Chapter One

“Would you look at that. My fortune cookie was right. This really is a day filled with creative inspiration.”

From her spot inside a thick copse of cedar trees, Reese Turner focused her camera on the shirtless cowboy working on the roof of what had once been her grandparents’ cottage. When he turned in her direction, her mouth dropped open, and her finger froze.

Oh, my holy hotness on steroids.

Warmth—that was not from the weather—swirled inside her. The back of him had been a nice view, but the front was worthy of being in the firefighter calendar her BFF had given her last Christmas. Sun-bronzed muscles bulged across a broad, bare chest. A mystery face lay hidden in the shade of a cowboy hat.

With the most terrible timing imaginable, her memory card reached capacity. “Really? Now?” From the bag across her shoulder, she grabbed a new one and switched it out, but when she refocused on the white cottage, the cowboy was gone. “Oh man. Guess my luck ran out.” But it was for the best. Taking photos of a half-dressed cowboy without permission was a bad idea and not why she’d returned to Cypress Creek.

The warm Texas breeze lifted her long hair, and Reese breathed in the scent of summer grasses heated by the sun. This beautiful place held her favorite childhood memories, and being back filled her with a nostalgic longing to wildcraft herbs with her grandmother. A sweet ache fluttered in her heart.

She lifted the camera to her eye and captured shots of birds in flight and the morning sun streaking into the clouds above the roofline.

“You’re trespassing.”

“AAAH,” Reese yelped while performing a jump and spin maneuver that left her facing her missing photo subject.

No. It can’t be.

She released a quick breath, camera clutched against her drumming heart as it made a fluttering descent back into place. A familiar face stared out from under the brim of a tan cowboy hat, dark stubble emphasizing his jawline and framing full lips. “James?”

“Hey, Reese.” He shoved his hands into his back pockets and grinned.

Not only had she been caught trespassing, but she’d been discovered by James MacLachlan. The guy who’d shared her first kiss, made false promises, and then broken her heart. Now, a man, full grown, standing a few feet away, more handsome than she remembered. A trickle of sweat slid down the center of his body toward his belly button.

Blood whooshed in her ears and some elusive shift in the air stole her next breath, replacing it with sensations reminiscent of teenage infatuation. Rapid, throbbing pulse. Tight, fluttering stomach. Why did he have to look so tempting with his long legs encased in perfectly fitted denim? His whole appearance screamed of a man who could carry you up a flight of stairs…to bed.

He cleared his throat. “It’s been a while.”

OMG! Stop staring, Reese. “You scared the crap out of me. Did you lose your shirt?”

His deep laugh startled a bird from the branch above, and he folded his arms across his chest. “My farmer’s tan needed to be evened out. And I didn’t know I’d have an audience.”

Forcing herself not to check for any remaining tan lines, Reese busied herself putting the lens cap on her camera. “What are you doing here?”

“That’s what I should be asking you.”

“I’m working on a photography project.” Details of the last few minutes fell into place, and she glanced between him and the cottage. “Wait…is this your property? Do you own my grandparents’ farm?”

“Yeah.” With one well-worn boot crossed over the other, he rested his shoulder against a tree. “You didn’t know?”

“No.” Emotions reeled in her mind—surprise, a stab of envy, and unexpectedly, a bit of relief. “When my dad sold the place, I was so upset I didn’t even want to know who bought it. I should’ve guessed it was your family, since your ranch borders this farm. Do you live in the cottage?”

“No. We use it as a guesthouse.”

Could she convince him to sell it and a portion of what should be her property?

“You’re a professional photographer?” He motioned to her camera with a well-toned arm.

“Yes. I’ve been working as a freelance photographer for about six years now.”

“Cool job. I was about to head into town to get some more cedar shingles and pick up my dog from the vet. Want to meet me for lunch at Givens Diner and then come back out here to take a look at your grandparents’ old place?”

She definitely wanted to see it up close, but the lunch idea gave her pause. She had not come to reconnect with an old flame, no matter how quickly the spark reignited. Getting burned was too painful.

I’m being ridiculous. I’m not a scared teenager any longer.

“I’d like that,” she said. “Even after all my travels, this is still the place that holds my favorite memories.” She could be patient—well, patient-ish—and wait until later to bring up the topic of purchasing a piece of this beautiful place.

Pushing away from the tree, he glanced around. “How’d you get here? Where’s your car?”

