Kylie Winters lifted her foot from the accelerator and let her old beater slow as she took in the grandeur of the changing colors. She knew Oklahoma had its share of plains and wheat fields, but this eastern part of the state was hilly and covered in trees. The autumn season was performing its magic as it turned the leaves a rainbow of yellows, oranges, and reds.

Cool evening wind from the open passenger window whipped her hair into her eyes, but Snow—her white shepherd mix—had her nose out the window, and Kylie couldn’t bear to ruin the animal’s enjoyment.

Her memory didn’t do the tree-covered hills justice. Had it always been a kaleidoscope of color like this?

The two lane road wound through the hills, inviting a leisurely pace, and Kylie went with it. Shadows fell as the evening lengthened, and she flipped on her headlights.

But simple enjoyment of the scenery felt out of her reach. She wanted to slow her journey, to try and grasp the peace that was so elusive, even after a spring and summer of searching. Bear Lake was her last stop. If she couldn’t find what she was looking for here, maybe it didn’t exist.

Right now, she felt more chaotic than she had just after Mom had died.

And the small town nestled beside the lake that was its namesake was only another mile ahead.

Apparently, her dawdling had attracted attention, and not the good kind. Blue and red lights flashed, and a siren gave a short whoop, whoop from behind.

Biting her lip, she put on her blinker and pulled off the shoulder, tires crunching in the gravel.

She was cranking down her window by hand when the officer approached. He was clean-shaven with a military-precision haircut and metallic reflective sunglasses that hid his eyes. It was really too late in the day for glasses like that.

No matter that he was handsome, like a young Tom Cruise. His expression revealed nothing as he halted next to her open window. That blankness gave her a little shiver.

Snow barked once, and Kylie shushed her.

“Is everything all right, Officer?” she asked.

“You’ve got a brake light out. You aware of that?”

She ground her back teeth together. “No, sir.”

He waited as if he were expecting her to say more, but years of experience living with her mother had taught her when to keep silent.

Finally, he spoke again. “You’ve got out-of-state tags. What brings you to town?”

An inquisition was the last thing she needed. She forced her lips into a semblance of a smile. “I remember this highway being a speed trap, but I didn’t realize it was a free-for-all to pull people over.”

Shoot. She hadn’t meant to mouth off like that. Her hands trembled but, she clutched the bottom of the steering wheel with both hands until her knuckles turned white.

He looked down his nose at her, mouth twisting slightly. “See your license and insurance, please?”

Snow panted in Kylie’s ear as she reached over to pop the dash console and flipped through the tire and oil change receipts to find the insurance paper. Why did they make them so tiny? Expired. Expired. There it was. Current.

Her hand still had a little tremble as she passed the paper and her license to the cop. Prayed he wouldn’t notice.

He took the documents. “Keep your car parked.”

* * *

Officer Nick Harris tapped the woman’s license and papers against his opposite hand as he strode back to his police cruiser.

He hated being assigned to the speed trap. The one-mile stretch leading into Bear Lake was the worst assignment on the small-town force, and everybody knew it. A lot of sitting in the patrol car and not much else. He’d been stuck on ticket duty for months. And he deserved it, but when was penance enough?

When would it be enough to absolve him of the guilt that chased him at every turn?

The little gal was pretty enough, and it irritated him to have to pull her over. The attitude should have been a turn-off, but something about her called to him. Beneath the sarcasm, there was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. The car gave off clues. An older model, not in very good shape. But the dog was well-cared for. White and clean—when it would be so easy to let it get dirty. The backseat had been littered with fast food bags. Where was she coming from?

She’d said she remembered the speed trap. So she’d been here before?

He glanced at her photo on the Illinois license. Dark blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and pixie features—the photo was attractive but didn’t do justice to the woman in person.

Then he read her name.

Kylie Winters.

His Kylie?

His hands shook as adrenaline rushed through him, heating his face.

By rote, he typed the license number into his dashboard computer. Even if this was the girl who’d haunted him for twenty years, he couldn’t afford another mistake.

Her record was clean, insurance current. Thank God, because his curiosity was about to kill him.

He went back to her car and extended her license and insurance through the window.

Her delicate eyebrows went up. “That’s it? No ticket, no warning?”

“Do you want me to write you a ticket?” he asked with a smile.

She was quick to shake her head. “No, thank you.”

He put his palm on her open window. “You said you remembered the speed trap. I don’t suppose you’re the Kylie who used to beat up her next door neighbor.”

