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

of Annabelle as a mother again, but he stopped. No. Joseph glanced up at the sky. Better to be struck down than to continue tormenting himself. He’d find the silver, then send Annabelle on her way to the life she’d always dreamed of.

When he finally arrived in town, he was sure not a dry spot existed on his person. The streets were rivers of mud, and Joseph couldn’t remember ever seeing them so empty. Everyone had taken refuge from the storm.

He brought the horse to the livery Frank patronized, glad that Wes, the proprietor, came out to greet him.

“Got caught in the storm, did you?” Wes took the reins and led the horse into the stables.

Joseph nodded and took off his hat, shaking the water from it, knowing that it did no good.

“Want to come in and dry off?”

“Thanks.” Joseph followed him into the stables, thankful that something around him was actually dry, even though the smell of wet horse and manure burned his nostrils.

“I think Betsy has some coffee on. We’re about the same size, so I’ll lend you some dry clothes.”

“I’m obliged to you.”

“None doing. Frank’s a good friend, and I know he’d do the same for me.”

More of the same hospitality he’d grown used to. Such a dichotomy between the people like Frank and the rest of the world. Clearly Frank’s people loved as Christ loved, and gave freely. They’d been taught well. How could they be otherwise with Frank’s example?

Wes led him into the neat living quarters off the stable. “It’s not much, but with land prices here in town, it’s the best we can do.”

“It’s fine.” He looked around the room that Wes and his wife used for their home. Everything, including a cookstove and bed, was contained in that tiny room.

“Betsy, can you get our guest a cup of coffee while I find him some dry clothes?”

“Gracious!” Betsy hurried toward them. “Let’s get you by the fire to dry off. You’ll catch your death. What were you thinking, going out in that storm?”

“It caught me unawares. We were out looking at some of my pa’s claims, hoping to find clues as to the location of his silver. On the way back, I got caught in a flash flood.”

He didn’t bother explaining about Slade, or how it was really the expert’s fault they were in this mess. Especially since Betsy was shaking her head and clucking about risking one’s life for silver.

“You sound just like Annabelle,” he said as a way of trying to be friendly and breaking the ice.

Betsy stepped back. “Annabelle? I’m nothing like her. She’s a preacher’s daughter.”

“Betsy...” Wes’s warning came from the corner.

“It’s all right.” Joseph accepted the blanket Betsy handed him. “Sounds like you just need to get to know Annabelle better. She’s one of the kindest people I know. She’s been helping take care of my sister, and I can honestly say I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Betsy stared at him for a moment, then looked over at Wes. “That’s what he’s been telling me, but I don’t know. I can’t imagine her wanting to be friends with the likes of me.”

Joseph wanted to continue defending her, but the more he rose to her defense, the more it looked like his feelings were more... Well, they... He shook his head. The woman was going to drive him crazy by the time he was done.

“Maybe you should invite her over. I’m sure she’d be honored to have you as a friend.” Joseph’s stomach ached. That was the worst part of the situation and him trying to be her friend. He’d be leaving soon, and things would be all the worse for Annabelle.

Betsy turned away, like she didn’t want to continue arguing the point. Joseph had to start learning to mind his own business, especially where Annabelle was concerned.

Wes returned, carrying a pile of clothes. “Betsy’ll turn her back while you get these on.”

Joseph changed as quickly as he could. “I’m finished,” he said as he buttoned the last button on the shirt.

“Based on you riding Frank’s best horse, and what you’ve said, I presume you’re Billy’s boy.” Wes looked at him, studying.

“Yes.”

It couldn’t be that bad if Wes already figured him out, but still supplied him with clean clothes anyway, right?

“Did you know my pa?”

Wes nodded slowly. “I took care of his horse. Had to sell it, though, to pay his past due on the stabling.”

If his pa had silver, why couldn’t he pay the stable?

“Mighty fine horse.” Wes stroked his chin. “I always wondered where he got the money for it.”

“Maybe he won it in a card game.”

Wes shook his head. “Not Billy. He was terrible at cards. Used to say that losing was God’s punishment for adding that to his multitude of sins.”

It sounded almost as if Wes knew his pa. “Were you friends?”

“As much as a body could be, I suppose.” Wes handed him a cup of coffee. “Billy mostly kept his own counsel. Visited that girl he had over on State Street, but didn’t spend too much time getting friendly with others.”

The description didn’t fit with what he’d been told about his pa. “Everyone I’ve talked to has spoken poorly of him.”

The fire crackled in response, because Wes just stood there, as though he was carefully considering his words.

Then finally, “Well, I suppose he didn’t do much to endear himself to anyone. Especially Slim Deckert. When Billy heard he’d roughed up one of the girls over at Miss Betty’s, he went and beat the daylights out of him. No one understood why he’d take up for a woman like that, but Billy just muttered that he had a daughter her age, and that she had to be somebody’s daughter.”

Another story that didn’t mesh with either his view of his pa, or the stories he’d heard. Though the name intrigued him. Slim was the guy his pa supposedly cheated to get the mine he’d just looked at.

“How did that make him unpopular?”

Wes shrugged. “There’s two