Roz Denny Fox (17 page)

“This is so beautiful,” she crooned over and over. “Mint-green is my favorite color. Oh, but I can’t let it touch my dress. I need to go change. My jumper is gritty with ore.” She carefully set the blanket on the chair and ran to her trailer.

Eden paced the clearing. “Will she be gone long enough for me to get a look at those stones? I’m not an expert on opal, but blue ones are rare. If the stone doesn’t shatter when it’s scratched, she may have stumbled on a real find. I’d pay her a fair price. A good price. Do you think she’d trust me to do that?”

“I don’t know, Eden,” Nell said impatiently. “How can you focus on rock when what we need to do is talk her into getting good prenatal care? Think how much effort it takes to dig this much rock.” She gestured at the ore Hayley had spread out. It’s backbreaking labor. And speaking of labor, what if she’s out here alone when her labor starts?”

Eden shook her head. “There’s enough Coopers to keep tabs on her. She sounded pretty adamant to me about staying and following this through.” She shrugged. “It is her life, after all.”

Hayley returned then to open her other package. Eden fell silent, letting Hayley exclaim over the sleepers and cap and sweater she’d purchased at a local baby store.

“You don’t even know me, and look what you’ve done! My baby will come home from the hospital in style. Thank you both so much. Jake said nice things about you two. I think he understated the case.” Hayley seemed reluctant to put the baby gifts aside and accept the bowl of fragrant soup Nell handed her.

Hayley had her teeth sunk in a thick buttered slice of bread when Eden again brought up the subject of her gems. “If these samples are opal, Hayley, I can do more for you than a few baby items are worth. Should it cut, polish and set well, I’d be willing to buy all the raw material you can provide. Even discarding the potch or matrix to get to the usable stone, I’d like to purchase what you have here.” Eden figured in her head a moment and came up with an amount.

Hayley gasped. “So much? I…thought maybe half that amount…in my wildest dreams.”

“That’s conservative, depending on the grade. If you’d trust me with a slab to take back to my shop, I’d know better by the end of next week. Are you familiar with how consignment works? If the ore is high-grade, I’d advance more as my jewelry sells.”

“And,” Nell broke in, “to keep tabs on what she’s doing, you could come and spend a few weeks at the Triple C, Hayley.”

“Now I
know
you’re related to Jake.” Hayley smiled, but she kept shaking her head. “If the ore isn’t high-grade, I’ll have to dig twice as much. I appreciate your wanting to help, but I’m not going anywhere. Take a sample or two, Eden. All I ask is that you don’t let anyone know where you got it.”

“That’s the least I can do,” Eden murmured. “A good jewelry designer never reveals the source of his or her materials. I’d like to nail down an exclusive contract, but in all fairness, I have to tell you that you’re free to sell to any market.”

“To save us all a major disappointment,” Hayley said, “why don’t we wait for the assay results?”

“Fair enough.” Eden stood and collected the soup bowls. “I don’t want to rush you, Nell, but you know how I am when I face the prospect of working with a new stone.”

“Yes. You’re as obsessed as I am when I discover a new clay or dye. Are you sure you won’t reconsider, Hayley? We’d make you comfortable at the ranch.”

“Thanks, but no. Maybe I’ll drive over at the end of next week for those vegetables. And if you could spare a gallon of milk—I’ll buy one,” she added quickly.

“Nonsense. It’s a gift. That’s settled, then,” Nell said, clasping Hayley’s work-roughened hands between her own callused palms. “If I see Jacob in the interim, shall I tell him you’ve had a change of heart and would welcome Charcoal back?”

“Would I ever.” Hayley’s eyes brimmed again. Because she wasn’t used to so much kindness, she hugged each of the women awkwardly, then stepped back and waved while they climbed into the Range Rover. Her campsite seemed twice as lonely after they’d gone. Yet Hayley knew her decision to stay and extract additional ore was the right one.

A memory of Jake’s kiss taunted her. She wondered if his mother would be so chummy if she knew about that—and the words he’d said to her.

J
AKE DIDN’T KNOW
about his mother and sister-in-law’s visit to Hayley when he rode in on Wednesday of the next week to turn water into the southern ditches. He arrived at approximately four in the afternoon and found Hayley on her knees in mud as she washed ore. Piles of blue-streaked rock, some boxed and some not, all sorted by size, made it difficult for him to navigate the clearing on horseback.

