Ginger’s wedding day arrived on a blast of pre-summer air—warm, sultry, and bursting with sunshine. Savannah whispered a prayer of thanks for the sunshine. From her own experience, outdoor weddings had a tendency to conjure thunderstorms.

Savannah had risen two hours earlier than usual to complete any last-minute preparations, only to find Ginger already awake, brewing a pot of coffee and pacing the kitchen floor.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she told Savannah with a sheepish grin. “This is more nerve-racking than Christmas Eve. Were you this nervous when you married Gary?”

Don’t judge your wedding by mine, Savannah thought.

The congenial feelings she’d had for Gary couldn’t be compared to the bright, shining love Todd and Ginger shared. Savannah merely nodded, poured herself a cup of coffee, and sat down at the kitchen table. She didn’t want to remember the day she’d stopped believing that true love really could conquer all.

From the baby monitor on the table, they heard Cody wail.

“I’ll go get him,” Ginger said before Savannah could push back her chair. “I need something to do.”

Closing her eyes, Savannah sighed, lifted her cup to her mouth, and sipped. Mentally, she reviewed the numerous tasks needing her attention before the four p.m. wedding. Direct the florist and the caterers, steam Ginger’s dress, make sure Clem had the parking situation under control, attend to her own hair and nails, dress Cody.

Whew.

“Look who’s awake,” Ginger cooed, coming back into the room.

Savannah opened her eyes and grinned at her son. His fuzzy, brown hair stood straight up; his white cotton sleep shirt was molded to his chubby little torso. Cody reached for her, his smile glowing like a thousand-watt bulb. Gathering his familiar weight to her chest, Savannah breathed in her son’s wonderful aroma. Cody could soothe her like nothing else on earth.

“Da!” he exclaimed and wrapped his arms around her neck.

Ginger’s eyes misted. “I can’t wait until Todd, and I have a baby of our own.”

Savannah made a face. “Wait. You’re only twenty-one. Lots of time for babies.”

“Come on, Vannah, don’t give me that. You adore Cody.”

“Of course I do, but you and Todd need some time alone to get to know one another. With children come responsibilities. Enjoy each other for a while. Anytime you feel that maternal hunger, come borrow this little pistol for a day.”

“Da.” Cody nodded his head as if agreeing.

“I bet you’re ready for breakfast, aren’t you, son?” Savannah tickled his tummy.

Ginger clenched her fists. A large tear rolled down her cheek.

“Ginger, honey, what’s wrong?” Savannah reached over and touched her sister’s shoulder.

“I... I...” She gulped. “I’m going to miss you and Cody so much.”

“Oh, is that all.” Savannah waved a hand. She knew on a day like today Ginger’s emotions were bound to take a few dips and turns. “I thought maybe you were having second thoughts about Todd.”

“Oh, no. Never. I love Todd with all my heart.”

“Good. That’s the way it should be.”

“Is that how it was between you and Gary?”

Savannah got up and settled Cody into his high chair. She kept her face hidden from her sister. “Gary was a good man.”

“But you didn’t love him like you loved Matt.”

“Not all of us get a fairytale, Gin.”

“But Matt’s back now, and you’re single again…”

“Stop trying to play matchmaker.”

Opening the cabinets, Savannah took out a packet of instant cereal and mixed it with hot water. She refused to think about the past and Matt. This hectic day would require all her attention. She had neither the time nor the energy to waste on regrets. Or on wondering what might have been.

Matt had postponed the inevitable for two days. Another case kept him occupied, but the whole time, his thoughts returned to Savannah like a tongue probing an abscessed tooth.

Was it possible that Savannah could be involved in an insurance fraud? He didn’t want to believe she was capable of such a thing, but the facts stood out bold and undeniable.

One—her thefts were not related to the other thefts in the county. Two—her late husband had taken out a large policy on just those purebred Santa Gertrudis cattle. None of the other livestock at the Circle B had been insured. Three—Savannah was the sole beneficiary. Four—her ranch hand had been seen consorting with known criminals. Five—part of her herd had been located in Midland, their brands altered. Six—if Savannah had married Markum for his money, who was to say how low she might stoop for financial gain?

Matt swore under his breath. He stood at the kitchen sink where he’d just wolfed down a sausage biscuit. Dusting his fingers on a paper towel, he stared out the window, his mind lost in thought.

