The Bull Rider's Homecoming by Jeannie Watt

up the girls at Danielle’s house prior to taking them riding on Sunday morning...but she did. The girls raced for the truck, backpacks bouncing, thrilled that they had back-to-back big events—being spoiled rotten at Danielle’s followed by horseback riding—while Annie hefted the large tote bag they’d left behind.
    â€œThis seems heavier than before.”
    Danielle smiled. “I cleaned out my costume jewelry last night. I had a lot of help.”
    â€œI bet.” Annie shifted the bag to her other shoulder. “I had a beer with Trace Delaney last night.” She figured she may as well come clean, since Danielle would get wind of the matter before the close of business on Monday. “We met by accident in the parking lot after I finished painting.”
    â€œAgain?”
    â€œYes. Strange, huh?” Annie shifted the bag then forced herself to hold still. “You should see the quilt room. It’s gorgeous. Great color.”
    Danielle gave her a wry look. “I can’t wait.”
    â€œDon’t read anything into this,” Annie said darkly. “The beer, I mean.”
    â€œWhy would I?”
    â€œBecause I haven’t been out with anyone forever?” Not since she’d given in and gone on a blind date arranged by well-meaning coworkers at the library where she’d worked part-time. “I only went because he’s Grady’s friend.” And her casual mention of her night out was turning into a case of she-doth-protest-too-much. So she shut her mouth.
    â€œSee you tomorrow,” Danielle said on a note of gentle amusement.
    â€œRight. Thank you. For everything.”
    â€œMom, I’m going to need new boots,” Katie announced as Annie got into the car. “My toes are touching the ends.”
    â€œMine, too,” Kristen added, as if that wasn’t a given. Her girls were truly identical, except in temperament.
    â€œNoted,” Annie said. She’d try to squeeze boots into the next paycheck, which meant nothing was allowed to break down. Nothing beyond her fix-it capabilities anyway, such as the furnace, which had made a funny noise that morning. After she’d turned it off and pushed the reset button, it’d whirred back into action without so much as a hiccup, warming the house against the spring chill, so she hoped that was merely a fluke. The washing machine had given her no further problems now that it had its new hose. It was too warm for the pipes to freeze and her mechanic had just given her faithful little car a clean bill of health—in return for the promise of a bounty of harvest from her garden during the summer. Marlo did love fresh tomatoes.
    She turned into Lex’s driveway and the twins instantly undid their seat belts and leaned over the front seat, pointing at the corral.
    â€œLook! Mr. D’laney has the horses caught,” Katie said from behind her.
    He also looked pretty spectacular standing next to the fence, wearing worn jeans, a blue plaid flannel shirt and a black Carhartt work vest. Annie’s throat went dry. The guy was not only handsome, he was built, too. Long-legged. Lean. And those shoulders...
    He’d looked sexy at the bar last night, which was one reason she hadn’t finished her beer—she’d wanted to keep her inhibitions firmly in place—but in the light of day...oh, yeah. He truly was something. One of those guys who got better looking each time you saw them.
    Last night while they’d talked, she’d dealt with the fact that for the first time in a very long time, she was physically drawn to a man. And since that man had no idea as to the direction of her thoughts, she’d allowed herself to enjoy the feeling. It was delicious, dangerous, a touch bewildering— Why now? Why this guy? —but she saw no reason to fight it because all it would ever be was a feeling. The twins bouncing in the seat behind her were walking, talking