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

had a fine dinner and were safe inside the cabin until you arrived.”

He glanced over at the mounds on the bed before continuing. “Sir, I realize that my being alone with her is improper. I’d like to assure you that I took no liberties with your daughter’s person. But if you feel it necessary for us to marry, I’ll be glad to do so.”

The words came out all in a rush, lest he lose the courage to utter them.

Frank, though, looked at him, then chuckled softly. “Son, you have a better chance of taking liberties with a mountain lion. Unless she feels it necessary, I won’t be forcing you into a wedding.”

Which should have left him feeling relieved, only it didn’t. Worse, that traitorous part of him almost wished her father had insisted otherwise.

“There’s something I don’t understand.” Joseph moved closer to the preacher so they could talk more. “In town, you acted like Annabelle was near perfect. Here, you seem to have a more realistic view of her.”

Frank sighed. “I’m not blind to Annabelle’s faults. Still, she’s got a good heart. One that’s been broken too many times by these mountains. I should never have sent her with you, but I’d hoped it’d bring some healing to her. All it’s done is put her in danger.”

For the first time, Frank sounded like a broken man instead of a man of God. “She wasn’t always so bitter. But when her mother and brothers and sister died, she let the bitterness take over. If you’d been alone with her then, I’d have made you marry her. Because she’d have been impossible to resist.”

It was almost on the tip of Joseph’s tongue to tell him that he’d gotten a glimpse of that Annabelle. But he wasn’t sure that information would be helpful about now.

Maybe it was time to talk about more relevant information. “Who was that man you brought with you?”

“Slade Holmes. Best tracker I know. When Annabelle wasn’t home in time for supper, I figured she might have run into trouble. So I found Slade and came up here.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t do more to protect them.” He glanced over again at their sleeping forms. “I don’t know what I’d have done if those men had—”

“Don’t fret over what-might-have-beens. The girls are safe. That’s all that matters.” Frank grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around himself. “I’m going to get some shut-eye, and I suggest you do the same.”

“What if the men come back?”

“Slade will give us plenty of warning.”

With that, the older man turned and curled up on the floor, the conversation clearly over.

But it wasn’t over, not in Joseph’s mind. Not with the puzzling woman still snoring softly on the other side of the room. As much as Annabelle held the silver search in disdain, she had to realize that it was the only way he was going to save his family.

A small slant of sunlight roused Annabelle from her slumber. Nugget still lay curled beside her. She sat up slowly, looking around the strange room that had become familiar to her in less than a day. Joseph slept slouched in a chair, and her father was gone.

Slade must’ve found something.

Annabelle stretched, and careful not to disturb Nugget, slid out of bed.

She walked to the door, wondering if Slade and her father were near. It figured he’d bring Slade along. One more reminder of all she’d lost.

“Morning.” Slade’s voice greeted her as she stepped out of the cabin.

She didn’t look at him. “Morning.”

“You can’t hate me forever.”

Oh, yes, she could. “I don’t wish to discuss that particular topic. Where’s my father?”

She scanned the area, noting that her father’s horse was gone, but Peter’s—now Slade’s—grazed nearby.

“Maybe if you were a little nicer to me, I’d tell you.”

Annabelle sighed. Staying angry did her no good, especially when she knew Slade was just trying to help. But forgiving him in theory was so much easier than in actuality. “What do you want from me?”

“How about a bit of civility? You lost a brother, but I lost my friend. Can’t we call a truce?”

A truce. For the man who should have been getting the doctor for her brother but somehow ended up bringing home a pocket full of silver instead.

“What’d you do with the silver?” She hadn’t meant to confront him with the question that had been plaguing her for months, but the words bubbled up of their own accord.

Slade’s face darkened. “Your father went down to the camp at Greenhorn Gulch to see if he could get some food and borrow some horses.”

“I’ll start a fire.” Annabelle turned toward the cabin.

She probably should have apologized for her rudeness, but it was hard enough being in his presence without having to also humble herself and admit where she’d been wrong.

Before she could enter the cabin, hoofbeats sounded in the distance. Her father. At least he hadn’t witnessed her conversation with Slade. She’d have had to endure another sermon about forgiveness. Then, she’d have had to paste another smile on her face and pretend it was all right when it wasn’t.

Nothing was all right. But if she didn’t pretend, everything around her threatened to cave in. While she appreciated Joseph’s attempts at wanting to do away with the falseness she surrounded herself with, he simply didn’t understand it was the only way for her to survive the grief that tried to swallow her whole.

“Hello, Father,” she said when he dismounted. “I was about to go inside and build a fire. I believe Joseph has some fish from last night.” Hardly a feast, but at least it’d keep her hands occupied so she didn’t go crazy.

“No need.” He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I ran into Gertie at the camp, and she’s got breakfast for all.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose. I know how provisions are scarce for them.” She gave a half smile in return.

“I told Gertie the same thing.” The genuine smile her father gave made Annabelle’s insides curl up.