Charcoal ran through the piles, sniffing each one. He barked and wagged his tail enthusiastically when he finally reached Hayley. She let him lick her face, but tried not to pet him with her muddy hands. Looking up at Jake, she didn’t want to admit how much she’d missed his visits. She did her best to appear nonchalant.

Frankly, she was surprised to see him after what Eden had said concerning the timetable for roundup. Content to watch the easy way he sat a horse, Hayley stopped work and waited for Jake to speak first. He said nothing, only swung from the saddle, inspecting her from the top of her windtousled hair to the muddy soles of her boots. She returned the favor, shading her eyes with a dirty forearm. “You look exhausted,” she said, shocked to see that it was true. “There’s no coffee made, but I’ll fix a pot. Give me a minute to wash up.” She got to her feet, and at her first step, tripped on a large speckled rock.

Jake vaulted two rock heaps in succession to steady her. “I don’t look half as tired as you do,” he growled. “Sit. I’ll fix the coffee.”

“You haven’t been here five minutes and already you’re bossing me around.” It made her nervous the way Jake zeroed in on every tiny detail. Gazing into his eyes, she felt an urgent need to keep him at arm’s length. “I’ll knock off when these samples are clean. Anyway, I’m not drinking coffee, remember? Caffeine isn’t good for babies.” She thought a reminder wouldn’t hurt, in case he’d forgotten her condition. Although he could hardly miss the changes in her body. This week she’d begun to feel as if she waddled rather than walked. Straightening, Hayley rubbed the heel of her palm on a spot that had ached constantly since she’d started hauling ore by hand again.

Jake thought she’d been doing that a lot—rubbing a place low on her spine. Mud caked the back pleats of a jumper that appeared sun-streaked from frequent laundering. She’d worn a T-shirt under the jumper the last time he’d seen her, but today her brown arms were bare and coated in dust. She also had dirt streaks on the brim of her hat and on her forehead, where she’d wiped away perspiration. It was hot. A hundred and five. It’d been that temperature for more than a week, and it felt twice that in the rocky canyons Jake had explored to hunt for strays. It must be worse digging ore from a hillside with the sun blistering down. “Now that we’ve agreed we both look the worse for wear,” he said, removing his hat and hanging it on a limb, “let’s see what a hug will do to improve our sorry state of affairs.” Giving her no time to object, Jake enfolded her in his arms. The minute he felt her warmth, it was as if his tiredness disappeared.

Hayley’s hat tumbled from her head during a brief struggle for release. Then as Jake’s hands slid to her spine and began to massage away the dull ache lodged there, she relaxed against his chest and sighed. While her head told her she shouldn’t let him touch her, her fingers curved over his shoulders and began to stroke his tight shoulder muscles.

Jake closed his eyes and they were silent for a moment. Then he brought her scraped fingers to his lips. Hayley started, as if realizing she should put some distance between them.

“It’s okay, Hayley.” He smiled crookedly as he ran his index finger down her cherry-red cheek. “A guy kind of likes to hold the woman he loves.”

Hayley sucked in a hot puff of air so fast she choked as it seared her lungs. “What? Have you…have you been drinking?” she asked in a strangled voice. Her head reeled and spun, and her legs went rubbery, forcing her to flop into the lawn chair. “You might have heatstroke,” she muttered under her breath. “Or else you accidentally chewed locoweed.”

Jake knelt in front of her. “I swear I’m not in the habit of tossing the
L
-word around, Hayley. I wouldn’t say it lightly. You’ve gotta believe me, it’s what I feel. I want to be with you, now, and when you’re eighty. But that’s only part of it.” He shook his head, frustrated. “Sorry, I’m not good with words.”

She scooted her chair out of his reach. With fingers that shook, she ran a hand over her belly, her face flushed.

Jake thought she looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. It didn’t seem to matter—to him, anyway—that he obviously had stronger feelings for Hayley than she had for him. He must be in love or he wouldn’t have made that declaration she’d refuted. He’d cared for other women. Never had he mistaken those feelings for love. Jake was reasonably sure this was the real thing.

A thought struck him as he watched her. Scrambling closer on his knees, he reached for her hand. “Is it the baby?” he asked earnestly.

