He’d expected her to withdraw as she had earlier, but he got the complete opposite. A gleam sparkled in her eye, one he couldn’t stop staring at.
Her hand fit perfectly in his. “All right.”
Before she had a chance to rethink her decision, he pulled her onto the floor and into his arms, leaving Grace to chuckle behind them.
At the first twirl, Hannah gasped. “I didn’t know you could dance like this.”
He pulled her in close, wishing there were even less space between them. “That’s because I don’t usually dance.”
Her eyebrows furrowed, but then they cleared, and she nodded. “You’re right. I’ve never actually seen you dance. Why don’t you?”
“There was no one I wanted to dance with before.” That wasn’t exactly true. He’d wanted to dance with her from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her. “Except you.”
She lost some of the playfulness in her gaze. “I don’t know how to respond when you say things like that.”
“Like what?”
She looked over his shoulder as if she couldn’t make eye contact. “That you wanted to do things like that with me.”
“It’s true.” And the more he told her, the more he felt his feelings grow.
She swallowed then looked back at him. “I don’t know what we’re doing.”
“Right now, we’re dancing,” he said, grinning.
He was happy to hear her soft chuckle. “You know what I mean.”
He did. She’d explained that she felt nothing could develop between them. He’d been so arrogant when he’d first arrived, thinking she would fall in his arms, grateful he was saving her. It had seemed so easy, and he’d been a fool.
But more than that, he’d realized he would never want her to be like that. Having gotten to know her, to know the person she’d become, he realized she was so much more than he’d imagined. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought she would thrive here, but she had.
Her friends were here, her business, her home. While he still believed he could never live here long-term, he didn’t dislike it as much as he’d thought. If she wanted to keep a home in town, he had no problem spending part of the year here. Finally, he answered. “All teasing aside, I do know what you mean. I just feel differently. We could be so good together, Hannah. I could make you happy. You just need to let me try.”
She didn’t respond, she just held his gaze with a steady look as if weighing the possibility. It was more than she’d given him before, and he felt a glimmer of hope.
Chapter 10
Nathan was a practical man, but that didn’t mean he liked doing what needed to be done.
The day after the festival, the last place he wanted to be was at the mine, but he was here regardless. Work still needed to be done, and he couldn’t shirk his responsibilities just because he would rather be pursuing Hannah.
He dismounted and tied his horse to the post outside the mine’s small office next to two other mounts. Well at least he wasn’t the first one there.
A man he’d been introduced to a few days before called out to him, and Nathan waved before making his way up the sturdy wooden steps into the building.
Stepping into the office, he saw several of his partners seated around the desk, their postures at ease. “Good morning,” he said easily, closing the door behind him.
Lucas McDermott smiled and nodded at him. “Glad you could make it today.” He gestured for Nathan to sit in the empty chair.
He looked at two of his other partners, Chase Eversley and Maximus Blackgate. “Is Everett coming?”
Max leaned back in his chair. “He had an emergency patient and couldn’t leave.”
“Ah.” Their partner ran the clinic in town, and Nathan didn’t envy the man. He had his hands full seeing to the care of the townsfolk. “I guess Oliver shouldn’t feel left out then,” he said, referring to their partner who hadn’t yet visited the mining town.
“He’ll be here next month for the celebration. If you’re still here, we’ll make sure to have an official Copper Kings meeting,” Chase said with amusement.
Nathan snorted. “I don’t think I’ll be here by then.”
Chase tilted his head, his blond hair shifting with the movement. “No? I’ve placed bets that you will be. There’s something about this town that pulls at a person—or should I say, something about the women.” His lips twitched.
Nathan’s face remained impassive. Did his partners suspect something or were they just fishing? Regardless, Nathan wouldn’t let anything slip unless he wanted it to. “It seems as though the women certainly caught the rest of you.”
The men laughed, and their amusement was genuine. None of them had thought they would find brides in the town or that they would end up staying long-term. But each had fallen prey to the sharp arrow of love.
Lucas lifted his hands. “I, for one, am happy to be caught.”
The other men agreed easily, and Nathan felt something move through him that he easily recognized.
Envy.
His partners had found love. It was astonishing really. From everything Nathan had witnessed, love was rare. He’d seen plenty of relationships based off mutual respect and friendship. But love, that all-consuming and freeing emotion, was rare. “I don’t doubt it. You’re all exceptionally lucky.”
Max’s eyes became shrewd, and Nathan realized he’d made a mistake. His dark-haired and even darker-eyed partner casually leaned back in his chair, but Nathan wasn’t fooled.
“You know, I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time at the new art gallery,” Max said. Lucas and Chase looked at him curiously.
“I purchased one of Miss Pierce’s paintings recently. She’s quite talented.” He glanced at the wall next to him, realizing the painting hanging there was Hannah’s as well. He couldn’t stop the well of pride he felt.
