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desk chair over by the window and grabbed a spool of lavender yarn—a nice gender-neutral color—to start working on a small scarf. Not that her child would ever need it in the Texas heat, but it was a good thing to practice on, since she hadn’t knitted anything in at least seven years. While she began to cast her stitches onto her long knitting needle, she stared out the window overlooking her parents’ ranch. Not so much staring as looking for Ryan.
    She could barely see him working to replace one of the fence posts at the far side of her viewing reach. The ranch itself extended for some six hundred acres, so it was only luck that put Ryan in her line of sight. The land itself used to be divided between ranch and farmland, but once Ana’s father died, her mother had found it much easier to buy more cattle and convert it all into a ranch.
    Ana stared longingly at the stranger. The flannel he was wearing earlier was now wrapped around his waist, and the beads of sweat on his back glistened in the sunlight. She could see what her mother had said about his hair. Maybe the name Sunshine did suit him. She just wished he would turn around so she could see the defined muscles of his broad chest. He worked hard, and it showed in the definition of his back, in the tan of his skin.
    Ana shouldn’t be looking at him. Not only did it feel like spying, she had no business fantasizing about anyone. This was what had gotten her into trouble in the first place, wanting someone she knew better than to have. Rick had been above her station. Ryan was just passing through. He’d be gone like leaves on the breeze within another week. A distant memory. A vagabond. Not someone she needed to get involved with.
    Ana tried to pay little mind to Ryan as they took their afternoon meal together. Thanks to shopping with Celia, she’d missed lunch with him. That was probably for the best. The less time they were in each other’s presence, the less she would want him.
    It’s going to be a big day tomorrow,” Molly said with a sigh.
    I know.” Celia picked at her chicken.
    My little girl is all grown up.” Molly fought back the tears coming to her eyes. Ana tried not to feel too jealous. Maybe someday, she’d express the same sentiment at Ana’s wedding. “You’ll come to the wedding, won’t you?” Molly turned to Ryan, catching them all off guard.
    I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He beamed. “That is, if it’s all right with you.” He looked to Celia.
    The more the merrier.”
    Ana wasn’t sure how she felt about this. Why would he want to go to a wedding where he didn’t know anyone? Still, it would be kind of nice to see how Ryan cleaned up.
    It was a horrible thing to think in the light of trying to resist him. Just because he was going to be there didn’t mean she’d have to pay attention to him. Besides, she’d be too busy with her maid-of-honor duties to even notice him.
    She wasn’t far off the mark. The following day was spent running around. Ana, her mother, and the bridesmaids drove to the reception hall early that morning to begin decorating, setting up the centerpieces, and taping streamers to all the tables. It was going to be a simple country wedding, and that meant doing everything themselves. Ana had heard that weddings were stressful, but this was unreal, especially being dropped in at the last minute. Her mother seemed to have everything under control, directing her and the bridesmaids and making sure things ran smoothly.
    Ana was so busy during the day that by the time she had to start getting dressed and help Celia get ready, she had forgotten Ryan even existed. It wasn’t until she was making her procession down the aisle that she caught a glimpse of him in the back pew. He looked so dapper in a classic black tux that she nearly stumbled over her own feet. Wow, he does clean up well , she thought as she continued down the aisle.
    The ceremony was beautiful, and it called up emotions from the depths