For two days, he’d tried to find some other explanation for the disappearance of the Santa Gertrudis herd, but all the evidence pointed to a certain honey-haired lady rancher.

Except two things didn’t jibe. Why hadn’t she contacted the insurance company about the loss? Was she cagey enough to wait? Had the recent thefts in the area sparked the idea in the first place?

And why had Savannah given him a copy of the insurance policy with Gary’s papers? Had she been trying to confess?

Matt didn’t know. Once he thought he’d understood her so well, but that had been two years ago before she’d broken up him without a rational explanation and married Markum on the rebound.

Matt sighed. No getting around it, he had to bring her in for questioning.

He drank the glass of milk, turned off the radio, lifted his Stetson off the hat rack, and plunked it down on his head. Like it or not, he and Savannah were overdue for a confrontation.

A dense knot rode in his chest during the twenty-mile trek to her ranch. Despite his best efforts to the contrary, he couldn’t stop thinking about their past. He kept recalling her youthful enthusiasm, her natural exuberance for life, which had evaporated over two years. Instead of the eager, spontaneous girl he remembered, Matt had discovered a cautious, reserved young woman.

Until he kissed her.

The memory of the kiss they’d shared in the barnyard reignited buried feelings. When he kissed Savannah time had dissolved. Disappeared. It was as if they’d been transported back to his uncle’s farm and the very first moment they’d kissed.

For those brief, precious seconds, Matt had felt that maybe, just maybe a chance existed that they might reconstruct the shattered pieces of their relationship. But after the kiss had ended, reality trampled that illusion. She’d broken his heart once, and he wasn’t stupid enough to give her another opportunity. Especially if she was dealing in something as nefarious as insurance fraud.

What had happened to the sweet, naive Savannah Prentiss he’d once known?

It was nine a.m. when he turned into the driveway of the Circle B. Startled by the brightly colored canopies stretched out over the lawn, Matt stared at the folding metal chairs lined in neat rows underneath. He frowned wondering what was going on, and then he remembered.

Ginger’s wedding.

He groaned. What lousy timing. How could he take Savannah in for questioning today? Yet, how could he not? He’d already delayed as long as he could, and he was feeling the heat from the sheriff.

“Bring Savannah Markum in,” Sheriff Langley had growled at him last night before Matt left the office. “First thing tomorrow. If you’re not comfortable conducting the questioning, someone else will handle it.”

So here he was with orders to detain her and the desire to do just the opposite. Did he genuinely believe Savannah had plotted to have her own cattle stolen for the insurance? In his heart, no, but the matter demanded attention. He hated to be suspicious of her, but he had no choice, and Matt was nothing if not thorough.

He got out and adjusted his Stetson. Walking around the vehicles—Savannah’s compact car, a pickup truck, a florist’s van, two luxury cars—Matt made his way up the wide, sweeping drive.

Like any lawman worth his salt, he scanned his surroundings, noting every nuance, drawing conclusions based on his observations. Wedding day preparations and nothing more.

And then he caught the flash of movement from behind the barn.

He turned his head for a better glimpse and saw Clem Olson stumbling across the field in his haste to reach the bunkhouse. Matt’s brow furrowed as he ran a hand along his jaw. He didn’t trust the old man.

“Matt!”

He swung around to find Ginger standing on the back porch. She waved.

For the time being, he dismissed Clem and focused his attention on Savannah’s little sister. He could remember when Ginger had worn braces and pigtails, and now she was getting married. She used to tag along after him and Savannah like an overzealous puppy. Matt smiled, recalling the numerous ploys they’d used to give her the slip.

“You came.” Ginger dashed down the steps to wrap her arms around his waist. “I hoped you’d make it.”

Guilt pressed down on Matt like a leaden ballast. He’d totally forgotten about Ginger’s wedding.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He gently chucked her chin.

“I’m so glad you got here early. Maybe you could calm Savannah down. She drank a whole pot of coffee this morning, and now she’s zooming around the house like an idling jet engine, making a lot of noise but not getting much done.”

“Nervous, is she?” Matt grinned.

“Boy, is she ever.” Ginger shook her head ruefully. “You’d think it was her wedding day.”