“Is what the baby?” Hayley shivered, although sweat popped out on her forehead. She wished he’d stop this assault on her senses.

“I can love another man’s baby. It won’t make any difference, I swear. I know I didn’t mention the baby when I said I wanted to be with you. I assumed you’d understand it went without saying that I want you both.” As if to prove the point, Jake caressed her stomach and kissed it. He was surprised to discover how much the bulge had expanded in the weeks he’d been away. As he marveled, a tiny foot or elbow smacked him in the nose. Amazement spread through them both, bringing them closer for a moment. They stared at each other and enjoyed the interlude, neither seeming to hear Eden Cooper wheel into the clearing in her gleaming Cherokee. She hopped out in a cloud of dust.

She skirted boxes and jumped over piles of stone, breathing fast when she finally arrived at their side. “What happened? Did Hayley faint? Oh, God, she hasn’t gone into early labor, has she?”

By the time his sister-in-law loomed over them, Jake and Hayley had sprung apart. Their faces had gone pale. It wasn’t until a minute later, when no one jumped in with answers, that Eden recognized the expressions they wore as guilt. She slapped a flat palm to her forehead. “I, ah, I’m interrupting, aren’t I?”

Jake saw a blushing Hayley cover her face with her hands. He rose and quickly placed himself between the two women, allowing Hayley a moment. “What are you doing here, Eden? Has something gone wrong at the ranch? Did Dad get hurt again?” he thundered.

“No. Didn’t Hayley tell you about Nell’s and my visit? Or that I took some of her ore samples to have them assayed?”

He acted as if she was speaking a foreign language. Eden snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Hel-lo. Nell said you asked her to visit Hayley. I realize I wasn’t part of the equation.” Her lips twitched in a grin. “I heard you mention opals before you made your grand exit the night of the barbecue. You should know it’s like waving a red flag at a bull. I had to see her discovery for myself.”

Hayley struggled to rise from the low-slung chair. “This is only Wednesday. We’d set Friday as the day you might have news. I planned to drive over to the Triple C in the afternoon. You have bad news, don’t you?” She looked stricken. Accepting Jake’s help, she’d finally managed to stand, but her pinched lips reflected her disappointment.

“Not bad news at all,” Eden declared, reaching to grip Hayley’s arm. “The news is good. Great, in fact. All the tests show the opal to be a good grade. The most important test was one I had to farm out to a geologist I know—which is why I’m here early. He knew from the makeup of the dirt and surrounding rock attached to the sample that the ore was mined locally. I’m afraid he’ll stir up interest among local gem-hunters, even though I asked him not to say anything. It might only be a process of elimination before someone connects these opals to your recorded site.”

“Why should it matter?” Jake and Hayley asked in unison.

“Hayley needs to go to the recorder’s office and list the discovery of valuable mineral deposits on her claim. Then if anyone accidentally or purposely crosses her vein, she can legally prosecute them.” She turned to Hayley. “You don’t have to use the term
opal.
Call it cristobalite. It’s a term for opals rarely used outside of Australia. A person would have to be a seasoned opal hunter to recognize what you had.”

Hayley sat again, hard, and feeling dazed, she looped her arms around the dog’s neck. She remained mute until he bathed her cheek with his rough tongue. “I can’t seem to comprehend anything beyond the fact that you verified the legitimacy of my find. I hate to sound mercenary, but I have to think about feeding and clothing my baby this winter. Is my opal worth anywhere near the amount you mentioned during your last visit?” An outflung arm encompassed her collection of rocks.

“More.” A smiling Eden leaned down so she could meet Hayley’s eyes. “The stone is so high-grade that even if you sell only to me and come here to dig once a year, you and your baby will be able to live comfortably for years. Probably until the field plays out. As opals typically form over quite a large radius in areas that were once basin lakes, it might behoove you to do some research and extend your claim.”

“Great!” Jake drew Eden upright. “The Cattlemen’s Association is hunting ways to kick her off this land, and you’re recommending she encroach on Westin’s leased range.”

Eden presented a stubborn jaw. “He’s leasing the land for grazing, not mining. But if word gets out before Hayley files the appropriate changes, I wouldn’t put it past Westin to file his own mineral claim.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Hayley broke in. “To make a trip to the recorder’s, I’d have to leave what I’m doing. Someone could jump my claim while I’m gone.”

