A Mail-Order Hope (Miners to Millionaires Book 3) Page 3

  “A witch? As if I would sprinkle magic in my food. Those are legitimate spices. Besides, I wouldn’t have you accusing me of cheating. My cooking is just that good.”

  “And here I thought I would get blackened eggs and charred bacon.”

  Her eyes narrowed playfully, and he shoved a piece of bacon between his lips.

  “I stand corrected,” he said with satisfaction.

  When he ate the last bite and looked longingly at his plate, she chuckled. “I can make more if you’re still hungry?”

  “Don’t tempt me. If I eat any more, we won’t be hiking.”

  “Guess I’d just have to come back tomorrow then,” she said a bit too sweetly, “and lull you with more food.”

  “Not on your life. Come on.”

  His words didn’t carry a hint of sharpness and she was encouraged. She was breaking down his walls already.

  Belle stumbled on a root, but righted herself before Asher had the chance to reach out and steady her. He curled his fingers into fists, forcing them closed to keep from touching her.

  “How far are we going?” she asked.

  Her breath was husky from the hike, and her words did things to him he wasn’t ready to deal with. “Not much farther. There’s another clearing up ahead.”

  Training her in a few survival basics wasn’t difficult. In fact, he could’ve stayed by the cabin and taught her what she needed to know. But he wanted to give her the best and really train her on what she needed to know to survive.

  His home was easy. Up here, away from all human habitation, was harder. That’s what he wanted her to learn—how to survive, even when it was hard.

  Belle sighed in appreciation as she circled the meadow they’d entered. “This is unreal,” she said quietly.

  He knew exactly what she was talking about. Looking around, the beauty and the majesty still hit him like it had all those years ago. This place was peace. It’d helped him heal after Lily.

  “Where do we start?” She turned to him with a huge smile on her lips, oblivious to the turmoil within him.

  He’d never let another woman die out here alone. Ever. “Close your eyes.”

  Her smile slowly faded, and he cursed his surly tone. But this was serious, and the sooner she realized that, the sooner they’d finish.

  She didn’t argue, but did as he asked. He took her hand and jumped at the contact. Her sharp breath told him she’d felt it too—a tingling of nerves skittering along their skin. Something unexplainable that happened when two pieces fit together.

  But he didn’t belong with her, he reminded himself. It was just one of those things, physical attraction, and there was nothing he could do about it. He intended to teach her what she needed to know, then was getting out of there. Far away from Isabelle Sweeney and any physical chemistry they might have.

  He led her around the meadow, circling her several times, before letting go of her hand. “Open your eyes.”

  She obeyed and his stomach clenched at the hazy look in her eyes. He jerked his gaze away from it, refusing to acknowledge anything between them. “The first thing you need to know is how to navigate. A person could get lost in the forest like that.” He snapped his fingers. “Now, where’s home?”

  He watched her eyes move around the glade, looking for a familiar path, studying the brush for signs they’d come through them. He wanted to smile; she had more skills than he’d originally thought. “Guesses?”

  “There.” She finally pointed to an opening in the forest.

  He knew why she picked it, as it seemed the most logical and had a big opening. But they hadn’t come through there. “Try again.”

  She didn’t argue, but simply refocused her attention on their surroundings, searching again for something she’d missed. His mind staggered a step back. He’d expected her to argue or complain, but there had been none of that.

  “I’m not sure,” she finally said. “At first I thought the opening, because it seemed like a natural path for animals and us.”

  “That makes sense. And it’s smart.” Her eyes flew to his at his praise. “What?”

  “I’m just not used to hearing myself referred to as smart,” she admitted. “Funny, nice, even pretty on occasion, but never smart.”

  Anger speared him. Belle was clearly intelligent. The fact someone had convinced her otherwise infuriated him. “I don’t lie. I call things how I see them. On that same note, I don’t flatter, and I won’t tell you anything that isn’t true.”

  Her cheeks flushed a becoming shade of pink, and he knew she believed him.

  He gestured around the meadow. “What else do you see? What could be used to tell you where you are or what direction you need to go?”

  She bit her lip and looked around. “The sun. Although, I’ll admit I don’t know how to utilize it. Also, I’ve heard moss can help, but I don’t know if I believe that.”

  “It’s true. Moss growth can tell you which direction to go in. The sun can as well. Come on,” he said, nodding toward a cluster of trees. “Moss may be helpful, but if you don’t know what to look for, it could also send you in the wrong direction. It only needs moisture to grow, so when you find moss, you need to ration out why it’s moist there. It’s almost always moist near the ground, so ignore any moss found there. Also, if there’s overhanging branches, moisture most likely drips from there and should be ignored. Really rough bark can also produce moss, even when facing south.”

  He walked past the cluster of trees and pointed behind them. “This is what you’re looking for.” He gestured to the moss growing on the bark. “It’s almost completely vertical, and the bark isn’t too rough, so water will run down it at a good rate. There’s no low-lying branches either. This moss is growing because it gets less sun during the day, allowing moss to grow, which means—”

  “That’s north!” Belle interrupted with excitement while pointing in that direction. “The moss is growing because that part of the tree is facing north.”

