The Ryders: Jared, Royce and Stephanie. Barbara Dunlop

the arena. She assumed it was a jumping class and that Stephanie was there.

      “Take a seat.” Jared gestured to a worn, brown leather armchair.

      Melissa sat down, and he took the chair next to it. They were separated by a polished pine table, decorated with three small, framed horse portraits.

      He leaned back, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee and folding his arms over his chest. “What’s going on?” he asked directly.

      Melissa took a deep breath, giving herself a second to compose her message. “It’s Stephanie.”

      “What did you do?”

      “I didn’t do anything.”

      “She lost patience with you? Fired you?”

      “No.” Melissa sat forward. “Will you let me finish?”

      He waited.

      “Your sister, for some reason, has decided I’m … well, a good match for you.”

      Jared planted his feet and sat forward. “What did you say to her?”

      “Nothing. This is about her, not me. I was minding my own business. She saw you helping me yesterday. Apparently the first time you saw me you said I was pretty.”

      “I never—”

      “Well, Stephanie thinks you did. And she’s a determined and romantic young lady, and she thinks she can subtly throw us together without you noticing. I was guessing you’d catch on, and I thought you’d appreciate a heads-up.”

      Jared’s mouth thinned into a grim line. His hands moved to the arms of the chair, and he gave his head a subtle shake. “It’s worse than I thought.”

      Melissa waited for him to elaborate.

      He fixed his gaze on her. “If she’s targeting you, things are really getting out of hand.”

      “Excuse me?” Melissa couldn’t help the defensive tone in her voice. “I’m the bottom of the barrel?”

      “No, you’re not the bottom of the barrel.” He paused. “But you’re definitely from the unlikely half of the barrel.”

      “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

      “The last person she targeted was a lawyer.”

      Melissa nodded. “She told me.”

      “Just how long was this conversation?”

      “Not long.” Melissa shifted back in her chair. “For the record, I tried to talk her out of it.”

      Jared’s expression turned thoughtful, and he glanced toward the window and out to the arena. “Did she seem.upset?”

      Melissa shook her head. Stephanie hadn’t seemed remotely upset. “I’d call it enthusiastic, even excited.”

      He stood up and walked toward the closest window, looking through the opening to the crowd in the distance. “It’s about Sunday.”

      Melissa stood with him. The clouds were thickening in the sky and the wind was picking up.

      “It’s got to be,” he continued.

      “What about Sunday?” she dared to ask.

      Jared kept his gaze glued outside. “The twentieth anniversary of our parents’ deaths. And the first time my grandfather won’t be here to commemorate it with us.”

      Melissa took a few steps toward him. “Your grandfather died?”

      Jared nodded. “In April. It hit Stephanie pretty hard.”

      “I can imagine,” Melissa said softly, her sympathy going out to the whole family.

      “Look at her jump.” Jared nodded toward the arena, and Melissa shifted closer to where she could watch Stephanie on her big gray horse.

      “Perfect form,” he continued as the two sailed over a high, white jump rail. “She’s talented, driven, unbelievably hardworking. Only twenty-two, and she’ll be a champion before we know it.”

      “Then she was only two when your parents died?” Melissa ventured.

      “Only two,” Jared confirmed with a nod, and his voice turned introspective. “And despite her success, all these years all she ever wanted was a mother.”

      Melissa didn’t know what to say to that. Her own parents had moved to Florida only a couple of years ago. She saw them every few months, but she still missed her mother.

      “I don’t blame her,” she offered.

      “I understand the desire,” Jared allowed. “But ever since she was old enough to understand, she’s pestered the three of us to get married. Poor Gramps. And poor Royce. He was afraid to bring a date home in high school for fear of how Stephanie would embarrass him. She goes into matchmaking mode at the drop of a hat.”

      “You could get married, you know,” Melissa offered reasonably, only half joking. “You’re what, early thirties?”

      “Thirty-five.”

      “So what’s the holdup? I bet you meet eligible women every day of the week.”

      Jared frowned at her. “I’m not getting married for the sake of my sister.”

      “Get married for yourself. Hey, if you get proactive, you’ll have your choice of women. If Stephanie gets her way, you’re stuck with me.”

      It obviously took Jared a stunned minute to realize Melissa was joking. But then he visibly relaxed.

      “What about you?” he asked. “Would you get married to keep your siblings happy?”

      Melissa coughed out a laugh. “I have five older brothers. Trust me, no husband in the world will be good enough.”

      “Would they scare a guy off?”

      Melissa smiled at that. “They range from six-one to six-four. All tough as nails. Adam’s a roofer, Ben and Caleb are framers, Dan’s an electrician and Eddy’s a pipe fitter.”

      A calculating look came into Jared’s eyes. “You think they’d be interested in jobs with Ryder International?”

      “I’m afraid they’re all gainfully employed.”

      His eyes squinted down as he stared at her, and she braced herself for sarcasm about her own dismal career status. It was going to be hard not to defend herself from his criticism.

      “Might be worth marrying you for the union connections alone.”

      The words surprised a laugh out of her. She played along. “Plus, Stephanie would have a mother.” She played along. “Well, more like a sister, really. I’m only four or five years older than she is, you know.”

      “Not a bad plan.” Jared nodded and pretended to give it serious consideration. “Stephanie’s pretty convinced the family would benefit from a few more females in the mix.”

      “Smart girl,” said Melissa.

      “Can’t argue with the logic,” Jared agreed. “It’s her methods that cause the trouble.”

      As they spoke, Stephanie sailed over her final jump, completing a clean round.

      “She really is good,” said Melissa.

      “You don’t know the half of it.” Jared turned from the window.

      He paused, and they came face-to-face, closer than she’d realized. Sunlight streamed in, highlighting his gorgeous eyes, his strong chin, his straight nose and the short shock of brown hair that curled across his forehead.

      The force of his raw magnetism drew her in, arousing and frightening her at the same time. He was all man. He had power, looks and intelligence, and