“I parked on the fence line and walked. I didn’t plan to come this far, but I couldn’t resist.” Echoes of the past had drawn her to this spot like muscle memory.

“It’s fine. I was just giving you a hard time. How does eleven thirty sound for meeting at the diner?”

“That works. I’ll see you then.” She spun away and headed toward the road, needing time and space away from all the feels James had awakened. Getting her head right and having a plan was a must. “Don’t forget to put all of your clothes on before you meet me at the diner,” she called over her shoulder.

“I’ll try.”

She shivered when his deep voice followed her through the trees. There’d always been the possibility of running into him, but she hadn’t expected it to be in the middle of the woods not two hours after driving into town. He’d thrown her day off-kilter, and she had to find a way to be around him, because he had something of hers. Her cottage. Her land.

The first piece of her heart ever given.

Two of those things could be hers again. But that area of her heart was forever marked and would need to be closely guarded.

By the time she made it back to her turquoise VW van parked behind a thick cluster of bushes on the side of the farm road, she was out of breath. She unlocked Petunia, sagged onto the driver’s seat, and patted the steering wheel. “Well, old girl, our trip down memory lane has started with a sonic boom.” After pulling leaves and twigs from her pink sequined Converse, she headed toward town.

Reese parked along one side of the Cypress Creek town square and gathered her camera. With her eye focused through the lens, she walked along the red brick sidewalk and stopped under a large crepe myrtle tree. A gust of wind whipped around her. Dark pink blossoms rained down like summer snowflakes, and the hot, humid air was spiced with a faint floral fragrance. This town held bittersweet memories that settled as a pleasant ache in her chest. A mixture of tender moments and heartbreaking goodbyes.

With the sturdy tree trunk at her back, she noted possible locations for her National Geographic project. Her photos needed to be unique and artistic enough to secure her dream job.

She continued past antique stores and boutiques from high-end to Boho-chic before reaching Givens Diner. The old-fashioned bell above the door chimed a familiar welcome as she entered. The place had hardly changed since she was seventeen. Red leather booths lined the large windows that looked out on the quaint but thriving town square. Despite the diner’s age, it was sparkling clean and smelled like pie and Coke floats.

Reese took a seat on a stool at the old-fashioned soda counter and glanced at the metal foot rail. There was a time when her feet hadn’t reached. A time she’d shared with Granddad on their secret outings for ice cream. The back of her eyes stung with the threat of tears.

An older gentleman appeared from the kitchen. Mr. Givens, the funny man who’d always put an extra cherry on her sundae.

His old face crinkled. “Well, look who we have here. Sam and Sara’s granddaughter, all grown up. Welcome back, Reese.”

“Thank you. It’s good to be back.” Seeing him made her even more nostalgic for the happy times she’d spent in this town. “You haven’t aged a day, but I’m surprised you remember me.”

“You not only look like your grandmother but are just as kind as she was.” He glanced over his shoulder at the clock. “What can I get you? We’re still serving breakfast for another thirty minutes.”

“I’ll start with ice water and coffee. Do you still serve caramel apple pecan pie?”

“We do, and it’s still award winning. Want a slice?”

“Please.” Her mouth watered with phantom flavor, and she couldn’t wait for a bite of her grandmother’s favorite. She glanced around the rapidly filling diner, happy to see business booming.

Mr. Givens poured water and coffee and placed them on the counter with cream and sugar. “There’s a fresh pie coming out of the oven. Give me a few minutes to get it.”

“Sounds good.” The ice water soothed her throat, parched from the July heat. Would the pie’s secret recipe taste like she remembered, or was it one of those things she’d built up in her mind only to be disappointed? She’d imagined how James had changed over the years, but he looked better than her brain could’ve conjured.

Why does he have to be so freakin’ handsome? He was supposed to be the guy who’d turned into someone no one noticed, not the guy that made you walk into a wall because you couldn’t stop watching as he passed by.

Reese checked her Mickey Mouse watch. Eleven thirty-five. He was late. Only a few minutes, but that was enough to spark the painful memory of the day their relationship ended. Her stomach tightened into a knot, and just when she was about to request her pie to go, James came through the door.

He waved to someone outside and then stopped at the booth of a cute elderly couple. Reese swiped her hand along condensation forming on the water glass and pressed a wet palm to her cheek. Keep it together. You can do this. If she wanted to see her grandparents’ place, she had to find a way to be in the same space as this man.