Jake’s brows drew together. “I wasn’t suggesting you not protect what’s already yours. I just don’t want you to face off against guys like Westin and maybe get yourself hurt. I’ll stay here and guard the place. Let Eden drive you to the courthouse in the morning. Fast as she drives, you ought to be back before noon.”

“Are you insinuating I have a lead foot?” Eden punched his arm.

“Dillon’s the one who told me you have a drawerful of speeding tickets and you got a letter from Motor Vehicles asking you to come to Phoenix to review your driving record.”

“That was a long time ago. Right after I got my driver’s license. My dad felt that if Dillon was going to marry me, he deserved to know all my faults. Of course, he’ll tell you he was trying to scare Dillon off.”

“Could be true. As I recall, your dad wasn’t keen on your dating cowboys.”

“The very same man who griped about me graduating with an art degree. He insisted that all artists starve.”

Jake turned to Hayley. “Did I tell you Eden has jewelers all over the world fighting to sell her designs? You couldn’t have found a better outlet for your opals.”

“You’re the one who made it all possible. Who knows how long it would’ve taken me to find a market if you hadn’t asked your mom to drop by. Why did you, by the way?” She gave him a blank stare.

“Because I…well, you wouldn’t listen when I said you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. I thought she might be more convincing. Boy, was I wrong. She and Eden set you on a breakneck course to become a millionaire.” He glared at his sister-in-law.

She arched a brow and smiled wickedly. “So what were
you
offering her, Jacob?”

His eyes glittered darkly. “What do you mean, what was I offering her?”

Eden inspected a polished fingernail. “A little bird told me you’re pressing Wade about building a house on your acreage. It occurs to me that a woman and baby need a solid roof over their heads.”

Jake knew very well that Eden was trying to provoke him into revealing the extent of his involvement with Hayley. Even though the idea of marriage had planted itself in his mind, he hadn’t reached the point of discussing it with her. Jake wasn’t about to let her learn something so important secondhand—or in front of an audience.

“You’re on a fishing expedition, Mrs. Nosybody, and it’ll get you nowhere. I hate to think what label you’d paste on me if I didn’t show a little concern for a woman stuck out on her own here. More than once I suggested she use the ranch as home base. Ask her what she thought of
that
idea.”

Hayley wrinkled her nose. “Don’t argue, you two.” It was plain that Eden assumed she and Jake had a romantic relationship. And equally plain that Jake was backpedaling for all he was worth. Hayley felt a yawning pit opening in the bottom of her stomach. She shouldn’t let it affect her, she’d known Jake hadn’t meant it when he said he loved her. How could he mean it? He barely knew her. Besides, it’d be a few months before her divorce from Joe was final. Hadn’t jumping into that marriage been the lesson of a lifetime for her?

Jake stood by silently and watched steely resolve replace the vulnerability in Hayley’s beautiful eyes. He felt helpless to try to rectify her misconceptions here in front of his sister-in-law. For one thing, he wasn’t that sure of himself around Hayley. She’d rebuffed all his offers so far. Even if she seemed to fall under his spell when he kissed her, she got over it quickly enough when the kissing ended.

“You ladies go ahead and take off,” he said. “Spend the night in Tubac and hit the recorder’s office in Nogales tomorrow. Eden, if you wouldn’t mind swinging past the ranch, would you roust Dillon on the mobile phone? Tell him what’s going on. I promised I’d turn the water into the spillway, then scour Vulture’s Roost for strays tomorrow morning. Tell him it’ll be afternoon.”

“It’d be better if you went with Hayley,” Eden told him. “I’ll ride Mojave to the ranch. Bright and early tomorrow I’ll get Nell to bring me back. The two of us can load the bed of her Range Rover with this ore. That way, if anyone does chance by, there’ll be nothing to show you’ve found anything worthwhile. I’ll weigh it at the shop and write Hayley a check. Then I can start cutting and polishing. Which is what I really want to do.”

Jake deferred to Hayley. “It’s your call.” Seeing Hayley hesitate, Jake pulled her aside and lowered his voice. “Is Eden moving too fast? She has a tendency to run in high gear, especially in matters related to her jewelry designs.”