An Innocent Love’s Wildflower (Preview)

Prologue

Jenkins rubbed his cheek and approached Rebecca Collins. She looked beautiful, standing there along the edges of the lake. Her long brown hair was falling down her back, and her equally brown eyes stared out at the still water.

Wyoming was always beautiful this time of year.
Kyle also had brown hair, but his eyes were green. He had decided that he would try to grow a big mustache someday, like the one that his father had.
Rebecca had told him that was silly; he couldn’t grow hair on his face yet, but he told her that he would show her, someday.

He approached her slowly, seeing from her posture that her mood was different. Most of the time, when they met at the lake, they would climb the trees and play and laugh and sing songs together.

But Rebecca was skipping stones, rather aggressively compared to usual, and she looked upset.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, coming up close.

She wouldn’t look at him.

“It’s nothing,” she said, swiping her cheek too late to hide that she had been crying.

“I don’t believe you,” Kyle said.

“Fine. It’s my mother, all right?” she said bitterly.

“What about her?” Kyle asked.

Rebecca finally turned to him, the same pretty face he had known for twelve years, ever since he was born, as far as he knew. He was only a year old then, but he could still imagine that even as a baby, he had liked her.

“She’s getting married again. My father has only been gone for four years, but she decided she needs to find a new husband. And she did. He is some kind of merchant who wants to try and find gold in California,” Rebecca said.

“California?” Kyle asked.

Rebecca looked at him with a great deal of sadness in her eyes.

“We are leaving Wyoming, Kyle. He is taking us away. Apparently, he has a daughter also, just a little younger than me. I haven’t met her yet. I don’t know if she’s nice. But we have to leave here, to go and try to be her friend, even if you aren’t going to be there. My mother said it’s the right thing to do, that we will be well taken care of,” Rebecca said, throwing another stone along the surface of the water.

She threw it too hard and it sunk with a plop!

With that, all of Rebecca’s strength seemed to break, and she fell to the ground, crying hard.

“Oh, Rebecca, it’s going to be all right,” Kyle said, although he couldn’t think, for a moment, that anything would be all right if Rebecca were gone.

“No, it isn’t! I’m going to miss you so much,” she said.

It started to dawn on Kyle then. He was going to miss her as well. He couldn’t even imagine it. And, with that, his heart started to break.

“Why do you have to go? Can’t you just stay here? You have other family here,” Kyle said.

“They’re going away also. My mother’s cousin and her family are also planning to try their luck with gold. It seems like everyone wants to; everyone thinks that’s all that matters. Gold, gold, gold,” Rebecca complained.

“But if they can just realize that you belong here …” Kyle trailed off, not knowing what more to say. He couldn’t even begin to consider life without Rebecca.

“I wish I had a choice,” she said.

“I wish you did, too. Why won’t they listen to you? If it’s not a good idea to go, why won’t they see that?” Kyle asked.

“Why would they listen to me? They think it’s for the best, and that we will be better off out there. The man that my mother is going to marry said that we will be rich if we can go out there and let him look for gold. I think it’s nonsense, but no one cares what I think,” Rebecca said.

“That’s not fair,” Kyle said.

“No one ever said that they had to be fair to me,” she replied.

It was true. Kyle knew that she was right. But why couldn’t they just listen to her? Why couldn’t they realize that they were tearing the two of them apart? It was ridiculous. There was no reason they should have to be separated.

“Please, don’t go, Rebecca,” Kyle said, practically begging her.

It only made her cry harder. She sobbed and sobbed, looking helpless.

“I don’t want to. But they are making me, Kyle. They won’t let me stay,” she said.

Kyle threw his arms around Rebecca, sweetly and innocently. He didn’t want to ever let her go. He didn’t want to accept that she was going to leave or that there was nothing at all they could do about it.

He had been right. But so had she. It wasn’t fair, and there wasn’t anyone who had promised them that it would be.

