside, neither Annabelle nor her father, nor the strange man made a move to add additional light.

“Annabelle tells me that you may be in danger.” The preacher looked at him with a very unpreacherlike expression. “What did you see on the cliff?”

Joseph relayed the details as best as he could remember.

“I know the spot he’s talking about,” the strange man said. “I’ll go check it out.”

The preacher gave a nod, but kept his attention on Joseph. “Thank you for your quick thinking. I’m sure you saved both Annabelle and Nugget.”

Annabelle gave a most unladylike snort, and despite the serious nature of the situation, Joseph wanted to smile.

“It was all Annabelle’s doing. Her quick thinking and resourcefulness has been a real blessing.”

This time, the preacher turned his attention to Annabelle, who appeared to back away from his examination. “Is that so?”

“I just did what I had to do.” She looked away, then grabbed the pile of blankets Joseph had left on the floor. “I can make pallets for Nugget and I so you two can trade off with the bed.”

“Annabelle—” Her father seemed to want to say something, but she cut him off with a glare.

“Not now. I did what I had to do, and that’s that.”

Even if he’d wanted to, Joseph couldn’t ignore the bitterness that had returned to her voice. Somehow the carefree Annabelle had gotten misplaced with the arrival of her father.

Joseph reached out and took the blankets from her. “It doesn’t make sense for you to disturb Nugget. You take the bed with her, and your pa and I will make do on the floor. I haven’t been able to sleep anyway.”

“That’s because you’ve been on the floor while I’ve had the bed,” she retorted, tugging at the blankets. “You need your rest.”

“And so do you.” He held them firm, glancing at her father for reinforcement.

“Joseph is right. Go to bed, Annabelle.”

Finally. Someone with enough authority to get Annabelle to obey. Not without a fight, though. She practically stomped to the bed, then snuggled down into the covers.

Neither man said a word until Annabelle’s soft snore sounded through the room.

“I’m sorry for my daughter’s behavior. I realize this situation is difficult.” Frank broke the silence first.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Because of Annabelle, we