“Come on, Hance.” She pulled him toward the path that led behind the house down to the river. “Why don’t we go for a walk? Just the two of us.”

Jericho spread his feet. “The only place Hance is walking is straight to his horse.”

Hance glanced from Jericho to her and back. Then he nodded. “I was planning on heading home soon anyway. Tonight, Otis and I are mapping out our next treasure-hunting route.”

At the mention of treasure hunting, Ty’s face lit. In an instant, he raced over to Hance and peppered him with questions. Ivy moseyed with Hance to his horse, all the while keeping their hands interlocked and making sure Jericho saw it.

She only half listened to Hance explain to Ty some of the treasure hunting he and Otis had already done. Because most of the easy gold in the Rockies had been mined over the past ten years since the start of the gold rush, more and more tales abounded about miners, thieves, and gangs who’d hidden their gold in mountain hideouts, only to abandon their loot for one reason or another. There were even stories about early Spanish explorers, as well as natives, who’d buried gold, hoping to come back for it, but never returned.

With every passing year, the interest in such treasures escalated. And men like Hance and Otis made a sport of searching for it.

As Hance reached his horse, he halted and peeked at Jericho. Even with Ellie holding up one of the cans and asking him to shoot it again, Jericho’s attention was fixed on Hance and her like frost on a field.

Jericho didn’t budge, not until Hance was mounted and urging his horse to a trot. Then he picked up the cans, carried them to the barn, and didn’t come back out.

Ivy plopped down on the bench and watched the dust rising in the distance from where Hance was riding away. For a second, she tried to conjure up a feeling of some kind for the barber, but as she pictured him, she felt absolutely nothing, not even a smattering of interest.

Why not? He was a fine-looking fella. And he was mighty nice to her.

She released an exasperated sigh. She always hoped that in allowing herself to spend time with other fellas, a spark might develop with one of them. But it never happened. No matter how much time and effort she gave anyone who liked her, she could never reciprocate.

“Land sakes, Jericho,” she murmured. “It’s all your fault.”

“What’s all Jericho’s fault, Ivy?” Ellie remained near the house while Ty had gone off, probably following after Jericho or Judd or both.

“Jericho’s ruined me.”

“Ruined?”

“I can’t make myself like anyone else, ’cause none of them ever match up to him.” Ivy reckoned she was safe enough sharing her thoughts with the little girl.