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

  A huge grin spread across Aria’s face, and she jumped up and hugged Belle. “I knew it! I knew it when I saw you watching him and Ronan.” She squealed. “What did he say when you told him? Are you engaged?”

  Aria’s words were like a knife to Belle’s gut. Engaged. The word echoed through her mind, taunting her. Would a future between the two of them even be possible?

  As Belle remained silent, unsure of what to say, Aria’s smile dimmed until it was completely gone. “You haven’t told him.”

  Belle shook her head. “I don’t know if I can.”

  The others, excluding Violet, surrounded her, cooing and giving words of reassurance.

  “Violet?” Sadie asked when they realized she hadn’t joined them.

  The woman stood, her feet braced and her arms crossed over her chest. “I’m sympathetic toward you, Belle, I really am. But I thought you were braver than that.”

  Juliette gasped and stepped forward, as if to protect Belle from Violet’s words. “Don’t you dare judge her. You have no idea what’s happened between the two of them, or what obstacles might be in the way. You have no idea what’s she’s going through.”

  “I can imagine well enough.” Violet’s gaze fell on Belle again. “Be brave enough to go after what you want.”

  Now it was Rosalie who stood to defend. “Why are you like this? Are you saying you’d confess your feelings, no matter what?”

  Violet’s back stiffened and she looked over the women who were forming a united front. “Yes. In fact, I was brave enough—even though it backfired and I was humiliated and forced to leave home—yes, I told him.” Her lip quivered and she made a hasty exit.

  All the other women were in shock, and no one moved or said anything at Violet’s revelation.

  Violet was in love? Or had been in love? The idea that she’d given her heart, and had it rejected, explained a lot of about her behavior. She was hurt, possibly still grieving. “Maybe I should—”

  Willow placed a hand on Belle’s arm. “Let me. I think she’ll respond better.”

  Belle wanted to help the prickly woman, but realized her help likely wouldn’t be well received. Willow and Violet had begun spending time together, and she was the best person to care for Violet right now. She nodded in agreement, and Willow left the room in search of Violet.

  Aria blew out a heavy breath. “Well, that was…”

  “Sad?” Sadie offered.

  They all murmured their agreement, still thrown over Violet’s revelation.

  “I might’ve been too hard on her,” Rosalie said, her eyes downcast. “I shouldn’t have said those things.”

  Juliette reached out to her. “You didn’t know. None of us did. If we had, I think we all would’ve approached our relationships with her a little differently.”

  They all nodded and slowly turned their focus back to Belle, who sighed and said, “I didn’t mean to cause such a commotion this morning.”

  Aria took her hand and led her over to the couch. The remaining women took their seats again, but the teasing, happy atmosphere had vanished.

  “You didn’t,” Aria reassured. “Violet had been holding that in for so long, it was bound to explode at any moment. That wasn’t your doing.”

  Belle looked to each woman and saw compassion and understanding in their eyes. It opened a gate of longing that she poured out to them, to women who’d become like the sisters she’d never had. “I love him so much, but I don’t know what to do. He doesn’t want me, or a relationship, or anything.”

  “Did he say that?” Aria’s eye narrowed slightly at the idea someone would reject Belle.

  Having someone so firmly on her side was a balm for Belle. “He didn’t. He hasn’t needed to. He’s made it completely clear that he wants nothing to do with anyone.” She proceeded to tell them everything that had happened between them, since the first time she carried a basket up the mountain, until their last moment from the night before. She didn’t exactly go into the intimate details, but they didn’t need to know any of that.

  Rosalie shook her head. “That sure is a mess.”

  “Rosalie…” Juliette warned.

  “I’m sorry, but it is.” She looked to Belle with compassion. “He’s going to be a hard one to win over because of the scars of his past. It’s a lot to work through, but I think you can do it.” A small smile curved her lips. “You’re stubborn enough to wait him out.”