Rebecca continued sobbing into his shoulder, clinging to him in return. He held her in his arms, determined that he would never let her go, that he would hold her forever and not let them take her away.

“I promise I’ll never forget you,” Kyle said.

“Me either. I won’t forget you,” she said, muffled by his shirt.

When he was able to, Kyle broke their hold. He saw what he wanted just up ahead of them and rushed over, plucking a purple wildflower that grew at the edge of the field by the lake.

He went back to Rebecca and handed it to her.

“I love you, Rebecca,” he said, hoping that it was okay for him to make that confession.

“I love you too,” she said, her large, brown eyes made red from all of the tears.

With that, Kyle handed her the flower.

“I mean it. And this is for you,” he said.

Rebecca took it from him and stared at it for a moment. Then, she looked back up at Kyle, directly in his eyes.

“I will keep it forever,” she promised.

“Good. Keep it and remember that it was from me. A promise of my love for you. Forever,” he said.

“Forever,” Rebecca replied.

Three days later, she was gone.

Chapter One

Kyle tossed the horseshoe on the ground, hard. If it hadn’t weighed so much, it would have bounced back up and hit him from the force of his throw.

He let out a frustrated sigh and sat for a moment, staring at the horse’s hoof, trying to make a decision. He had done this hundreds of times. Why was he having such a hard time with it all of a sudden?

“Hey, you okay?” Tom asked, cautiously closing the distance between himself and Kyle.

“Not really,” Kyle said.

“Fair enough. I suppose that was a silly question,” Tom said.

“No, it wasn’t. I’m just being a brute,” Kyle said. He didn’t want to talk, but he didn’t want to be alone either. He decided that it was better to be with Tom than to be with his thoughts.

“Not a brute. You have been through a lot lately. I can’t blame you for being a bit frustrated,” Tom said.

“A bit? Just a bit frustrated?” Kyle scoffed.

Tom grew quiet, and Kyle immediately felt bad. His friend was just trying to comfort him.

The truth was, Kyle wasn’t simply frustrated. He was miserable. He could hardly handle the sadness that he was feeling. It was so difficult being hurt like that and having to go right to work the next day as if he didn’t need the time to mourn. But he was a man, and his father wasn’t going to give him a day off at the ranch so that he could pine for Eleanor Timmons.

He would have to be strong and make an effort to work hard and pretend that he was all right, no matter what he was really dealing with.

“Sorry, Tom. I know I’m no fun to be around right now,” he said.

“Like I said, you’ve been through a lot lately,” Tom said, shrugging.

“I’m useless,” Kyle sighed. “Useless at love and useless at a task that I’ve done a hundred times over and can’t seem to get right today.”

“No, you’re not useless. You’re just tired and heartbroken. Want me to take over?” Tom offered, picking up the horseshoe and looking at it as if it were a puzzle that Kyle hadn’t managed to solve.

“All right. Go for it,” Kyle said, standing up and letting Tom sit down to have a look at the problem.

“Want to talk about it?” Tom asked, immediately getting to work. He appeared to have a calming effect on the horse after Kyle’s outburst. It almost made him jealous.

“Not really. What is there to say? Eleanor just doesn’t like me enough, I guess,” Kyle said, clenching his jaw.

He twisted the ends of his mustache as he was prone to do when he was anxious or angry. At that moment, he was feeling both of those emotions. He was overwhelmed by them, wishing that he could shove them aside and cheer up his heart.

“She doesn’t know what she wants. You know, I heard that she almost courted Glen Orden also, long before you came along. I don’t think she really knows what she wants. You and Glen couldn’t be any more different,” Tom said.

Kyle appreciated that Tom was trying to make him feel better, but he knew that it wasn’t true. Even if Eleanor Timmons had courted someone else, or considered it, it didn’t make it hurt any less that she had refused his proposal after allowing him to court her for nearly six months!

It had been such a waste. A waste of time, a waste of hope. He could have been out there, looking for a wife who would actually want to marry him. But, no. Eleanor had waited all that time, courting him until the moment that he asked for her hand in marriage.