Chase smiled. “Yes, she is. My wife, Lily, had another made for our office in town. Did you see it?”
“I did. It’s brilliant as well.”
Max and Lucas shared a look, and Nathan resigned himself to divulging his secret. “All right. There’s something between Miss Pierce and I.”
None of them looked terribly surprised.
Chase nodded. “I suspected as much, but after seeing the two of you yesterday at the festival, it was much clearer.”
“I think it was clear to everyone,” Max said dryly. “So, when will you make an announcement?”
Nathan shook his head. “An announcement for…?”
“Your engagement,” Max said.
Nathan wished he could confirm what his partners so clearly thought was true. Instead, he was forced to be much more vulnerable than he was comfortable with. “I don’t know. She hasn’t exactly been easy to win over.”
Lucas frowned. “I saw the two of you yesterday. She cares for you.”
“She does,” Nathan said. At least he hoped she was beginning to. “But I don’t know if she’s ready to accept me. She’s built a life here.”
“And you’re not planning to stay,” Lucas finished with a nod. “That must be difficult for her.” He looked at him contemplatively. “Is this attachment recent? Or has it been going on for some time?”
His partner wasn’t an idiot. He was quickly connecting the dots. “Quite some time.”
“I see. I had wondered when I saw the two of you together—then I remembered you were the one who recommended her for the first group of women.”
Nathan nodded slowly. “I won’t deny it. I’ve wanted her for some time. But she wasn’t ready. My priority has been to protect her.”
Max frowned. “But why wait so long? She’s been here almost a year.”
Nathan didn’t want to reveal too much of Hannah’s past. “Her situation demanded it.”
Chase nodded. “You were wise. She needed the time.”
Nathan wasn’t surprised Chase knew Hannah’s circumstances. They’d run in the same circles. He would have heard what had happened to Ha
nnah. “She did. I wanted to give her a year, but I couldn’t wait any longer to see her.” He shook his head, smiling. “She’s changed a lot.”
“She has,” Lucas agreed. “I hardly recognize her from the woman she was when she first arrived. She blossomed here. And I hate to tell you, I don’t think she’ll be happy going east again.”
Lucas had never been one to pull punches. Nathan respected that. “I’ve realized that as well. This is her home now. We can’t live here full time, but I would agree to living here part of the year.”
Lucas tipped his head. “That might be enough.”
Nathan hoped so. No matter how much he wanted her to be happy, he couldn’t give her a complete life here. If it were just up to him, he’d give up his comforts for her happiness, but he had several businesses back in New York that needed his attention. “It has to be.”
“If you need anything from us, let us know,” Lucas offered, and the other partners agreed. “We’ve all been through this. It’s hard, but if you can get through it, there’s nothing better.”
The words filled him with determination. He had to get past this issue with Hannah. He didn’t have another choice.
He might have started out feeling casual and cocky about the whole thing, but he was completely in love with her.
Life without Hannah didn’t seem like a life at all.
Since the festival three days ago, Nathan had left her alone. She knew he was giving her time to process everything, but she almost wished he hadn’t.
Because if he’d shown up the next day, she would have pushed against it. Instead, she’d been left thinking of him, wondering when he’d show up, and remembering what he’d said and how it felt to be in his arms.
She sighed, mixing two colors and brushing the result across her canvas without thinking.
He was haunting her. And she knew he was doing it on purpose.
She’d never doubted his cunning or his ability to manipulate people. But she had to admit, if she felt nothing for him, then his distance wouldn’t matter to her in the slightest.
She’d thought to stay away from him, but with every moment she’d spent on her own, the more she realized she wanted to be with him. But being with him would mean giving up what she’d built here, and that felt like ripping out a piece of her soul.
Why did her feelings have to be so extreme? Why couldn’t it be easy like it had been for her friends? They’d faced obstacles during their courtships, but they weren’t anything substantial. They’d been able to overcome them.
No matter how many different angles Hannah looked at this problem from, the answer was still the same—it could never work.
But was she just thinking the way her friends had? Feeling like everything was too big to overcome. She wanted to stay in Promise Creek—it was important to her. If he really cared about her, wouldn’t he see that? Wouldn’t he be willing to sacrifice for her?
Worrying her lip, she dabbed more paint onto the canvas.
She wasn’t sure what he felt or what he would be willing to give up.
Frustrated, she put her brush down and turned away from the painting to look out the window. Maybe she needed a walk, some fresh air to clear her head.
She was determined to do just that when something outside caught her eye—Nathan. He was on the other side of the road by the mercantile, watching something.
Curious, she followed the direction of his gaze and frowned. It looked as though a few young boys were picking on a smaller one.
She rose to her tiptoes to get a better look at their target, but she couldn’t see him.
With a determined step, Nathan walked over to the group, quickly dispatching the trouble-making boys. But the one remaining was curled up on the ground.
Nathan offered the boy his hand then waited patiently while the child uncurled from his position, glanced around, and reached up.