  They all chuckled over the truth in Rosalie’s words. Even Belle had to laugh, because Rosalie was right. If there was one thing she had going for her, it was her determination. She would win him over. She knew she could do it.

  Chapter 12

  Belle smoothed the royal blue silk gown she wore, watching it glimmer in the mirror’s reflection. “It’s gorgeous, Willow. I can’t thank you enough.” Belle turned and hugged the woman who’d sewn the gown specifically for Belle. Her work was amazing. In fact, Belle wasn’t sure she’d seen finer workmanship.

  “I’m serious, Willow. You should open your own shop. You’d make a fortune, and then you wouldn’t even need the mine.”

  Willow smiled with pride. “Maybe someday.” She took a step back and looked at the overall picture Belle presented. “Are you sure you’ll be all right if we go on ahead without you?”

  “Yes. Asher will be here to pick me up any moment.”

  Willow smiled encouragingly. “Good luck. You can do it.”

  “I sure hope so.” A shaky laugh escaped Belle’s lips. “Who knows? Maybe this experience, if it doesn’t turn out as I hope, will help me bond with Violet at least.”

  “Hush.” But Willow bit her lip so she wouldn’t laugh.

  With a final goodbye, Willow and the other women loaded up in the wagon and left for the dance. She’d soon follow them, maybe even arrive at the same time, depending on how slowly they proceeded.

  Butterflies danced in her belly, and Belle rubbed the flat surface through her corset. Asher would be here any minute, and tonight, she’d tell him how much she loved him.

  If he rejected her, she’d have to live with that. But Violet had been right about one thing, she was braver than she’d given herself credit for. She risked much by telling him, but if she never spoke the words aloud, never told him how much he meant to her, then she would regret it for the rest of her life. She couldn’t risk that.

  Her heart couldn’t risk that.

  So tonight, she’d tell him. One way or another, tonight would decide her future. No wonder her nerves were fraying.

  A knock sounded at the door and she allowed Sylvia to answer as the woman had requested. Apparently, this was a formal visit in the older woman’s mind, and Belle hadn’t wanted to argue with her. It did, in fact, make tonight seem a little more special.

  She smoothed a hand over her stomach again, forcing away her nerves. She didn’t want the nervousness tainting her night. She wanted everything to go perfectly.

  When Asher stepped into the house, she floated down the stairs, and any lingering butterflies vanished when his eyes met hers. Nothing had ever felt this right. No one had ever made her feel so complete or so safe. This man was in her heart forever.

  When her foot stepped off the last stair, he strode toward her. “You look beautiful.”

  She could feel her smile shining, but she couldn’t rein it back at all. “Thank you.” Looking over his formal attire, admiring the way the coat fit him just right, she said, “You look very handsome.”

  He smiled, offering her his arm, and she took it without thinking.

  She glanced at Sylvia. “Good night. Thank you for everything.”

  The woman smiled and shooed them out the door, where Asher led her to a hitched wagon.

  “I hope this is all right? I thought it might be more comfortable for you than riding.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she said, pausing until he’d placed his hands on her to lift her into the wagon. With her back to his chest, she angled her head to see him. “It was rather comfor
table riding with you.”

  Heat sprang into his eyes and a little thrill surged through her. No matter what, he couldn’t deny their connection, and she was grateful for that. If it gave her an edge for his affections, she’d take all the help she could get.

  He didn’t respond to her statement before rounding the wagon and jumping into his own seat. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, warding off the chill in the evening air, and bided her time. She could afford to be patient. The night was still young, and they would have hours together until he returned her home. Plenty of time to tell him how she felt about him.

  They chatted easily, falling into a comfortable rhythm now that she wasn’t prodding him about the night before. At least, not verbally. She’d scooted a little closer to him, needing to feel him. Her arm pressed up against his, and her leg occasionally nudged his leg when they hit a bump in the road. It wasn’t much, but she was grateful for the contact. And he certainly didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she wasn’t sure he’d even noticed.

