“Thank you for your kindness to my sister,” Joseph told her softly. “I have never seen her so happy.” Nugget broke free and skipped ahead. Annabelle didn’t have the heart to stop her. “I’m glad to have given her something to be happy about.” She smiled. Joseph wasn’t too bad. Cleaned up the way he was, it was almost easy to pretend he was just a normal man. Annabelle stumbled slightly. Joseph wasn’t a normal man. And it wouldn’t do for her to entertain feelings when she knew she couldn’t count on a miner to stick around. Not that she had any intention of entertaining feelings about any man. At least not here in Leadville. The town was full of shiftless drifters, and the one time she’d let her guard down to trust in someone, he’d betrayed her. Something she’d do well to remember in the presence of this man. Especially with the way Joseph’s sparkling smile made her tingle all the way down to her toes. Danica Favorite and Jessica Nelson Rocky Mountain Dreams & Family on the Range Table of Contents Rocky Mountain Dreams by Danica Favorite Family on the Range by Jessica Nelson Excerpt from Hiding in Alaska by Belle Calhoune Rocky Mountain Dreams Danica Favorite Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily-ever-after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun. Find her at danicafavorite.com. Books by Danica Favorite Love Inspired Double R Legacy The Cowboy’s Sacrifice His True Purpose Three Sisters Ranch Her Cowboy Inheritance The Cowboy’s Faith His Christmas Redemption Love Inspired Historical Rocky Mountain Dreams The Lawman’s Redemption Shotgun Marriage The Nanny’s Little Matchmakers For the Sake of the Children An Unlikely Mother Mistletoe Mommy Honor-Bound Lawman Visit the Author Profile pageat Harlequin.com for more titles. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. —Genesis 50:20 An author’s first book often omes from years of support from friends and family. This book is no different. It would take an entire book to thank all those who’ve supported me through the years, so here is my general thank-you to all those who deserve it. You know who you are. Thank you. For those who didn’t get to see this dream come true before their passing—Theresa and Pat, you guys get the first nod. Your love and support meant a lot, and I wish you could have seen this come true. Randy, Army Girl, Accountant, Cowgirl and Princess, thanks for putting up with crazy writer mommy. Chip, I guess you told me so. Thanks. Everyone else, I’ll catch you in future books. Much love to all, Danica Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Epilogue Chapter One 1881 The soft breeze floating off the Mosquito Range made the air feel more like midsummer than early June in Leadville. Which meant Annabelle Lassiter could almost declare mud season officially over. Though today’s walk to the post office hadn’t resulted in a letter from her aunt Celeste, surely she could escape this town and its painful reminders soon. She paused as the parsonage came into view. A man waited on the porch. Annabelle sighed. Her father’s mission to care for the miners in Leadville was wonderful, but these days, they had more hungry people showing up on their doorstep than she knew what to do with. They had food aplenty, but Annabelle’s heart didn’t have the strength to keep working when it seemed like every day held a new heartbreak. Annabelle pasted a smile on her face as she walked up the steps of the parsonage to greet the man so covered in grime she couldn’t make out his features. Probably a younger man, considering his hair was still dark. This place had a way of aging a person so that appearances could be deceiving. Two white eyes blinked at her. “Supper’s not ’til seven.” She’d learned not to be too friendly, too welcoming, lest her words be misconstrued. Besides, her face was too weighed down by her heart to find it in her to give this stranger a smile. Those eyes continued staring at her. She’d seen dozens of men just like him. Miners willing to spend everything they owned to strike the big one, and when they ran out of options, they arrived on the Lassiters’ doorstep. As she got closer, she noticed a small child huddled next to him. So he was one of those. Bad enough to waste your life on a fool’s errand, but to take a child with you... “Of course, if you’ll come around back, I’m sure I can find something for your little...girl.” At least she hoped that’s what the child was. Underneath all that filth, it was hard to tell. Whatever kindness Annabelle had left in her remained reserved for the children. Innocent victims of their parents’ selfish dreams for riches that most who came to Leadville never found. Or when they did, they squandered their money in the many saloons in town. The Colorado mountains were tough on anybody, but especially on the little ones. “I need to see the preacher.” The man’s voice came out raspy, like he’d spent too many days underground working the mines. Annabelle tried not to sigh. Her father held more grubstakes and pieces of paper promising repayment when the mine finally paid out than she could count. If they had a penny for every paper they held, they’d be richer than these miners ever thought they could be. But, if she turned this one away, and her father got wind of it, he’d be upset. “Come around back, then.” Maddie would have her hide if she brought them through the front parlor. The last thing she needed