  He raised a brow in amusement. “Exactly.”

  She began laughing then. “I’m sorry,” she said between breaths. “I get a bit too excited at times.”

  “I can see that,” he replied dryly, which only made her laugh more.

  “Teach me how to read the sun.”

  With joy shining in her eyes, he couldn’t deny her. He taught her how to read the sun to gauge direction. From there, he taught her how to find water, and more importantly, how to treat it. He pointed out various vegetation and explained which could be eaten, and which would poison her. She soaked up each piece of knowledge like a sponge, and he was impressed with the way she picked it all up quickly.

  After a few hours, he glanced at the sun. “It’s getting late.”

  She nodded, but didn’t look happy about it, and for once, he almost wished that things were different for him. He wished he could be someone who could spend time with her and get to know her, possibly even be her friend.

  But it was better if that never happened.

  Better for both of them.

  “You’ll win that scavenger hunt, I’m sure,” he finally said. “You picked up everything quickly. I have no doubts.”

  She gave him a small smile. “You could help me, then we would be sure to win. I’d even let you keep the money,” she said offhandedly, but he could tell it was forced.

  He studied her as she looked everywhere but at him. “What would I need the money for? You’d have better use for it.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Maybe you could stock up on food or buy a few new shirts?”

  As she listed more ideas of how he could spend the money, it hit him—she thought he was broke. She thought he couldn’t even afford food. Before he could stop it, laughter rumbled in his chest and poured out in a way he hadn’t experienced in years.

  She jerked as her eyes widened, and her surprise only shook a few more laughs loose in him.

  “Sorry,” he finally managed to say. “You’re very kind to
offer the money.” He didn’t want her to think he was laughing at her. In fact, he was grateful. No one had been this kind to him in a long time. “I was only laughing because I realized that you think I need the money.”

  “Oh, I’d never say that,” she said quickly.

  He held up his hand. “I’m sure that’s what it looks like to everyone. I live in a grubby cabin out in the forest alone. But what a lot of new people in town don’t realize, is that I had a mine when I came here. I struck gold. I have no need of money now, or ever again.”

  Her cheeks reddened so much she appeared sunburned. “Oh.” He nodded again when she glanced at him. “Well, then I guess I do need the money more. You should help me, someone less fortunate...”

  Her words were so obviously an attempt at manipulation that even she smiled after she said them.

  He snorted. “I think you’re fully capable of winning on your own.”

  “I figured as much.” She sighed, looking out at the glade. “I didn’t think you’d want to join me.”

  “You know how I feel about it.” For some reason, he felt the need to justify his decision. “It isn’t about you.”

  “I know that. It’s all right.” She shrugged as they started their trek back down to the cabin. “I’ve gotten used to my weekly hike anyway. I’m glad I’ll be continuing that.”

  “Wait, what?” He stopped their progress in a shady stretch of the path. He processed her words several times, but each time, he came up with the same conclusion. “Are you saying that you’re still planning on visiting me?”

  “Of course.” She held out her hands as if to ask what did you expect? “I’ve already told you that I’m not giving up on you. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, but you can’t stop me from coming to visit.”

  He held still and remained silent as he battled back the emotions overwhelming him inside. Why wouldn’t she leave him alone? Couldn’t she see how hard this was for him?

  Every second he was with her, talking with her, it was becoming harder to remain detached. He liked her—was attracted to her physically—but what was even more dangerous, was he was attracted to her mind, her spirit. “What can I do to convince you to leave me alone?”

  “Nothing,” she responded in a firm tone.

  He couldn’t accept that. “There has to be something.”

  “Well…”

  She eyed him as if considering her options, and he wanted to shake her and make her spit it out. The suspense was killing him. He couldn’t keep doing this, he just couldn’t keep being around her. “Well?”

  Her body loosened as she made a choice. “Okay. I will agree to leave you in peace, if you agree to three things.”

  He liked the first part of her sentence, but definitely not the second. “What three things?” he asked warily.

  “First”—she held up her index finger—“you’ll join me on the scavenger hunt, and you will do everything in your power to help us win.”

  He ground his teeth, but didn’t argue...yet. “Second?”

  She held up another finger. “Second, you will participate in one Founder’s Day Activity during the festival.”

  “Only one?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, and he held up his hands in surrender.

  “Third,” she continued, raising yet another delicate finger, “You’ll accompany me to the dance at the hotel in two weeks.”

  He cursed silently. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Oh, but I am. Very serious.”

  “To get you to leave me alone, I have to do all three of those things with you—go out, be social, attend functions? That kind of goes against everything I want, doesn’t it?”

  She folded her arms, and her posture transformed into one he’d seen his superiors in the war use so many times. He was beginning to realize more and more that she was a warrior. She certainly was just as stubborn, intelligent, and strong as one.

  “Regardless, it fulfills both of our desires. I want you to rejoin the world, interact, socialize, see that there is still so much to live for. And you want to be left alone. By agreeing to my conditions, you’ll attend functions, talk to people, and hopefully, come to your senses. But if you’re too stubborn to see what you’re missing out on, you’ll get all the loneliness you want after you’re done.”