Her eyes widened slightly, and then she squinted at him, tilting her head to look more closely.

She bit her lip, color creeping into her cheeks. “I do remember an annoying brat who followed me around constantly.”

She paused, probably searching her memory for his name.

“It’s Nick,” he said. “Nick Harris.”

I’ve searched online for you. I’ve missed you. Where have you been all these years?

Words pressed against the back of his throat, but he knew better than to let them out. All that would accomplish would be to overwhelm her or scare her off.

Her gaze slanted forward through the windshield. He remembered that micro-second of vulnerability he’d seen in her face earlier.

“If you want to get that taillight fixed, I know a guy who can help.” He didn’t say it was himself.

“Oh, um… Thanks.”

Her hand flexed on the wheel. She was impatient to get away.

His heart was still thundering in his chest, and he dared one more question. “Where are you staying? Need directions?” There. Make it sound like he was only interested in helping her, instead of just plain interested.

Her lips pinched, and his gut sank like a fishing weight on the line.

After an extended pause, she said, “I’ll be at the campground.”

Camping? By herself? A fission of unease shot through him, but she was a grown woman. Capable of making her own decisions.

The state park was two miles out of town, directly on the lake. It was usually quiet, but occasionally, the department caught drug deals going down up there.

Maybe he could make a sweep or two of the area after his shift was over.

And if he happened to run into Kylie, maybe share a s’more and a campfire…that would be a bonus.

The thought buoyed his spirits. “Welcome back to Bear Lake.”

* * *

Gideon Hale, former Navy SEAL and now an official prince of Glorvaird, thanks to his recent marriage to Princess Alessandra, stepped off the charter plane onto Oklahoma soil. The tiny airport was surrounded by wheat fields and not much else. It also appeared empty, save a small steel hangar and the guy approaching the pilot. Near the hangar, an older model pickup truck waited. Their ride.

He took a deep breath of the rich autumn air. It was hotter than he’d expected.

It was good to be back in the States, but he hated being away from his wife. He let his thumb rub over the gold ring on his finger. Life was…different being married now. Having someone depending on him—someone who wasn’t his brother or sister or niece. Having someone to lean on.

Normally, he and Alessandra would travel together, but her father, the king of Glorvaird, had recently died after a long battle with MS, and they’d both agreed she needed to stay with her two sisters in their kingdom.

Gideon hoped to bring home their missing half sister—the lost princess. They’d been searching for her for almost a year, ever since the king had revealed her existence.

Gideon felt so impotent to comfort Alessandra. She’d had a difficult relationship with her father, which made her grief more poignant, wishing for things that could have been. He didn’t know what to say to her, how to ease her grief. All he could do was hold her when she needed a shoulder.

But he could do this. His former career as a SEAL gave him the skills he needed to track and find the missing girl.

Pieter followed him off the plane. “That’s our rental?”

Gideon shot a look at the guy. Pieter was the princesses’ cousin and a prince in his own right, though he was not in line for the throne. He’d been reunited with the family after decades of estrangement.

But the guy’s mom had tried to kill Alessandra, and that wasn’t something Gideon found easy to forgive. So far, Pieter had proved himself trustworthy, but Gideon preferred to keep him close. Having a thousand miles between the prince and Alessandra seemed about right.

Gideon didn’t trust easy. That was part and parcel from his SEAL days.

Pieter would just have to live with it. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be long until they found the missing princess.

* * *

Kylie’s insomnia kicked in hard, and she tossed and turned in the sleeping bag and bivouac through the darkest part of night. Beside her, Snow snored softly, oblivious to the whippoorwill calling out, the crickets chirping all around.

She’d always had trouble sleeping, even as a child. It had only grown worse after her mom’s death a year ago.

Mom’s passing had been a wakeup call of sorts—shown Kylie that she was unhappy with her normal life. She’d taken a leave of absence and gone on a road trip. Something she’d never considered, not since she’d broken ties with Mom years ago.

She hadn’t really planned to return to Bear Lake. It was the first place in her memories living with her mom. She never would have planned to run into Nick. He’d been an ornery runt of a boy back then, shorter than her with freckled cheeks and bright eyes.

Now he was all grown up. She hadn’t recognized him with the military-style haircut and sunglasses. And that uniform that hinted at his physique.

She wasn’t sure what to make of the encounter. He’d seemed…interested in her. Curious, or more than that? She didn’t know what to think.

Sleep remained elusive… What was she really doing here?