James nodded at something the older couple said. His deep, rich laugh rose above the sounds of a waitress humming and clanging dishes.

Oh crap. I’m staring, again. She spun the stool around, only to discover she could still see his reflection in the mirror over the soda fountain. With her arms resting on the counter, she observed the charismatic, most popular guy at Cypress High. Rather than homecoming king, he should’ve been voted most likely to break a girl’s heart.

A plate crashed on the diner floor and Reese jumped, hit the tines of her fork with her hand, and sent it careening behind the counter, barely missing Mr. Givens. Embarrassment flooded her. “I’m so sorry.”

“No worries. Got plenty of clean ones,” he said, making a poor job of hiding his amusement.

She stopped bouncing her knee and schooled her features. Being this jumpy annoyed the hell out of her. James had not been on today’s schedule, but here she was waiting for him like the foolish teenager she’d once been.

“Sorry I’m late.” James dropped onto the stool beside hers.

“Are you?” She adjusted her watch, pretending she hadn’t noticed or been about to freak out. His easygoing expression shifted to the bedroom-eyes grin that had made her heart speed years ago. And it still did. His nearness and spicy scent invaded her senses with whispers of long-ago touches.

Reese Marie Turner, you can resist this temptation! “I already ordered.”

“Guess I should, too.” He swiveled his stool away from her. “Afternoon, Mr. G. Can I get an iced tea and a burger and fries, please?”

“Coming right up.” Mr. Givens poured a glass and winked at them. “You two always did make a cute couple.”

Reese sloshed hot coffee on her hand and was hit with the sensation of dropping from the highest peak of a roller coaster. No, no, no. Do not encourage this. She tipped her head and focused on wiping up the spill and adding more cream.

James propped one elbow on the counter, closing more distance. “How long’s it been?”

“Eleven years. What’s your sister up to these days?”

“Astrid is in medical school at Stanford and doing great. I remember the three of us playing together when y’all visited your grandparents.”

“And you always pulled my hair and called me Goldilocks.”

He chuckled. “I guess little boys aren’t very good at expressing affection.”

Affection? She bit the corner of her lip. The childhood version of James had been cute and playful, annoying her with things she now recognized as a little boy’s way of navigating new feelings. The teen had been charming enough to make her fall in love for the first time. And this very adult version… She risked a quick sidelong glance. His tanned throat moved as he took a long drink of tea, and she found herself licking her lips. It was only fair to hold off passing judgment on the man he’d become.

He set down his half-empty glass. “I also have some good memories from our teenage years.”

This time she bit her lip for a different reason, and the sharp sting almost drew blood. His memories certainly couldn’t be of the long summer he’d promised. A summer yet to happen.

“A very brief time,” she said. Just long enough for you to break my heart. “Until your attention roamed elsewhere.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I owe you an apology. I was a dumbass. I like to believe I’ve got more sense these days.” His smile turned tender. “And I’m proud to have Turner Farm be part of MacLachlan Ranch. I take good care of the land.”

He gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze, like one might do with a buddy, and she leaned into the touch before she could stop herself. Even through the cotton of her T-shirt, waves of heat licked across her skin. The effect he had on her was more than friendly, and he knew it. It was obvious in the subtle shifting of his features. A shared flicker of their old connection. Ice clinked in their glasses, and they snapped their heads forward to Mr. Givens refilling their drinks.

“Don’t let me interrupt,” the wannabe matchmaker said with mischief in his voice.

Reese held in a groan and followed the movement of James’s hand as he reached for his tea. Tan, long-fingered, strong. He wasn’t wearing a ring, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t married. She had to find out before one second more of flirting took place with this Casanova cowboy. “Are you married?”

He raised his hands, palms forward and waving as if warning something away. “No. Almost did that once. Marriage isn’t for me. What about you?”

“Same. Almost, but no.” Mental note to self—he’s not interested in marriage. She wasn’t planning to walk down the aisle any time soon, either, but when she did date again, it had to be with a guy who saw it in his future.

“I wouldn’t have asked you to lunch if I wasn’t single.” He plucked a crepe myrtle blossom from her hair. “Same color as your lips.”

The romantic gesture had her vapor locked. Her breath stuttered, and so did her heart. Curse his powers of seduction.

