Wyatt removed his hat and brushed his fingers through his overlong hair, letting the dry evening breeze cool his forehead. Steele was right. Hallock had been generous and kind.

“After getting to know Miss Nilsson during the journey, I can see that Hallock picked a very sweet woman.”

“That may be.” Wyatt settled his hat on his head. “But she ain’t my problem.”

“Hallock was your friend. What would he want you to do?”

“He sure as cow patty wouldn’t want me to marry her.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure if I was you.”

Wyatt’s chest tightened as he remembered the excitement on Hallock’s face when he’d said good-bye last autumn. He’d been so happy to have a woman who wanted to marry him that he’d decided to travel to California and spend his gold on all the fancy things a woman could ever want.

When Hallock still hadn’t returned by late May, everyone concluded that the decomposed body several miners found in the pass leading north to the Overland Trail had been Hallock’s. From what they’d been able to tell, Hallock had died a gruesome death, having been mauled and mutilated—maybe by a wild animal. Knowing such a gentle and peace-loving man had died so violently hit Wyatt hard. Still did.

As difficult as Hallock’s death had been, he couldn’t marry his friend’s mail-order bride.

“She’ll need to find another taker, Steele.” He’d wasted enough time on a conversation that was going nowhere. He tipped his hat to Steele and started to move away, but the man spread his feet and crossed his arms, clearly not done.

Wyatt paused and bit back a sigh as his ma’s training on respecting his elders held him in place.

Steele scrutinized him long and hard. “I’m sure plenty of other fellows in the area would pluck Miss Nilsson up and marry her today. But I can’t think of any other man I like half as much as you.”

“Thank you kindly, Steele, but I ain’t lookin’ for a wife.” Wyatt worked at keeping the irritation out of his voice. “Not when I’m too busy lookin’ for an investor.”

“Investor?”

Wyatt kneaded the back of his neck. “All I’m saying is I don’t have the means to support a wife and child right now. Not when I’m pouring everything I’ve got into building my ranch.”

Steele’s eyes took on a glimmer. “What kind of investor you looking for?”