  “I’m not lonely.”

  She arched a brow, showing him she thought he was a liar. And a part of him recognized his words were partially a lie. He hadn’t realized how lonely he’d been until she barged into his life. Darn it, why couldn’t she have stayed away? He hadn’t been happy, but at least he’d made peace and had been content.

  “If I do this, if I agree to your plan, the visits will stop?” Her face fell and he felt like a jerk, but he was trying to survive. He was sorry for hurting her feelings, but he needed to make it through this intact.

  “Yes. No more visits.”

  What else were his options? He could reject this, and she’d keep visiting him. She might get sick of it eventually, but he wasn’t counting on that. He didn’t know Belle well, but from what he’d seen, she was stubborn. She’d said so herself. He wasn’t sure she could quit. If he accepted her terms, he’d have to do the three things she’d specified, but then he’d be left alone.

  It would seem an easy decision to anyone else, but it wasn’t for him. Every time he’d spoken with her, he’d changed a little. He’d wanted a little more. He’d come alive a little more. What would happen to him after spending so much more time with her?

  Part of him, one he’d gotten used to denying, tempted him to accept it, to embrace what he could for the short amount of time. He’d been holed away for so long, and he would continue that same path for the rest of his life. But at least, after this, he’d have happy memories to go with it.

  “All right, I agree. I will do those three things. And after they’re done, we’ll go our separate ways.”

  A smile started slow on her lips, building until she shined. “Good. I promise you won’t regret it.”

  He most assuredly would regret it.

  Chapter 4

  A week later, Asher rode into town, and was already regretting his agreement with Belle. It was a fine day, but he didn’t look forward to what would happen later.

  He settled his horse at the livery before walking to the town square, but the closer he got, the more people stopped talking as he walked by and stared at him in confusion and surprise. Was it really that shocking he was here? He was a tracker after all, so a scavenger hunt seemed like an appropriate activity.

  But even he knew that was a stretch. He never would’ve been caught dead at a town event before today, especially one meant for pairing-up couples.

  “Mr. Walker!”

  He searched through the crowd until his eyes landed on a smiling Belle. An answering smile tugged at his lips, but he forced it back. He wasn’t about to grin and let the whole town know how much trouble he was in. He didn’t even speak as he wove through the stone silent onlookers to Belle.

  “Are you still sure this was such a good idea? Seems I’m a spectacle,” he pointed out once he was at her side.

  She waved her hand through the air as if no one else mattered. “They’re just surprised, but they’ll get over it. Come on,” She nodded to a makeshift table where the sheriff sat. “I couldn’t register our team until you were here.”

  At Asher’s approach, Sawyer stood with a welcoming smile on his face and grasped Asher’s hand in a firm shake. “It’s good to see you, Asher.”

  “You too.” Asher hadn’t seen the sheriff since he’d helped him locate his fiancée a couple months ago. “I hope you and Clara are doing well?”

  “We are.” The man grinned in true happiness.

  A twinge of regret twisted in Asher’s gut. He’d lost the opportunity for happiness the day Lily died.

  Sawyer glanced at Belle, before looking back at him. “I was surprised when Belle told me you were her partner today.”

&nb
sp; Asher could hear the probe for more information, but he didn’t take it personally. Sawyer was the sheriff and it was his job to get information. “We have an agreement. But I assure you, I won’t be at any future hunts.”

  Sawyer’s dark blond brows lowered. “I hope that isn’t true. We’re glad to have you here.” He reached down for a stack of papers and handed them a map, the first clue sealed in wax, and instructions. “We start at nine. Good luck.”

  Both Belle and Asher relayed their thanks, before moving off to the side to discuss their plans. She nodded to an unoccupied shade tree.

  “I wonder what the first clue will be?” she asked exitedly.

  “Not sure, but it shouldn’t be too hard. As we continue to gather clues, each will get progressively more difficult.”

  She nodded her understanding as she opened the map. “It’s not as big as I expected.”

  He smiled. “This activity is for matching up couples. It’s a leisure hunt. If this was more about the hunt than matrimony, the area could be ten times the size. Perhaps even more.”

  “I was hoping for a challenge,” she said, sounding disappointed.

  He chuckled at the look on her face. “Perhaps if you do well, you can move on to something more intense. You could always partner with your husband once you’re married and go on much more complex hunts.”

  She rolled her eyes. “As if any man would do that.”

  He quietly looked at her. “Why wouldn’t they?”

  She shrugged. “Perhaps they would. I spoke hastily.”

  He could tell it was so much more than that. When she went to turn away, he reached for her arm, stopping her progress. “Tell me the truth.”

  Her shoulders lowered, but she finally glanced back at him. Her eyes shifted from his, but not before he saw the embarrassment written there. “My dad loved my mom. They were happy. But he never would’ve allowed her to do such a thing. They were much more traditional. She was the wife and mother and belonged at home.”

  He wondered what her parents would’ve thought about her choice to come to Montana. Ivan hadn’t done any of his mail-order brides a favor by deceiving them, but by his death, he’d allowed them all to find independence and a way to support themselves. They were far better off.