“I just don’t understand what she was thinking. It was a heartless thing to do, and I honestly don’t know why I ever trusted her. I should have known better, but how could I? I’ve never heard of anyone doing something like this. If you had courted someone for that long, don’t you think you would have ended things before the proposal?” Kyle asked.

“Of course, I would. But she didn’t. You just have to accept it, Kyle. I don’t know how. It’s not fair. She did the wrong thing. But what’s done is done,” Tom said.

Tom put the horseshoe into place, and the horse let out a grumble, swishing his tail and shaking his head in protest. Poor beast had been through enough already that morning with Kyle’s frustrations, and now he realized that the day wasn’t over. He had to contend with Tom’s efforts now.

“I guess you’re right,” he replied. “It’s just that she knew where things were going. She knew that I was planning to propose … that I wanted to marry her. We had spoken about it so many times.”

“Do you think she will change her mind? Maybe she just wants to court a little longer, get to know each other even more,” Tom said.

“No. That’s not what she wants. I asked. She said that she wanted to end the courtship altogether and to move on,” Kyle said.

“Did she give you a reason?” Tom asked.

“Only that she has had a change of heart. I asked her if she had fallen in love with someone else, and she said she hadn’t, but I don’t know if I believe her. I’m fairly certain that she wouldn’t have ended things with me unless she found another,” Kyle said.

“If she said it wasn’t someone else, at least try to believe her. I’m not justifying her actions by any means. But you will only drive yourself mad with trying to figure things out if you don’t take her word for it,” Tom said.

Kyle knew that he was right. It was better if he gave up trying to figure all of this out. He didn’t need to hold onto Eleanor’s decisions. He only needed to figure out what it was that he wanted to do next.
He could be stronger than this.

Still, it didn’t make his day any easier. He had been awake all night, lying in bed, wondering what he had done wrong. Why would she act as though she liked him all that time? Did she ever care about him at all? Was she ever interested in marrying him?

It didn’t make any sense.

Kyle wanted to push to find out what was on her mind when he proposed. He wanted to know if she had already made up her mind to end things or if it had all happened at that moment. There had to be a reason.

“Are you going to talk to her mother and father? Try to work things out?” Tom asked.

“Never. I’m not going to spend any more time on a woman who has hurt me like that. She was completely illogical. If she doesn’t like me, I don’t want to force her into a marriage. Even if her mother and father approve, I don’t want it anymore,” Kyle said.

“Do you know what her mother and father think?” Tom asked.

“I haven’t spoken to them. I’m sure that they will come to speak to me, in time. They won’t be very happy with her for turning me down, but I hope they don’t scold her too much. Even if I’m angry, I really don’t want anyone to make a fuss. It would only embarrass me,” Kyle said.

“I understand that. It would be very uncomfortable,” Tom said.

“Anyway, that’s enough. I don’t want to talk about Eleanor anymore. What’s done is done,” Kyle said.

“That’s a good way to think about it. It’s in the past now. You can’t change her mind, but you can move forward, figure out your next steps,” Tom said.

“Exactly. I need to look ahead,” Kyle said.

“And what do you think that will be? What do you want now? Are you going to try and find another wife?” Tom asked.

Kyle shook his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I’m going to go out there and try to talk to every young woman in town to see who would be willing to marry me. I want to get married; I want a wife and children, but I don’t want to go about it like that,” he said.

Kyle didn’t believe in searching for a wife. He believed in waiting until a woman came along whom he cared for so much that he simply couldn’t help loving.

“So you’re just going to wait around? Do you think someone’s father will come and talk to you? Try to set you up?” Tom asked.

“I don’t know about that, either. All I know is that I haven’t been truly happy with any woman since …well, you know. Not since I was young,” Kyle said.

“You mean when you were in love with Rebecca?” Tom asked.

