Heart of Gold (A Gold Rush Romance) by Ali Olson

important.”
    She blushed slightly. Shakespeare could be quite suggestive as she well knew, which was one of her favorite things about him. Students so rarely found the dry required texts interesting, and there was no way she could see of getting more mature books which they might enjoy into their hands. Sometimes she wished there was some way to help the older boys become aware of the literature available to them. In her mind, if it would keep them reading, then it would be worth it. She was certain anything of that sort would be by far the largest disagreement between her and the school board to date, and would likely end with a call for her resignation. She could almost see Mr. Wilson’s disapproving expression.
    Alice looked up at the man across the table from her. His eyes were fixed on her, and she imagined him replaying some of the more bawdy sections in his head with her as the main character, with their brief kiss as inspiration. That thought only made her picture a few choice scenes herself. Uncomfortable, and more aroused than she would like by the idea, she knew it was time to change the subject. “You own a farm?”
    “Yes. I don’t have much, just a few goats and a patch of land, but it has been good to me. Our parents died when we had just come of age and money was scarce, you see, so Emily and I needed to break out on our own.” He gestured around. “She did very well, but my small place has been enough. It keeps me going.”
    Her heart dropped a little. He was speaking about his farm in present tense, as if it was still his home. Despite her promise to herself not to get involved with this man, and the reasonable voice inside that knew it was best if he left Shasta, she could not help but want him to stay. “So you shan’t be settling here, then?”
    He smirked, and she realized how obvious her statement had been. Would she ever stop blushing around this man? She attempted an explanation that made her seem less of a lovesick youth. “Joe has lived here a long time. The change could be difficult for him.”
    She could tell her attempt at deception failed, but at least he was gentlemanly enough not to mention it. “I have yet to sell it, but another family is staying there now. Their home burnt down some weeks before I came out here, and they are living at my place while they rebuild, though it will take a long time before they are able. That’s why I attempted the long trek out here, actually—it was quite crowded with the six of them and myself, so I decided to take the opportunity to visit my sister. It had been so long since we’d seen each other that it seemed an ideal chance.”
    He broke off, and she could almost read the thoughts he held back. That she would be alive had he not come, that he was guilty of her death. It broke her heart to see the remorse etched on his brow.
    She very much wished this chance to speak privately had never come about. Every additional moment only improved her opinion of him, and that certainly was not good for her. She had never thought it possible she could find an astonishingly handsome, intelligent man who read Shakespeare when he wasn’t busy helping his neighbors or traveling across the country to visit his sister and care for his nephew, nor one that pulled at her heartstrings as he did. It was already leading her to complicated thoughts that she would rather not have running through her head.
    Luckily, she was smart enough to know that when people seemed too good to be true, it was often the case that they were far less than the façade promised. She had been hurt before by a man who appeared wonderful in too many ways, and she would never drop her guard like that again.
    His voice cut through her thoughts. “How did you end up out here, Alice? You don’t sound like a woman that was raised in the mining camps around here. Your accent is not from California, but it’s difficult to guess any more than that.”
    She noticed his use of her first name. It