Savannah had already had her wedding day, Matt thought. A cloud floated past the sun. The courtyard darkened. He remembered that day. How could he forget the moment when his world had come to a crashing halt? The day his girl had said “I do” to a middle-aged rancher. Matt clenched his jaw at the memory.

The screen door creaked open. He looked up to see Savannah standing in the doorway, her honey-colored hair caught back in a bright-blue bow, her long, tanned legs highlighted in a pair of white shorts.

He swallowed hard. No matter how he tried to fight it, the woman still possessed the power to transform his insides into mush. But he didn’t have to let her know the influence she wielded over him.

“Hello, Matthew,” she said, her voice as soft and cool as the sudden breeze.

“Savannah.” He tipped his hat.

“I’m glad you were able to take time from your busy schedule to attend Ginger’s wedding. It means a lot to her.”

Was that a dig? He squinted. She kept her face expressionless. What thoughts churned behind those mesmerizing green-gold eyes? Did his presence disturb her? Did she fear he’d uncovered her scheme to defraud the insurance company?

That idea made him wince.

He wanted so badly to believe she wasn’t capable of such a thing, but the truth was, he just didn’t know her anymore. And he hadn’t understood her since that moment two years ago when she’d broken things off with him after they’d made love and he’d asked her to marry him. She’d said it was because of his job. Because he’d gotten shot. Because he was reckless.

No. Unless she was a superb actress, Savannah had once cared intensely for him. Matt prided himself on his judgment. It had rescued him from more than one jam during his career, but a person could change a lot over two years.

Who had Savannah become?

“You’re here awfully early,” Savannah said, her gaze traveling the length of his body.

He wore a maroon-and-dark-green, snap-down Western shirt and a pair of new, sharply creased blue jeans. Not exactly wedding attire, but nothing unusual in this neck of the woods. For a casual outdoor wedding, West Texas informal would pass. Especially when worn by a man as potently masculine as Matt Forrester. His clothing made a statement, proclaiming him a rough, tough cowboy detective.

His dark eyes seized her gaze and held her captive. Savannah wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. Helplessly, she stared at him. Her heart leaped in her chest like a jackrabbit trying to escape a snare. One look, one smile from him and she melted like ice cream in the sun.

“He came to help out.” Ginger beamed. “Didn’t I tell you he would show up?”

“I’ll do anything I can to assist,” Matt said. “Just tell me what to do.”

Savannah nodded. “All right. I accept your offer. I need some tables brought out of the house and set up in the garden before the caterers arrive. I can’t move them all by myself, and Clem seems to have disappeared.”

“Lead the way.”

They all went inside, Ginger flitting off to the bathroom to wash and flat iron her hair. Cody sat in his playpen in the living room, busily stacking alphabet blocks. He saw Matt and grinned, a string of drool dribbling down his chin.

“Da!” he squealed happily, wriggling with delight.

Savannah stopped to wipe her son’s mouth with a corner of his baby blanket, then pointed out a table to Matt. “Let’s move this one first. It’s the heaviest.”

They tugged the table out the door and into the garden where Savannah had him place it strategically beside the flower bed. The florists brought in colorful bouquets of spring flowers and arranged them around the constructed altar.

Savannah stopped to admire their handiwork. The setup was quite attractive. She couldn’t help but compare the elaborate decorations to her own slipshod, hurry-up wedding. There had been no florists, only artificial flowers from Walmart. Gary had desired a fancy ceremony, but she’d nixed the idea. She’d wanted it over and done with the least amount of fanfare. Maybe that was why she’d been so determined to make Ginger’s wedding a special affair.

“I still can’t believe Ginger’s getting married,” Matt murmured, standing so close to Savannah she could smell the heady scent of his cologne.

“Yes,” Savannah agreed, emotions choking her throat. “My little sister’s all grown up.”

“Weddings are kind of sad, aren’t they?”

His sensitivity surprised her. Had he sensed the mixed feelings stirring inside her? She wanted happiness for Ginger, but at the same time, she would miss her sister something fierce.

She glanced at him. “They can bring back sad memories, yes.”

He rested a hand on her shoulder, his touch sending tremors of longing contracting through her muscles. “You know, Savvy, I’d always thought we’d get married someday. Funny how things work out.”

She closed her eyes, clenched her jaw. Why did he have to say that? She carried enough regret in her heart to last a lifetime. Maybe she’d made a mistake when she married Gary, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

Stepping away from his dangerous touch, Savannah opened her eyes and turned to face him. “Have you found my cattle yet?”

