Steele continued to stare at the boundless land. “I don’t doubt your experience, son. And I don’t doubt your determination.”

“But . . . ?”

“But if I’m going to invest, I want to make sure you’re planning to stick around and follow through for the long haul.”

The excitement bubbling inside Wyatt pushed higher. “I wouldn’t have built a cabin and a barn on my homestead if I wasn’t fixin’ to make a go of this place.”

Steele turned his focus back onto Wyatt, and the sadness in his eyes set Wyatt off-kilter. “I telegraphed my wife again when I was in Denver. She’s still refusing to come out here to Fairplay. Says she won’t move until I make it into a bigger town with more to offer.”

Wyatt wasn’t sure what Steele’s personal business had to do with agreeing to invest in his cattle ranch. Even so, he had to offer a word of consolation. “I’m sorry. I reckon you miss her an awful lot.”

Steele’s jaw worked up and down.

“You’ve already built a church and a theater,” Wyatt continued. “There ain’t much more you can do.”

“If we get more families here, the town will become more civilized.”

Wyatt nodded, still unsure of the direction Steele was taking the conversation. “Yep. I agree.”

“Then you’ll agree to marry Miss Nilsson, settle down permanently, and start a family?”

As the conversation came full circle and slammed into Wyatt like a steer from behind, he had to catch himself. Protest rose swiftly, but he captured and stuffed it since Steele was watching his reaction.

“I am settling down here, Steele, but that doesn’t mean I wanna get married.”

“She has no place to go. I’d let her stay in Hallock’s house, but I can’t kick out the renters.”

“Give her some of Hallock’s gold.”

“You know I can’t do that. They weren’t married, so she has no legal claim to his assets.”

Across the street, the front door of the general store opened, and Miss Nilsson stepped out onto the plank sidewalk.

Her bonnet hung down her back, revealing a worried crease between her eyebrows. She searched the street, taking in each of the wooden signs that hung above the businesses, before she lifted a hand and twisted a loose strand of her hair.

Wyatt held his breath and waited for her to glance toward him and Steele. No doubt if she did, she’d catch on real fast that she was the topic of their conversation. Thankfully, however, after only a moment more of hesitation, she started toward the hotel. Once she disappeared inside, Wyatt allowed himself to breathe again.

“She needs a husband,” Steele said firmly. “You need an investor. And I need a civilized town for my wife.”

“Don’t know how one woman’s gonna make much difference in civilizing the town.”