He leaned a fraction closer before moving back into his own space.

If it wasn’t for her desire to see the cottage, she’d say nice to see you and be on her way. The bad news was he still gave her all the same tingly feels that had stolen her heart. The good news was she’d get to visit the cottage as an invited guest, not a trespasser. Not that she thought he’d have her arrested, but still… She liked to follow the rules, most of the time.

Oh, and the other bad news was she’d have to resist this cowboy while taking a walk down memory lane.

A man in overalls stopped beside him and handed him an envelope. “James, sorry to interrupt. Here’s the rent check. Thank you so much for giving us the extra days. It made all the difference.”

“Glad I could help.” They shook hands and the man walked away. He tucked the envelope into his back pocket. “That was Charlie Winters. He runs the hardware store on the other side of the square.”

“You have rental property?”

“Yep. A few years back, a lying, scheming developer wanted to tear down some of the historic buildings around the square.” His jaw tightened and his hands fisted on the counter. “My grandparents and I could not let that happen.”

Damn, he sure hates developers.

Reese twisted her napkin until it tore. Thankfully, she hadn’t mentioned being here on a freelance photo job for her old boss’s company, Everett Development. But Mr. E’s plans were for a rustic resort out in undeveloped areas of the countryside. He wouldn’t be knocking down any existing structures, or so he claimed. A prickle of unease stirred in her belly. She needed to buy back her family land before Mr. Everett’s company could get their hands on it.

“Which buildings are yours?”

He motioned out the window. “The north and west sides.”

She blinked, trying to make sense of his words. “You own half of the town square?”

A lopsided, endearing grin flashed across his face. “We do. The family has always been into real estate. Started when Benjamin MacLachlan built Legend Hotel in Austin in 1910. People say it’s haunted.”

“I know that hotel. I had no idea it belonged to your family.”

“Yep, they wanted me to run it, but that’s not my thing. One of my cousins manages the place.”

Mr. Givens set down a tall burger and a steaming slice of pie. “Enjoy.”

“Pie for lunch?” James asked.

“Eat dessert first. You never know what might happen.” Reese speared a chunk of apple and savored the tart sweetness with hints of cinnamon and caramel. “Oh. My. God. This is even better than I remember.” She moaned and then caught James staring at her mouth while holding back a laugh.

“Need me to leave you alone with that pie?” he whispered.

Heat rose, flushed her chest, and crept up her neck, threatening to turn her face scarlet. But rather than go into mortified mode, she giggled. “Oh snap. Was anyone else watching?”

“Nah, not a soul. And I understand about the pie. I’ve also got a sweet tooth.” He popped a French fry into his mouth. “Ahh, hot, hot!” He sucked in a breath. “Never have learned to wait.”

“It’s hard when it’s one of Mr. Givens’s famous homemade fries.”

“Here, try one.” He chose a crisp, steaming fry, brandished it like a sword to cool it, and with a final flourish laid it against her lips.

She opened her mouth, only to have him twitch it out of reach. The teasing highlighted his charm and started a slow burn. One that ignited as he licked salt from his lower lip.

He returned the fry in a leisurely movement, but rather than let him feed her, she snatched it from his fingers and popped it into her mouth.

“Good?” His husky tone hummed low.

That delicious, and dangerous, spark tickled her belly. “Very good. Think I better order some.”

He slid his plate across the counter. “Share mine.”

He’s way too good at this flirting thing.

As they headed toward the exit, a toddler slid out of his chair and dashed for the door, ignoring the calls from his frazzled mother. He ran into Reese’s legs, and she bent down to stop his escape. His huge brown eyes and precious ketchup-covered face caused a familiar pang of longing to cuddle a child of her own.

“Where are you going in such a hurry, little man?”

The small boy pointed outside. “Park.”

His mother came around the table and scooped him up with one arm. “John Thomas, tell the nice lady you’re sorry for running into her.”

“Sorry, nice lady.”

“No problem, sweetie.” She put a hand to her stomach as she stood, a light-hearted sensation fluttering in her chest.

“Hey, Goldilocks.” James stepped into her line of vision. “Wanna get out of here?”

Her mind took the express train straight to the place it shouldn’t, and her skin danced with sensations. Had she heard him right? “Do what?”

One corner of his mouth twitched. “You still want to see the cottage, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course. Let’s go.”

This cowboy should come with a warning to guard your heart.