Hannah’s heart clenched as she watched Nathan talk with the boy. She couldn’t hear the conversation, but she could tell he was encouraging him. And when it appeared to be over, Nathan reached into his pocket and offered the child a book.
The young boy’s eyes widened, and he took the book reverently as if he couldn’t believe someone was giving it to him. Nathan smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair before the child ran off.
As she watched him, something changed within her. All her confusion seemed to melt away, leaving her to clearly feel what was inside—longing.
He’d done so much for her without her ever being aware of it. He’d been there, looking out for her and protecting her all along. Everything he’d done, everything he wanted, flowed through her, making her want to give up everything she’d found in this new life she’d created if it meant being with him.
But that was scary, life altering.
Turning away from the window, she resumed her stance at the easel. The feelings coursing through her were too strong, overwhelming, and frightening. She needed something to distract her.
Seeing him with the child had unlocked the truth in her heart. How could one thing change her feelings so completely?
But she realized it hadn’t—it had only shown her how she felt all along.
Chapter 11
For the first time in Nathan’s life, he felt nervous. Not scared exactly, but as he walked to Hannah’s studio, he felt the weight of the moment.
This was it.
He wasn’t going to pressure her into anything, but it was time he laid it all out there, told her everything he wanted, and hoped she wanted the same.
He was grateful he’d been able to help the child. He’d been bullied too when he was younger. He’d grown later than other boys, and his affection for books had only made it worse. The young boy seemed to be dealing with the same issues.
But instead of yelling at him as his own father had, he’d given the child his book, and told him that later in life, those boys would be coming to him for things—that the most valuable tool was his brain and to never forget it.
He didn’t know if the child understood what he’d said, but Nathan was grateful he’d been there.
He’d come so far in his life, accomplished so many things. He was proud of each of them, but being here had showed him that none of it truly mattered. When he died, no one would care—his businesses would go on without him, and he would quickly fade from memory.
He’d achieved financial success, but he’d never accomplished the things in life that would make him truly happy: Love. Family. Home.
Logically he knew what they were, that they were important, but without experiencing them himself, he could never truly understand.
Well, he did now.
He loved Hannah. He hadn’t realized it before. He’d acknowledged his desire for her, but what he actually felt was so much more. He wanted a family and a home, but only if he could make them with her.
He just hoped she wanted the same things.
Stepping up to her storefront, he ran a hand through his hair before entering. His eyes immediately fell to her as she worked on her canvas—a sight he wanted to see for the rest of his life. “Hannah?”
She gave a soft sniffle but didn’t glance over. She cleared her throat. “Hello, Nathan.”
He frowned and moved closer, his eye never straying from her. Was she crying? “Are you well?”
“Yes. Perfectly.”
He needed to see her face, but she was turned away from him. “Hannah, look at me.”
She took a deep breath before meeting his gaze. Moisture gathered in her eyes, but they weren’t puffy or red.
“Why are you crying?” His voice sounded hoarse. He never wanted to see her cry.
She shook her head. “It’s silly.”
“Nothing is silly.”
She looked away from him again. “I just realized I have to make a choice that I don’t want to make.”
Even though she hadn’t said it, Nathan knew it was about him. “What is it you want to do?”
She gave a soft laugh. �
��I don’t know. That’s the problem. Which thing do I walk away from?”
His stomach dropped. She could walk away from him, decide he wasn’t worth keeping if she had to lose so much else. “Do you want to talk about it?” No matter what he wanted, he would help her come to terms with what she needed to be happy. He refused to take something that would only bring her unhappiness.
She shook her head slowly. “No, I don’t think it’ll help.”
He followed her gaze to the canvas. Breath clogged in his lungs as he stared at the portrait. “That’s…me.”
“It is.” She studied the painting as if trying to find answers. “I hadn’t even realized I was painting it at first.”
“Why are you still painting it?” he asked, trying to hold off any hope that it meant something.
She looked at him again. “I’m trying to figure you out.”
“I’m not difficult to understand.”
She chuckled. “You’re not an easy man to understand, Nathan. You’re complicated, complex. You have more running around in your brain than any person I’ve ever met. There’s so many layers to you, it’s impossible to know what is going on in that head of yours just from looking on the outside.”
Could she truly know him so well already? “Is that bad?”
“No.” She smiled. “I like it.”
“Good.” He took her hand and pulled her toward him. “Listen, Hannah, I know this isn’t what you were expecting. I’m sorry things have been so complicated and life hasn’t steered you in the direction you thought it would. I know I’m not who you would have chosen for your husband, but know that I care for you. I want you to be happy. I want to provide for you and any children we may have. We could be happy together.”
It sounded good to his ears. A straightforward offer she could appreciate. He didn’t speak of what was deep in his heart, how much he craved her, wanted her. Those emotions were too strong, made him feel out of control.
And he desperately needed to be in control.
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