LITMIR.BIZ

      CHARLENE SANDS

      resides in Southern California with her husband, Don, and two children, Jason and Nikki. She’s also the mother of two very spoiled cats, Skittles and Snickers, who basically rule the house. When not writing, she enjoys Pacific beaches, sitting down with a good book and, of course, happy endings!

      She loves to hear from her readers. Contact her at [email protected] or enter her contests at www.charlenesands.com.

      To my author friends, who inspire,

       support and encourage me each and every day.

      To Tanya Hanson—

      new author, friend and “drive” buddy. I enjoy our times together.

      To Debbie Decker—

      who always has a smile and a kind word. Your bubbly laughter is contagious!

      To Barbara McCauley—

      whose advice, help and friendship is always appreciated.

      To Sandra Madden—

      my first and only real critique partner. Wish you continued success.

      And to the authors I hope to meet one day.

       You got me hooked! LaVyrle Spencer, Sandra Brown, Janet Evanovich and Kathleen Woodiwiss.

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      One

      Cassie Munroe raced down the hotel’s hallway, her composure all but gone. A car breakdown on River Road miles away from your destination will do that to you, she supposed. Her Volkswagen Bug had run out of gas.

      The last thing she wanted was to make a splashy entrance to her brother Brian’s rehearsal dinner. Shamefully, she admitted she didn’t want to make any sort of entrance. But she loved her brother dearly and wouldn’t dream of missing his special day, even if she was out of work, out of a date for the wedding and almost out of time.

      She searched the gold-embossed lettering on the doorways of the ballrooms as she strode past and found the room she’d been looking for. This had to be it. Sunrise Room.

      Standing just outside, she straightened her clingy red dress, ran her fingers through her short hair and took a deep, steadying breath. Grasping the handle, she thrust the door open and entered. She was more than halfway through the room before she peered up and saw the banner.

      Laughlin River Stampede Rodeo Banquet.

      The big bold sign at the front of the room caught her off guard. She stopped in midstep and paused. A room full of cowboys, seated at a U-shaped table, all looked up.

      Big, bold, Stetson-wearing, silver-buckled, gorgeous cowboys—all looking at her with interest.

      The room quieted.

      Cassie pasted on a smile.

      Heavens, she’d never seen a better-looking group of men in her life. She made a mental calculation. Seventeen cowboys, she estimated, but this was not the time for her silly habit of counting everything that could be counted. Sometimes having a flair for numbers had its disadvantages.

      “You’re a bit early, honey. But don’t think a soul’s gonna mind,” one of cowboys called. She would have dashed out of the room if he hadn’t sounded so polite. “C’mon over here. We won’t bite.”

      Male chuckles erupted all around.

      Heat climbed up her neck. Suddenly, Cassie was aware of her attire. She’d wanted to look great today so she’d put on her most daring dress with a low-cut bodice and a hem riding high on her thighs. She’d slipped her feet into three-inch black stiletto heels and had her auburn hair highlighted and styled. Wasn’t every day a girl had to face her ex-fiancé and his new bride.

      At her brother’s wedding, no less.

      “Uh, no. Thank you,” she countered, trying to be just as polite. “I think I have the wrong room. I’m supposed to be at a wedding rehearsal.”

      “Ah, now that’s a doggone shame,” the same voice cajoled. “I bet you want the Sunset Room, darlin’.”

      The Sunset Room? Yes, that was it. The dinner was to be held in the Sunset Room, not the Sunrise Room.

      Running

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