“Exactly. I know I was only thirteen, but my heart has never felt like that. I thought I was close to Eleanor, but I guess it wasn’t the same, and I knew that all along. But I was so young then. It’s easy to romanticize the past, you know?” he said.

“Yes, it is, but that doesn’t mean that what you felt wasn’t real and true. If you are confident that what you had with Rebecca was true love, why doubt it?” Tom asked.

“I don’t want to cling to the past with something this big. I have to move forward, try to find the wife that I am meant to have, the one that the Lord has for me,” Kyle said.

“You’re right. But do you know where Rebecca is now? Have you heard anything from her?” Tom asked.

Kyle shook his head, not even wanting to think about it. It had taken him a long time to recover from her departure, and trying to find her now would only reopen another wound on top of the fresh one. That was the last thing that he wanted. It wouldn’t do him any good at all.

“No, I don’t. I haven’t heard a word from her since the day she left. It’s hard, and it makes me sad, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Kyle said. “Ever since they moved further west all those years ago, she has been gone from my life.”

“What about her mother’s cousin?” Tom asked.

“Mrs. Dale? Her husband took them to California way back around the same time Rebecca went. If I can’t contact Rebecca, how am I supposed to contact her?” Kyle asked, having thought that Tom knew the Dale family had left a while back.

“Kyle, you didn’t know that Mrs. Dale came back?” Tom asked.

Kyle’s head shot up.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Her husband passed away, and she wanted to be back where she felt at home. She came back here, just a couple months ago,” Tom said.

“Are you serious? How come I didn’t know about that?” Kyle asked.

“Probably because you were busy trying to propose to Eleanor and do your work here and training with the sheriff. You’re a pretty busy man,” Tom pointed out.

“All right, I guess. But if Mrs. Dale is back, I guess I really could find out what happened to Rebecca,” Kyle said.

“There’s no harm in trying,” Tom added.

Kyle realized that this was exactly what he had been hoping for. He had always wanted to find out what happened to Rebecca. It had been ten years since she left, and she was still in his mind often enough.
For six months, he had distracted himself by pursuing Eleanor, but that didn’t mean that he had forgotten about Rebecca altogether.

No, he could never forget about her.

“Tom, do you realize what this means?” Kyle asked.

“That you just might find Rebecca again, after all?” Tom asked.

“Exactly. I know it sounds foolish, but … but what if Rebecca wants to come back also? What if she hasn’t been courted and married?” he asked, thinking aloud.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Tom said.

Kyle was growing eager instantly. If Tom was right, if Rebecca was out there, waiting, he just might be able to find her and marry her, after all.

He was jumping ahead of himself, and that was hardly wise, but he couldn’t help it. This was a bright spot in a time when things had been terribly dark.

Throughout the rest of the day, Kyle was making plans and trying to figure out his next steps. He wasn’t sure how everything would work out, or if it would come together at all. But he knew that his heart needed closure.

It had just been broken by Eleanor, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be healed by Rebecca. Maybe she would be happy to see him again, and they would get married right away. Or maybe he would come to find that she was already married.

Either way, he would be able to move forward. With or without Rebecca, he would have answers.

Chapter Two

Rebecca smiled at Spencer but said nothing. She didn’t need to make any comments. Not while he was talking to her stepfather about things at the mine. None of that was really her business, but it didn’t mean that she shouldn’t show an interest.

Mr. and Mrs. Rogers were leaning back, clearly proud of their son and all of his accomplishments. Melanie, Rebecca’s stepsister, looked over at Rebecca and gave a wide-eyed, flared-nostril expression that conveyed her boredom at hearing more about the mine.

Rebecca had to force herself not to laugh, so she glanced at her mother, who was silently telling them by her own expression that they had better not make a disturbance.

Rebecca straightened her back, as did Melanie, both properly scolded without her mother having said a word about it.

“If we can just try to expand a little bit north, I really think we are going to find another vein,” Spencer said.

“I agree, but Mr. Atkins already owns that land. How are we supposed to convince him to sell it?” her stepfather challenged him.