  “Are you still cold? You can have my coat if you need it.”

  “Cold? No.” She was a little confused by his question. There was a chill, but it was still summer, so it wasn’t unbearable.

  “Oh. I thought you came closer for warmth.” He cleared his throat as he realized she hadn’t moved closer to him for body heat.

  She smiled in amusement. She should take pity on the man and move away, but she didn’t. And since they hadn’t yet arrived at the dance, there was nowhere for him to run. If he wanted her to move, he’d either have to come right out and ask her to move, or he’d have to remove her himself. But then he’d have to put his hands on her.

  Even better. She grinned. “Are you excited about tonight?” she asked, finally taking pity on him.

  He nodded and his body lost a little of its stiffness, now that he was able to focus on something else. “I’m looking forward to it, in a way.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. It’s been a long time since I’ve danced. I used to enjoy it before…” He tensed up again as he was reminded of why he’d taken to living on the mountain and avoiding all others in the first place.

  Hoping to distract him again, she reached out and squeezed his hand. “I’m glad we’ll get to dance.”

  The rest of the drive was quiet, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Whatever was going on in his mind, didn’t seem to bog him down nearly as much as it would’ve before.

  She hoped, just that one little thing, meant he was making progress. And she prayed it was enough to allow him to accept her love.

  By the time they pulled into town and dropped off the horse and wagon at the livery, Asher had suppressed the need to go off on his own and lick his wounds. Any mention of Lily and her death used to emotionally throw him into a pit, where he felt hollow and sad, and desperate to be alone. But having Belle next to him, quietly giving him her support, allowing silence to descend upon them until he could shake it, meant more than he could say.

  When had another person affected him so much? It seemed as though whatever he was feeling, whatever he needed, she gave. And she continued to do just that. She was selfless, constantly nudging him to face what had happened, and to handle it in a way that would allow him to still be around others.

  At first, he’d wanted her to leave him alone, but now...he wasn’t so sure. It hadn’t been easy, but he’d felt a change in his life, and for the first time, he didn’t want to fall back into the abyss. He didn’t want to run off and seclude himself.

  He wanted to live.

  And the beautiful, amazing, vibrant woman next to him had caused that change in him. How could he ever help her see what she’d given him? Even though he wasn’t completely changed, for the first time, he felt like he could change, and just maybe there was a chance for him. She’d never given up on him, and that made her the most beautiful woman in the world.

  As they made their way to the hotel, her eyes drifted to his. “Are you ready?”

  He looked at the line already forming to enter and the couples chattering happily, and his steps slowed. “Honestly, I don’t know if ‘ready’ is the right word.”

  She snorted a laugh, but didn’t let him stop their progress. He almost smiled. Just because he felt like he could change, didn’t mean he was quite there yet.

  When they finally made it into the ballroom, the noise of the crowd was deafening, and he longed for the quiet he’d left behind outside the building.

  The other women Belle lived with smiled and waved to both of them, and he felt like something was different about them—about the way they watched him and Belle—but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

  “Are they okay?” he whispered to her.

  “The other brides? Yes. They’re just excited.”

  Could be. It was a party after all, and none of them looked to have come with a date. With the amount of single men lining the walls, he was certain each of them would have more dance partners than they could handle.

  When the line of guests entering the room finally dwindled, Sawyer nodded to the band to begin playing. It was a tune Asher had heard as a kid and was familiar with. The memories that flooded him filled him with warmth and happiness.

  Wanting to share it, he turned to Belle, and found her eyes already locked onto his.

  “Do you want to dance?” They both voiced the same question at the same moment.

  She blushed over the gaffe. “I’d love to.”

  Taking her in his arms, he swirled her onto the floor. His steps started out a little hesitant, unsure of their placement, but once they were half way across the floor, confidence filled him. Apparently, dancing was something one never forgot.

