Prologue

Spring had finally come to Montana; the trees were covered with bright green leaves, and the early season flowers had emerged with a burst of color thanks to the soaring temperatures. The residents of Prospect had gladly shed their winter layers, eager to soak up the early season sunshine and bask in the sun's warmth after the long months of snow, wind, and cold. But standing on the porch, Piper wasn't thinking about the warm weather; she was standing on the front porch of the big ranch house staring down the long dirt driveway that led to the county highway half a mile away.

Even though she wasn't focused on it, she still enjoyed the warm sunshine on her bare shoulders. Piper closed her eyes for a second, sighing with pleasure as the smell of lilacs drifted over to her on the breeze, then opened them again and searched for the telltale drift of dust that would signal Sawyer's return. Just thinking about seeing him again made her chest tighten and butterflies erupt in her stomach, but she forced herself to calm down. Today was too important for her to screw it up.

She'd never been in love before, had never understood how overwhelming the feeling could be, and romance had never been high on her priority list. She'd had a few boyfriends during high school, but they hadn't made her feel half of what Sawyer could with just a smile. It might be a mistake to tell him how she felt; he was her boss, after all, and she'd spent the last week driving herself crazy trying to decide. In the end, it had become clear to her that she had no choice, she'd never be able to hide how she felt now.

When the cloud of dust finally appeared on the road, Piper took a deep breath, willing her heart to stop pounding. She was a grown woman capable of telling the man she loved how she felt. Hoping Sawyer wouldn't see how nervous she was, she smoothed the skirt of her sundress, wondering if he would notice how good she looked and hoping that he would see her for the sensual woman that she was instead of the child that she used to be.

She stood watching the truck approach, faint sounds from her birthday party reaching her from the backyard, the distinct feeling that her life was about to change slowly settling over her. Anticipation thundering through her, she forced herself to stay on the porch, knowing that she couldn't just run up to Sawyer and declare her love for him; she needed to be patient, work her way up to the big announcement. However, all her good intentions evaporated when the truck came to a stop, the door swung open and Sawyer got out. Their eyes met across the distance, a thrill rushed through her, and before she could stop herself, she was running across the yard toward him.

When she reached him, she threw herself into his arms, sending him stumbling back into the truck, "I missed you too," he said, laughing, then pulled back and looked down at her. "You look beautiful, Piper. You've grown up in the three weeks I've been gone."

She felt her cheeks turning pink, "Thank you," she said, thrilled to the core that he'd noticed her new dress and haircut. "I just thought it was time for a change."

"Well, you are twenty-one now," Sawyer said, then gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Piper."

The blush on her cheeks deepened, and she realized that her dreams might really be coming true, but then she heard the door on the passenger side of the truck open. "Oh, I almost forgot," Sawyer said, quickly stepping away from her. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" she asked, losing sight of him when he walked around the front of the truck but afraid to follow him.

When he came back a few seconds later, he wasn't alone, and her heart sank when she saw the way he was looking at the woman with him. "Piper, this is Helen," Sawyer said, grinning like he'd just won the lottery. "I just know the two of you are going to love each other."