Spencer looked around the table, his eyes landing on Rebecca.

“Oh, dear,” he said.

“What is it?” her stepfather asked.

“I think we have been going on too long, talking about work. Look how bored everyone is,” Spencer said with a laugh.

Her stepfather laughed as well.

“I think you’re right. They’re all being so patient with us. All right, let’s move on,” he said.

They finished lunch after a short while, and Mr. and Mrs. Rogers invited everyone to the sitting room so they could relax for a bit. As her mother, Melanie, and Mrs. Rogers began to speak about gardening, her stepfather and Mr. Rogers were discussing investments.

“I am sorry if we bored you half to death,” Spencer said to Rebecca.

“You don’t need to worry about it. Mr. Price is always talking about the business and the mine. You can’t help being his top employee,” she said grinning.

Spencer was handsome, with blond hair, crystal blue eyes, and a sturdy frame. She had met him three years prior when he first started working for her stepfather, Mr. Price.

He had been charming, amusing, and kind. He was a hard worker, and her stepfather was always going on about him. In fact, Rebecca had wondered if he were hoping Spencer would court Melanie, but that never happened. Besides, Rebecca was a year older, and it was only right that she be the first to have a chance at marriage.

So, when Spencer started coming around the house to talk with Mr. Price about work, or when Mr. Price invited him to dinner, it was Rebecca that he would speak with more freely.

It didn’t take long for them to have an interest in one another, and from there, it was only natural that they would start courting.

Rebecca expected that he would propose soon, and she was looking forward to getting engaged and married sometime within the next year or so. At least, she hoped that would happen. And she hoped that it would be sooner than that.

She couldn’t wait to be married and to have a home and a family of her own. Spencer would be an excellent provider. His mother and father had raised him well, and he did a fantastic job with her stepfather.

Not only that, but he was an expert at using his resources well. He always seemed to have the money he needed at the time he needed it, and that kind of stewardship was impressive to any woman.

“Anyway, we should talk about something that is more of interest to you. Tell me, what would you like to discuss?” Spencer asked her.

“Well, for one, I don’t like you having to ask me that question. Do we really know everything about each other already? Am I boring?” she asked him, teasing.

“Not at all. And you’re right. I shouldn’t have to ask what you want to talk about. So, tell me about what book you happen to be reading these days. If I know you at all, I know that you have something you read before bed every night,” he said.

“I do, indeed. It is a commentary on the book of Ezekiel, in fact,” Rebecca told him.

Spencer’s smile faltered a bit as if he found that to be a rather boring subject to read a book on. But she didn’t take his response to heart. Spencer was a good man; he couldn’t be faulted for not wanting to spend more time invested in the depths of theology.

She enjoyed it, certainly, but even if he didn’t, he was still a church-going gentleman who read his Bible and prayed regularly. She couldn’t fault him for not enjoying it the same way that she did.

“Well, I hope that it is riveting. I would have thought you would say some novel or other,” he said.

“I do read those on occasion, but I prefer to read commentaries or history,” Rebecca told him.

“Hmm, well, I guess that’s good for you,” Spencer said.

Rebecca shifted, not thinking he sounded all that interested. It hardly mattered. Not everyone would find her interests to be to their taste. She knew that well enough, and it wasn’t something to worry about.

There were certainly interests that Spencer had that she found tedious and boring. The mines being one of them.

“Are you reading anything these days?” she asked.

“Nothing, really. You will have to find something that will keep me interested,” he said, smiling.

“Oh, I am sure that I can,” she replied.

“Perfect. I want to enjoy more things like that, the way that you do,” he said.

“You don’t need to change a thing to try and enjoy the same things as me. Just carry on as yourself. For instance, I don’t know anyone else who can go on a two-hour hunt and come back with enough to feed his family for a month,” Rebecca said, complimenting him.

“Well, I’ve had a few lucky shots,” Spencer said.

