hungry. I'll stop for today.'
Tightly clutching her precious rock, she gained the bank, turning
for another look at the spot so she'd recognize it when she came
again. As they started back, she looked around again, puzzled.
'Mac, is this my land?'
'No, your property ends a few yards from
where you were napping.'
'Then I can't come tomorrow.' Disappointment
coursed through her, was evident in her voice.
'As long as you don't set up dredging
operations, you can search for gold anywhere on the creek,' he
replied.
Amanda considered this, further puzzled. She
glanced at him from under the brim on her hat as he moved casually
along. Was this the same man she had met before? The one so adamant
to get rid of her, to regain the property he coveted? This the same
man who considered her a hippie, a jobless freeloader who should go
out and look for work? Whatever had wrought such a change?
Suddenly Amanda recalled their meeting before
Dave had come. Mac had said perhaps he could accomplish his goal
with kindness. Was he trying that tack? Being kind to her, becoming
a friend in hopes of talking her into letting him have the
property? She felt a wave of disappointment. She wished they’d met
under different circumstances.
They reached his horse, dozing in the sun.
Mac untethered him, turning back to Amanda. He regarded her for a
long moment, looking at her mouth, reminding her vividly of their
last meeting by the creek, of the harsh kiss; and the one filled
with delight. Nervously she licked her lips. Would he kiss her
again?
'Look for your treasure, Mandy. What you find
you may keep. No strings.'
She was startled at his largess. Had she
misjudged the man? 'Thank you. I'll ... I'll let you know if I find
the big strike.'
'You do that.'
As he rode away, Amanda felt a small loss.
Slowly she headed homeward, her spirits rising a little as she
realized she and Mac had spent well over an hour together with no
altercations. She examined her rock, rubbing gently against the
gold embedded on the stone. He had found it and given it to her. It
might not be worth much, as he had said, but she'd never know
because she didn't plan to take it anywhere to be valued. It was
worth a great deal to her just as it was.
She dwelt on the pleasant companionship
shared as they both had searched for gold in the cold waters of the
creek. Whenever she looked at her 'golden rock' in the future,
she'd remember the pleasure of the day. And Mac Mackenzie.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Shopping was becoming a minor irritation. As
Amanda prepared another list of things she wanted, she pondered on
how she was going to get to town and, more importantly, how she'd
get back with the groceries she was picking up. She'd have to give
serious thought to obtaining some type of vehicle for
transportation. She could not depend on the constant largess of
others for her transportation needs. The lack of taxi service made
having a car almost a necessity here. She'd look into it further
when she returned from Nashville. Dave would give her some advice,
she was sure. In the meantime, she frowned, she still had to get to
town today.
A horn sounded in the front. Amanda crossed
to the window to peer out. Mac's big gray truck was in her yard,
John-Michael at the wheel. He blew the horn again.
Amanda opened her door. 'Hi,' she called.
'What are you up to?'
'Hi. Dad's let me take the truck into town to
get a few supplies. Want anything?'
'I sure do. In fact, I could use a lift. Is
that okay?'
'Sure, come on.'
'I didn't know you drove,' Amanda said a few
minutes later as she climbed in and John-Michael carefully
negotiated the turn from the driveway to the highway. She was
surprised he was old enough, but she wasn't particularly good at
judging people's ages.
'Just got my license a couple of months ago,'
he said proudly. 'Dad doesn't let me go too often myself yet, but
he's too busy today and we need some antiseptic ointment for one of
the horses. He got a bad scratch on something and Dad
Tightly clutching her precious rock, she gained the bank, turning
for another look at the spot so she'd recognize it when she came
again. As they started back, she looked around again, puzzled.
'Mac, is this my land?'
'No, your property ends a few yards from
where you were napping.'
'Then I can't come tomorrow.' Disappointment
coursed through her, was evident in her voice.
'As long as you don't set up dredging
operations, you can search for gold anywhere on the creek,' he
replied.
Amanda considered this, further puzzled. She
glanced at him from under the brim on her hat as he moved casually
along. Was this the same man she had met before? The one so adamant
to get rid of her, to regain the property he coveted? This the same
man who considered her a hippie, a jobless freeloader who should go
out and look for work? Whatever had wrought such a change?
Suddenly Amanda recalled their meeting before
Dave had come. Mac had said perhaps he could accomplish his goal
with kindness. Was he trying that tack? Being kind to her, becoming
a friend in hopes of talking her into letting him have the
property? She felt a wave of disappointment. She wished they’d met
under different circumstances.
They reached his horse, dozing in the sun.
Mac untethered him, turning back to Amanda. He regarded her for a
long moment, looking at her mouth, reminding her vividly of their
last meeting by the creek, of the harsh kiss; and the one filled
with delight. Nervously she licked her lips. Would he kiss her
again?
'Look for your treasure, Mandy. What you find
you may keep. No strings.'
She was startled at his largess. Had she
misjudged the man? 'Thank you. I'll ... I'll let you know if I find
the big strike.'
'You do that.'
As he rode away, Amanda felt a small loss.
Slowly she headed homeward, her spirits rising a little as she
realized she and Mac had spent well over an hour together with no
altercations. She examined her rock, rubbing gently against the
gold embedded on the stone. He had found it and given it to her. It
might not be worth much, as he had said, but she'd never know
because she didn't plan to take it anywhere to be valued. It was
worth a great deal to her just as it was.
She dwelt on the pleasant companionship
shared as they both had searched for gold in the cold waters of the
creek. Whenever she looked at her 'golden rock' in the future,
she'd remember the pleasure of the day. And Mac Mackenzie.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Shopping was becoming a minor irritation. As
Amanda prepared another list of things she wanted, she pondered on
how she was going to get to town and, more importantly, how she'd
get back with the groceries she was picking up. She'd have to give
serious thought to obtaining some type of vehicle for
transportation. She could not depend on the constant largess of
others for her transportation needs. The lack of taxi service made
having a car almost a necessity here. She'd look into it further
when she returned from Nashville. Dave would give her some advice,
she was sure. In the meantime, she frowned, she still had to get to
town today.
A horn sounded in the front. Amanda crossed
to the window to peer out. Mac's big gray truck was in her yard,
John-Michael at the wheel. He blew the horn again.
Amanda opened her door. 'Hi,' she called.
'What are you up to?'
'Hi. Dad's let me take the truck into town to
get a few supplies. Want anything?'
'I sure do. In fact, I could use a lift. Is
that okay?'
'Sure, come on.'
'I didn't know you drove,' Amanda said a few
minutes later as she climbed in and John-Michael carefully
negotiated the turn from the driveway to the highway. She was
surprised he was old enough, but she wasn't particularly good at
judging people's ages.
'Just got my license a couple of months ago,'
he said proudly. 'Dad doesn't let me go too often myself yet, but
he's too busy today and we need some antiseptic ointment for one of
the horses. He got a bad scratch on something and Dad
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