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P ure peace.

Those were the two words that kept playing through Daisy’s mind when she sat down under a massive pecan tree and leaned back against the bark.

Just like she had imagined when she couldn’t sleep at night, she could hear the river’s water behind her as it calmly made its way through the area.

Sheep fed on the cool green grass, a pleasant change from Autrie’s dusty streets.

Claude sat down beside her, close enough that his shoulder brushed against hers and sent little waves of desire deep down in her body.

“What do you think of our little piece of paradise?” he asked.

Why did he have to use that word—paradise? she thought with a silent groan.

To remind you that it’s time to come clean with him so that neither of you wind up with a broken heart, Miz Raven answered in her scolding tone.

“Do you still have a dream of striking out on your own and going north?” she asked.

His brilliant smile turned into a frown. “I do, but you didn’t answer my question.”

“I love it, but if it’s paradise, how can you leave it?” Daisy asked.

“To build another one, maybe with cattle instead of sheep, to carve out my own way in the world. I was born right here on this place just before my father went off to fight in the war. And my grandparents, Uncle Elijah’s generation, came here and lived in a covered wagon until they could build a house.

I want to see what’s out there in the world,” he answered.

“How about you, Miz Daisy? Do you still want to go on an adventure?”

“Yes, but . . .”

A lamb left the flock and eased its way over to sniff her hand. She sank her fingers into his soft wool and petted the little guy. “Why do you want to deal with cattle when you know all about sheep?”

“Because they’ll withstand the cold weather better,” he answered. “And what was that ‘but’ all about?”

She squared her shoulders and got ready to say the hardest words she would ever utter. “Have you been flirting with me?”

Claude picked a couple of wildflowers and handed them to her. “I hope you know the answer to that. But yes, I have. The first time I laid eyes on you, I knew there was something between us, and I think you feel the same. I can see it in your gorgeous blue eyes.”

Angst replaced the perfect peace she had known at first. Whatever pedestal Claude had put her on was about to come crashing to the ground.

“My name is not really Daisy. When we went to work at the Paradise in Spanish Fort, up in the northern part of the state, Miz Raven loved flowers. So she gave all seven of us a new name: Daisy, Lily, Rose, and so forth. According to her, we made up her beautiful bouquet. My birth name is Ethel Kate Lindberg.”

Claude picked a wild forget-me-not and tucked it into her hair. “That’s still a real pretty name, but I like Daisy better, so that’s what I’m going to call you. Is that all you need to get off your chest?”

“No, it’s just the beginning,” she answered. “I was married, and my husband died. He wasn’t a very nice man, and living with him was miserable.” She hoped that would put him off enough that she didn’t have to tell him anything more.

“I was married, too,” Claude said. “I was very young, and my wife died in childbirth. So did my son. That was five years ago, and I thought I would never fall for another woman until I met you. You’ve made me feel something again, Daisy.

” He took her hand in his and brought her knuckles to his lips.

When he kissed them, she fought back tears. She wanted to spill everything about her past, but the words would not come out of her mouth.

“Mama says that life gives us twists and turns when we are traveling down the road to happiness,” he said and kissed her knuckles once more.

“Those are lovely words.” Her voice cracked a little.

“I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer,” he said. “I love to read anything I can get my hands on, especially about wagon trains and the Idaho Territories.”

Time to face the worst part, Daisy told herself.

“Me, too, but remember when I told you that I worked for Miz Raven? She was a madam at a very fancy, exclusive brothel,” she blurted out before she lost her courage.

“Miz Raven rescued me from having to walk into a place like Otis runs and ask for a job. I had no money and no family when my husband died. We sharecropped the land we were on, and the house was part of that deal. So I had to move out the day after he was buried, and I had nowhere to go or the means to even leave town.”

Claude was quiet for a few seconds that seemed to last for three days past eternity. He was a good man, and she felt as if she could trust him not to spread what she had said around town. She fully well expected him to simply stand up and walk away without looking back or saying a word.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands and whispered, “My mama says that not all angels have halos or wings.”