“I think those lucky shots are more important than ever. It’s good that you can feed your family so well,” she said.

Of course, Rebecca was also thinking about the fact that he would be working to feed his future family. She really believed that he was going to propose soon enough and that she would be a part of that.

It would be incredible to have a husband, someone so hard-working, like Spencer. It would be an honor to marry him, an honor that she hoped to have soon.

“I am starting to wonder if, perhaps, it isn’t only a matter of feeding my family that requires me to be a good shot,” Spencer said, interrupting her thoughts.

“You mean the robberies?” Rebecca asked.

“Yes. I heard that another took place a couple of nights ago,” Spencer said.

“I know. Mr. Price was very upset. He is getting anxious, wondering if the robbers will come to the mine. I’m frightened, too. I keep wondering if they are going to come for us. What if they head further into town or begin to rob houses?” she asked.

“You don’t need to be afraid, Rebecca. I will protect you,” Spencer promised.

His words were a sweet comfort, something that she needed a good deal at that moment. She trusted Spencer. He really would take care of her, of that she was certain.

“You’re going to keep us all safe, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Until my last breath,” he promised.

Rebecca trusted him, wholeheartedly. Spencer’s strength and dignity were unmatchable, so far as she had met anyone in California.

But after another half hour together, it was time to leave and return home. Rebecca and Melanie went to their room and got out of the uncomfortable dresses that were so much more presentable than anything they preferred to wear in the home.

“Well, it is official,” Melanie said, straining to get out of her dress.

“What is?” Rebecca asked.

“You found the best man in the whole town. I don’t think there’s much hope for the rest of us now that you managed to snatch up Spencer Rogers,” Melanie said.

Rebecca blushed.

“Do you really think I’ve managed to snatch him up?” she asked.

“No question. He loves you. It’s only a matter of time before he proposes,” Melanie said.

The thought made her feel warm all over again. It was such a wonderful thing to imagine. She truly hoped that it would happen soon. Sometimes it consumed her thoughts, trying to figure out when he would finally ask her, and how he would do it.

She thought about how she would respond, the way she would pretend that it was a surprise, simply because that’s what was expected of her.

But in all of her imaginings, she couldn’t help asking herself what she would do if he never did ask. What would she do if it turned out that Spencer didn’t want to marry her after all? What if he ended the courtship, and she was left with just wishing and hoping for someone else to come along?

She had dealt with heartache before. She could handle it again …

“I’m pretty fortunate if that’s true … if I really have managed to snatch him up. Spencer is certainly one of a kind. I mean, he is handsome, funny, wealthy. He makes me happy to be around, and most importantly, he is a genuinely kind man,” Rebecca said.

There were certainly times when she didn’t see all of the good qualities in Spencer, but most of the time, they were perfectly evident.

“When do you think he is finally going to propose?” Melanie asked.

“I can’t say. That’s up to him, isn’t it? I hope it’s soon. I mean, he might not propose at all,” Rebecca said, adding the last part with humility.

“You know he will. Everyone knows it. He is perfectly smitten with you. And when he does, I bet he will want the wedding to be immediate,” Melanie said.

Rebecca thought about it, and it made her smile. Being a bride. Being the bride of Spencer Rogers.

It was perfect.

There was a lingering thought in the back of her mind that she had to fight off. It was the fact that her heart didn’t exactly skip a beat when she was with Spencer.

But that didn’t matter. She liked him very much. He was the best man in town like Melanie had said.

And he truly liked her.

What was there to complain about? Spencer liked Rebecca very much, so there was no point in looking for anything different. She liked him as well, even if he didn’t cause her to melt the way that she might have wanted.

For now, she was just happy that they were moving forward and that he seemed to be drawing closer to proposing marriage.

“What about you?” Rebecca asked Melanie.

“Are you asking if I plan on marrying soon?” Melanie asked.

“Yes. Is there anyone you are hoping to tie the knot with?” Rebecca asked.

Melanie shrugged.