  A surprised gasp of pleasure left her lips when he twirled her and brought her in close to him. “I didn’t know you could dance like this.”

  He shrugged. “There’s a lot you don’t know.”

  “But I want to know. I want to know all of it,” she said softly.

  Her admission, spoken so quietly, made his pulse race.

  “Asher, there’s something I want to talk to you about. In private.”

  He wasn’t sure if her words thrilled him, or terrified him. “I’m not sure that would be wise.” His mind immediately jumped to all the times they’d been alone, and how desperately he wanted more with her. Feeling her pressed against him, tasting her lips as she opened sweetly for him, touching—

  He cursed his thoughts and the aching they caused within him. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her.

  “It won’t take long, I promise. But it’s important.”

  Green eyes gazed into his, and he felt the moment he gave in. “We’ll make time.” How could he deny her such a small request? Especially when he’d told her he would go back to his mountain after tonight, that he’d never seen her again?

  The thought gutted him.

  Silently, they moved through the room, dancing through the first song, then a second, as he wrestled with his thoughts.

  He didn’t have to stay away from her. That had been her concession to him. If he chose not to take it, there wasn’t anything wrong with that.

  Lord, why did it have to be so complicated? Why was he so torn up about coming off the mountain? Hadn’t he paid enough for his failing? He hadn’t been able to protect Lily, but no one could ever protect Belle as he could.

  No one would give their life, over and over again, to see to her welfare.

  She glanced over his shoulder and his eyes followed hers to Aria. “Does she need you?”

  “Looks that way.” She gave him a small smile in apology. “I’ll only be a minute.”

  He led her to the side of the room. “Take your time. I’ll grab a couple glasses of punch and meet you outside to talk.”

  She straightened her shoulders and nodded, as if she were building up her confidence, and he wondered what was so important she needed to interrupt the dance to tell him. If she was this uncomfortable, it must be something serious weighin
g on her mind.

  “I’ll be as fast as I can,” she assured him one last time, before leaving his side to make her way toward Aria.

  He headed toward the refreshment table, spying Ronan nearby. Catching the other man’s eye, Asher nodded in greeting, still unsure of their relationship.

  Ronan took an easy sip of his drink, then glanced toward his wife, who was busily chatting with another woman. Apparently deciding she wouldn’t miss him for a few minutes, he walked over to stand next to Asher at the table. “It’s good to see you here tonight. Dare I ask if you’ve decided to rejoin us in the valley?”

  Asher selected two cups. “Not sure.”

  “But you’re considering it?” Ronan’s eyes trailed across the room and landed on Belle meaningfully. “You know, I’ve come to the opinion that Ivan had excellent taste in women. They’re all beautiful, intelligent, and talented in their own way. Each will undoubtedly make excellent wives.”

  Asher nodded in agreement, but refused to say anything more on the subject. Ronan was fishing for information, and he wasn’t about to hand him anything freely. “Excuse me, but I promised Belle a refreshment.”

  Before Asher could leave, Ronan reached out and stopped him. “I know I don’t have any right to say what I’m about to, but I’ve never given a damn about what I should and shouldn’t do. Belle is right for you. I’ve noticed a difference in you since she’s come into your life. I know your past, and why you made the choice you did, but don’t let that ruin your future.”

  Ronan released him then, and Asher nodded in acknowledgment, before heading toward the exit. He didn’t know what else he could’ve said to Ronan. He cared for Belle, more than he ever had anyone else.

  And when he finally made it out of the crowds and stood outside, breathing in the fresh air and gazing at the bright stars in the sky—feeling once more himself—he realized it was so much more than caring.

  He loved her.

  He didn’t know how she’d managed to get past his defenses, but she had. He loved her more than he’d ever loved another person. More than he ever thought was possible. She’d busted into his life, filling in cracks and soothing scars he hadn’t realized were there. And now he didn’t know how he could ever go back to a life without her.