Where the Heart Leads by Jillian Hart Page B

sharing a moment with a handsome man.”
    Aumaleigh grimaced. “It wasn’t a moment.”
    “Aumaleigh!” Louisa clapped her gloved hands, delighted. Tiny bits of dirt flew everywhere. “I’m so excited for you. There are several men in town who have been watching you for a while. How long has this been going on? Do you have a beau now?”
    “No!” Aumaleigh patted more seeds into the earth. “I have nothing of the sort.”
    “That’s not what I saw.” Orla added a shovelful of fertilizer into the garden row. “Gabriel Daniels looked pretty amorous, if you ask me. The way he helped you into your buggy, there was something serious about it. He’s a courting man, mark my words.”
    “Ooh!” Louisa brightened. “Are you talking about Josslyn’s brother? He is terribly handsome. Much too old for me, but even then, he sort of stops your heart. Do you know what I mean, Orla?”
    “Oh, I do, and I’m old enough for him.” Orla winked, mixing manure into the dirt. “Maybe I’ll knock Aumaleigh aside and take him for myself.”
    “Be my guest.” She scooted down the row and dug in with her trowel. “He’s all yours, Orla.”
    “Oh, I doubt he’d want anything to do with me, when he can’t seem to see anyone else but you.”
    “It’s not like that.” Was it anger burning behind her sternum? Or something else?
    “Then what is it like?” Louisa wanted to know, pausing her work planting the radish seeds to frown with concern. “You look upset, Aumaleigh. Why? You must be like me, not a spinster by choice. If a handsome and nice man likes you, what’s wrong with that?”
    “Nothing.” She stared at the seeds in her hand. Neither Orla nor Louisa knew about her past love affair and its catastrophic failure. Did she finally open up and talk about that old wound? Or would it be better just to get back to work and let it blow over?
    Fortunately, the mercantile delivery wagon pulled up and Aumaleigh left her employees to go deal with it. By the time she had everything unloaded and packed away in the pantry, it was time to start supper. Since the horde of cowboys would be frothing at the mouth if their meal was one minute late, it was best to get right to work.
    With so much to do, there was no time to talk about men, handsome or not, until the cowboys were fed and the dishes washed. Everyone was so tired by then, it was all Aumaleigh could do to utter a farewell and stagger out the door.
    “Hey, Aumaleigh.” Kellan greeted her in the barn. He’d been on the ranch a long time, first working hard for her mother and now for her. A man in his mid-thirties, he carried himself with that cowboy inbred sense of honor and might. “I got your mare hitched and ready to go.”
    “Thanks, Kellan. You’re a wonder.”
    “That I am.” He blushed, holding out his hand to help her into the buggy.
    Always such a gentleman. She accepted his help, slipping onto the cushioned seat.
    “I hear I’m not the first man to lend you a hand up today.” He tipped his Stetson, grinning from ear to ear. “News travels fast.”
    “It’s all lies. It never happened.” She winked, taking the reins from him. “That Fred got it wrong again.”
    “Nice try, but trying to derail the rumor’s not going to work. Everyone knows Fred gets the gossip right before he repeats it.”
    “More’s the pity.” Aumaleigh gave a soft chuckle. The sun had set, painting a purple glow on the underbellies of the few clouds overhead. “I suppose it’s too late to stop the rumors?”
    “They’ve likely set the countryside on fire by now.” Kellan strolled over to open the double barn doors. “I can see the flames from here.”
    “Too bad there isn’t a way to put it out.”
    “There’s no chance of that, believe me. Everyone will be talking about this for a while. A longtime spinster like you and a widower like Gabriel? You deserve happiness. I hope it works out for you.”
    “I’ll drop dead first.” She laughed, although she