“Like I said, you found the best man in town. Who am I going to marry?” she asked with a laugh.

“I’m sure there are plenty of eligible men,” Rebecca said.

“Probably so, but none that have captured my interest. Anyway, when the right man comes along, I will know. Until then, I am content to wait. My father is not so content, and I would hardly be surprised if he tries to arrange something for me, but I don’t mind if it takes a little while,” Melanie said.

“That’s good, at least. I mean, it’s good that you aren’t so eager that you are willing to settle for just anyone,” Rebecca said.

“I couldn’t do that. I need to find the right man, the man of my dreams,” Melanie said.

Rebecca wondered if Spencer was the man of her dreams. She liked him a lot, but did she like him enough to make that claim about him?

She wasn’t entirely sure what it meant for someone to be of another’s dreams. She couldn’t imagine that she was Spencer’s, even if she did know what it meant.

Whatever the future held for her and Spencer, she was certain that it would be filled with joy and comfort. She would have everything she could ever want – a nice home, a good place to raise her children, a husband who looked after her.

She was so fortunate to know that she could have all of these things. Soon, they would be hers.
“Why is it always so warm here?” Melanie asked, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow.

Rebecca was glad for the distraction.

“I don’t know. It is, though. Always. Miserable sometimes. But that’s just the way it is, I guess,” she said.

“It wasn’t like this up in Montana when we lived there,” Melanie said.

“Really? What was the weather like there?” Rebecca asked.

“It was always pretty warm in July and August, but most of the year was reasonable. The winter months were brutally cold, but I could always curl up in a blanket, pretend that I was warm. Not like this,” Melanie said.

“I don’t like the cold very much,” Rebecca said.

“Neither do I, but at least I could put on more clothing. It’s not like with the heat,” Melanie said.

“All right, fair enough. I understand that,” Rebecca said.

“What about in Wyoming? We were only there for that few days when you were joining us to move out here. Was it hot or cold?” Melanie asked.

“It all just depended. Like you said, warm summers and cold winters. But even though it could get pretty warm, it wasn’t like this,” Rebecca said.

“Do you ever miss it?” Melanie asked. “I miss Montana sometimes.”

“Yes, I miss Wyoming. Often, actually. I don’t let myself think about it very often, but sometimes I get sad to reminisce,” she said.

“I’m glad that I’m not alone in missing home,” Melanie said.

“But this is home now. I suppose, anyway. It has to be,” Rebecca said.

“Yes, I guess it is. I like it enough, even if it is very hot. I just wish that I hadn’t left so much behind,” Melanie said.

Rebecca understood the sentiment exactly. She ached to go back.

She ached for what she had left behind all those years ago.

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“An Innocent Love’s Wildflower” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

When her mother remarried ten years ago, Rebecca’s life fell into pieces as she was violently separated from her young love. However, this feels like a distant memory now, since she has been set up for something less than fairytale love. She understands that her heart will never skip a beat for her husband to be but she tries to fight off these negative thoughts. Little does she know, though, that her life is about to take a sudden turn, when Kyle, her long lost love, appears out of nowhere. Who will be the one to claim her heart when all the cards are on the table once again? Will she find the strength to leave her whole life behind and change her future dramatically?

Meanwhile, Kyle Jenkins pines for the girl he loved and lost ten years ago. After getting his heart broken once more, he realizes that life is unbearable without Rebecca. He cannot bring himself to hope that she feels the same, but, much to his dismay, he finds her only in time to see her fiance proposing. However, he will not give up that easily. Thrown into a conflict of thieves and courtships, Kyle has to accept that, even if he can’t get the girl, he has to get the criminals. Is she truly the girl of his dreams or a blurry memory of the past? Will he regret his decision to search for her, ending up deeply disappointed and hurt?

When their paths cross, they think for a moment that happy endings might exist. With everything set against them, will they reignite the fire of their lost love? Will their feelings be stronger than doubts and second thoughts?

“An Innocent Love’s Wildflower” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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