Read The Golden Rules of Love: Western Romance for Free Online

didn’t want to hear what she had to say. It was like she wanted to make things as hard as possible for herself.
    Mack hadn’t been in a good mood to begin with, and by the time he reached the huddle of ladies, he was spitting mad. He wagged his finger at them, barking out, “You ladies take care to set up farms far away from the gold fields. Miners will trample your crops and your husbands will join the hunt for gold in desperation or desire. You may find yourself in Annie’s shoes before you know it. Watch who you judge, lest you be judged.”
    Each and every one of their mouths hung open as they stared with fish eyes at him. Not a single one spoke as he turned to stalk back to the camp. Those women deserved every word, but he was going to catch hell from their husbands later.
    As he walked back towards camp, Annie looked up at him. Her eyes glowed as her smile spread from ear to ear across her face. She was so beautiful, she nearly took his breath away. She gave him a single nod of gratitude as she stood.
    That woman was exquisite. With her full lips smiling at him like that, her look unguarded, it was like she was sent from heaven. It was almost as sweet as the softness of her body the day before. The memory of her eyes, filled with desire, looking up at him caused his entire body to tense. He clenched his teeth together and gave her a single nod back.
    Shaking his head, he headed back to camp. Annie Sullivan was wreaking havoc on him. He had just agreed to have a fake engagement, for Christ’s sake.
    He had to figure out how to get himself back under control before he lost his senses entirely and ruined his chances of putting his family back together.
     
    ***
     
    Annie watched Mack walk away with a spreading smile of satisfaction on her face. She had never been more grateful to anyone in her life. While she doubted she would take him up on the offer of a fake engagement, watching him chastise those ladies had been so very gratifying.
    Sighing, Annie headed back to camp, the eyes of all the women on her back.
    She couldn’t deny that she and Mack had engaged in some scandalous behavior but she hadn’t done what those women thought she had. She was a good woman. Even if she had, he was an unmarried man and she was an unwed woman. It wasn’t as though she was going to try to steal any of their husbands away. What did they hold against her?
    Mack might be right about needing some friends in California. But she could not commit to even a fake engagement. She crammed her bonnet on her head and tightly tied it under her chin. If Garrett were still alive, she would knock him out of his boots. He had made her afraid of any commitment, even a fake one.
    Except for Mary Beth, the women in the camp continued to avoid her. She said a silent prayer for her friend as she approached their campsite. May Beth had beat her back and was already getting breakfast ready. “Mary Beth, thanks for sticking by me.”
    Mary Beth slapped her on the back. “You’re all I got, kid. I need ya.”
    “I need you too.” It had been a long time since she had said those words to anyone and it actually felt good. Annie shook her head in shock. Her own feeling surprised her.
    “Someday are you gonna tell me why you’re heading west? I already told you I’m going to find my husband, if he’s still alive.”
    Annie nodded. Albert had left for California, leaving Mary Beth nothing but a note. If anyone would understand Annie’s story, it was her friend Mary Beth. But Annie just hadn’t been able to tell her yet. It was too hard to admit what a fool she had been. And she was afraid that once she started it would all come out, including the hunt for gold.
    Annie took a deep breath before she spoke, “I guess I’ve gone and made it into a big mystery and I will tell you, but not today, if that’s all right. I may have had all the emotion I can handle for one day and it’s only six in the morning.”
    Her friend patted her on the back. “I