“But—”

“There are no but s between a man and a woman who are attracted to each other. I can’t think of anything but you all day, and then at night I dream about a moment when I can hold you and tell you that I’ve fallen in love with you.

” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Someday we are going to go on that adventure together, but until then, will you let me court you?”

She nodded, and his lips met hers in a kiss so steamy that the hot sun broiling down on them felt like a nice winter breeze. When the kiss ended, she leaned back.

“Are you sure about this? What your mama said is sweet, but I’m no angel,” she informed him.

“I’ve never been surer about anything in my whole life,” Claude answered. “Are you willing to go with me someday to start a new ranch?”

“I am,” she answered, and pulled his face to hers for another kiss. One that caused feelings of something more than just simple sexual gratification.

For a brief moment, Lily felt like a queen sitting beside Matt in the buggy. Then she remembered what she and Daisy had both vowed to do that day, and her imaginary crown took a tumble and landed out there in the middle of a flock of sheep.

Over there was where Alma lived now with her two girls.

Lily struggled to focus on Matt’s idea of giving her a tour.

Next to that house was one that belonged to Elijah.

He had been born in that place and was the last living one of his generation.

On down just a few hundred yards was another empty one.

Matt’s other cousin had lived in that one, but he and his wife had left a month ago, headed for California.

“And that right there is my house.” He pointed to a modest log cabin sitting on a small rise.

“How many houses are on this ranch?” Lily asked.

“I never stopped to count them,” he answered.

“The big house that you saw when you first arrived on the property is where my parents and unmarried siblings live, and most of the decisions are made around the kitchen table there. You’ll meet them at dinner.

The place covers several thousand acres, and we all take care of the sheep, moving them from one pasture to another as it’s necessary. ”

“You have cats?” she asked when she noticed a couple sprawled out on the porch.

“Yep, and more than one sheep dog roams around the place. That one belongs to me, though.” A dog as big as one of the rams came down the path to meet them.

Matt flicked the reins and made a turn down the short path leading up to the house. “I wanted you to see my place before we continue. Claude and I built it about five years ago when his wife died. He needed something to keep his mind off the grief, and I wanted to move out of my folks’ house.”

“It’s lovely,” she said, dreading the upcoming conversation. She blinked away tears at the very thought of telling him.

Just another minute or two, she silently begged, to be like a normal woman who is being courted by a decent man.

“What are the cats’ names?” she asked.

“The black-and-white one is Midnight, and the gray one is Stormy. The sheep dog is Mozelle because my youngest sister, Abigail, liked the name,” he answered.

“How many sisters do you have?” Lily asked.

“Four sisters and two brothers,” he answered as he parked the buggy, hopped down from the seat, and held out a hand.

“I’m right in the middle with three sisters older than me.

Then a sister and two brothers that are younger.

The sisters that are older live on the far side of the ranch and have branched out into growing some special breeds of cattle that grow up fast and produce high-quality beef. ”

She put her hand in his and figured it would probably be the last time he would ever want to help her again. He laced his fingers through hers, and together they walked up onto the porch.

Just like a couple, she thought, and blinked back more tears.

Both cats awoke from their naps and started weaving around their legs.

“They are so cute.” Lily bent down, stroked each of them, and enjoyed the last of the idyllic moment.

“Midnight has a batch of kittens out in the barn. You’re welcome to however many you can catch.” Matt chuckled. “Stormy comes from a previous litter. No one wanted him.”

“I don’t think a kitten would survive long in town,” Lily said. “But thanks for the offer.”

“A furry critter that lived in the seamstress shop would have a lot less chance of getting eaten by coyotes than it will here running wild. On second thought, you could move your sewing business out here, and then you can have as many as you wanted,” he suggested.

“I reckon we’d better stay in town,” she said.

And after today, you won’t ever want to see me again.

“Well, the offer is there if you ever change your mind. You saw those two empty houses down the path. You could set up shop in either of them.” He opened the door, dropped her hand, and stood to one side.

“That’s so sweet, and I will keep it in mind,” she said and tried to take in the whole of the big room in one sweep.