The corner of his left eye twitched, and he pressed his lips into a firm, straight line, a sure sign her question upset him. “A few head turned up at an auction in Midland,” he said tersely. “Their brands had been altered.”

“They’re my cattle?”

He nodded.

“That’s great. How many?”

“Six.”

“Where are they?”

His brown eyes darkened. “Still in Midland.”

“How come? Why haven’t you brought them home?” She settled her hands on her hips. Savannah knew he was hiding something. Matt had never been good at keeping secrets from her.

Dropping his gaze, he shifted his weight. “They’re being held as evidence. The cattle are impounded until the investigation is over.”

She frowned and rubbed her brow with her index finger and thumb. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Do you have more tables to move?” he asked.

His evasiveness served to pique her curiosity. What was going on? “Is that your way of saying you can’t talk about the investigation?”

He looked relieved. “Yeah.”

“Fine.” She shrugged. “Let’s finish moving the tables.”

Neither spoke as they worked. One minute he’d been open with her, the next elusive. Two years ago, she could have coaxed him to talk, but now? No way. She knew he wouldn’t confide in her, and honestly, she couldn’t blame him. She’d violated his trust. If only they could erase the past and start over with a clean slate.

Wishful thinking, Savannah.

“Need me for anything else?” Matt raised an eyebrow when they were done moving tables.

“Not right now. I’ve got to give Cody his lunch.”

Matt inclined his head toward the barn. “I think I’ll go have a talk with your ranch hand.”

“Clem? What for?”

“I’d like to question him again about the night of the thefts, make sure he didn’t forget something.”

“Okay.” She was glad for any excuse to escape.

Matt stalked to the barn, and Savannah went inside the house. She blew her breath out through puffed cheeks. Would she survive this day?

Ginger sat at the kitchen table polishing her fingernails. She gave Savannah a weak smile. “Cody’s napping,” she said, “I fed him, and Aunt Pearl just called. She and Cousin Ada are in Rascal. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Oh, boy. I’d hoped the guests wouldn’t start arriving so soon.” Savannah pushed her bangs from her forehead and sat down beside Ginger.

“Vannah, I’m getting nervous.”

Savannah patted her sister’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine, honey.”

“But I hate getting up in front of people, and we’ve got a hundred guests coming.”

“It’s not the same thing as giving a speech, and besides, Todd will be right beside you.”

“Did you have second thoughts when you got married?”

And thirds and fourths and fifths. Savannah wished Ginger would stop trying to compare their weddings. It wasn’t the same thing at all. Ginger was in love with Todd.

“Honey, you’ve just got the jitters. Everything will be all right.”

“Where’s Matt?”

“Outside talking to Clem. Why?”

Ginger wiggled her pearly pink fingernails. “Would you be offended if I asked him to give me away?”

“I... I thought you wanted me to give you away.”

“Well, you have been both mother and father to me, and I love you with all my heart, but I’d feel more proper if a man gave me away, and since we don’t have any close male family members...” Ginger looked at Savannah, a pleading expression on her face. “I mean,” Ginger amended quickly, “if you’d rather I didn’t ask him, I won’t. I know there are bad feelings between you two, and the last thing I want to do is hurt your feelings.”

“Sure, honey.” Savannah smiled gamely. “Go ahead and ask Matt, if that’s what you really want.”

“Ask me what?” Matt opened the screen door and stepped into the kitchen.

Ginger and Savannah looked at each other. Savannah lifted her shoulders.

“I was wondering,” Ginger began, springing up from her chair like a jack-in-the-box. “If you would consider giving me away.”

“Uh...” Matt looked flabbergasted.

“Don’t feel obligated to say yes,” Ginger said. “It’s just that I’ve always thought of you as a big brother, and since I don’t have a father or brothers of my own...” She trailed off.

“Why I’d be honored, Ginger, but I’m not exactly dressed for the occasion.” He indicated his attire with a sweep of his hand.

“You look great,” Ginger said. “Just like the Matt Forrester I used to know and love. I wouldn’t recognize you in a suit.”

“Savvy?” Matt looked at her.

“It’s Ginger’s wedding,” Savannah said. “It’s up to her.”