Jonah’s gaze steady on hers. "I need to go anyway." He hesitated, then added, "And I'd feel better knowing you had some assistance on the journey. It's not an easy road, especially with a child."
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Thank you.” Having Jonah along would certainly make the trip more bearable. For both her and Anna.
"When do you want to leave?"
"Day after tomorrow, if that works for you." It would give her enough time to prepare Anna and gather thelast of their meager belongings. Though in truth, she dreaded it with every part of her.
"I'll be ready." He reached out as if to touch her arm, then seemed to think better of it, his hand falling back to his side. "I'd best let you go help Lillian. Just…let me know if you need anything before we go."
"I will." Thankfully, he turned away before he could see the tears gathering in her eyes.
It was foolish, the hope that rose within her. Jonah was going because he needed to get his cookstove. Maybe he was goingnowbecause he wanted to make sure she and Anna were safe. But there was nothing more to it than that. She couldn’t let herself consider that he might have feelings for her. She couldn’t let herself give in to the yearning to stay and make a place for herself and Anna here with the Coulters. With Jonah.
She straightened her shoulders and started toward the house. Time to put regrets behind her and look to the future, whatever it might hold. Jonah and the unexpected haven of his family would soon be just a memory.
But oh, what a bittersweet memory it would be.
CHAPTER 11
Jonah wiped the sweat from his brow as he lugged an armload of kindling toward the makeshift campsite. The day had been a scorcher, not fun considering they’d sat in the wagon since the sun had still been a hope on the eastern horizon. Now, a few faint shades of pink and purple painted the western sky as night prepared to take over.
Hopefully, tomorrow would be easier. Not just the heat, but Anna’s attitude. The girl had been sullen and whiny all day. She was hurting something fierce, which tore at his heart. Mostly. But it irked him the way she took her anger out on her aunt. Patsy was doing the very best she could, doing what she considered right. He couldn’t imagine what he’d do in her position. Could he stand to let his brother’s kids live with strangers simply because they felt comfortable there? Could he live with himself if he didn’t even try to make a home for them?
No. No he couldn’t.
Didn’t Anna see how hard this was on her aunt? Patsy had started the journey trying to talk about the future with her niece. She’d been all smiles and joy, speaking with optimism hefigured Anna had seen right through. Patsy’d kept that smile for hours, despite her niece’s rudeness. But eventually, she’d given up.
Jonah was doing everything to lighten Patsy’s burden, but maybe he could talk to Anna after dinner, try to ease some of her pain or at least get her to give her aunt a break.
He dumped his load beside the low flames of the campfire, then dropped to his haunches to add some of the dryer wood he’d found.
Patsy was rummaging through the supplies, laying out provisions for their evening meal.
He scanned the area. "Where's Anna?” She’d been sulking in the wagon when he left for the firewood, but the rig was empty now.
Patsy straightened and turned toward the wagon, her brow furrowed. "Is she lying down in there?"
He’d peeked inside when he’d walked by it a moment before. A knot twisted in his gut. "Anna?" He scanned the trees around, straining for any hint of motion. A few branches swayed and a bird flitted from one tree to another.
“Anna? Where are you?” Patsy strode to the wagon, her voice thick with worry.
It took her only a second to see what he’d already known—that the bed was empty save the two crates of food they’d brought for the journey.
Patsy spun back to him. “Did she go to the creek?”
He started that way, breaking into a jog as he searched his surroundings. There was no sign of the girl at the water. The only footprints in the wet sand of the bank had been made by his own boots when he’d come to get a bucket full earlier.
Patsy ran up and halted beside him, her breath heaving. Her face was ashen, her eyes panicked when they met his. “Where could she be?’
He wanted to reach out and pull Patsy close, to ease herfears. But they had to find Anna, now. They didn’t have much time before darkness would fall, making the search so much harder.
He looked back through the woods toward where they’d left the wagon, forcing his mind to work through the possibilities. She’d been sitting there when he went to search for wood, her arms crossed and her lower lip puffed out.
Angry because she’d wanted to stay at the ranch.
Would she have tried to go back? A girl as young as Anna should be afraid of a journey like that—a full day’s ride up and down mountain slopes. Especially after what’d happened to her grandmother.
On the other hand, Anna had survived countless days and nights in the midst of a mountain snowstorm with no shelter. Walking along a clear-cut road must seem easy compared to that other time.
