Rediscover the Big Sky Romance series from Denise Hunter, a beloved author "with a lot of heart" (Colleen Coble). For fans of cowboys, fake marriage, and all the romance without any of the spice! When a wedding reenactment turns real, Shay finds she's an accidental bride. Shay Brandenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana, on her childhood ranch, nestled against the Yellowstone River. But life on the ranch isn't easy, and despite her best efforts, the threat of foreclosure is all too real. In a desperate bid for a solution, Shay agrees to play the bride in the local Founders' Day wedding reenactment. But the joke's on her when she discovers her faux-groom is none other than Travis McCoy, her high-school flame who ditched her for the bright lights of the Texas rodeo circuit. But the twist doesn't end there. Thanks to a well-meaning busybody and an absentminded preacher, the make-believe vows result in a legal marriage. But before Shay can say annulment, Travis comes up with a crazy proposal. If she refuses his offer, she may lose her home. If she accepts, she may lose her heart. Shay is left questioning whether this is a huge prank or a twist of fate. Can she risk her heart with the man who once broke it? Or could this accidental marriage be the best thing that ever happened to her? The Big Sky Romance series is a collection of standalone, sweet and clean romances set against the stunning backdrop of Montana. Each book in the series offers a unique love story, featuring rugged cowboy heroes and strong, independent women, all bound by faith, love, and the enchanting Montana countryside. Discover the beauty of love in the heartland with the Big Sky Romance series with A Cowboy's Touch, The Accidental Bride , and The Trouble with Cowboys . Denise Hunter is the internationally published, bestselling author of more than forty books, three of which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won the Holt Medallion Award, the Reader’s Choice Award, the Carol Award, the Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking chai lattes, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana, where she and her husband raised three boys and are now enjoying an empty nest and four beautiful grandchildren. Follow Denise at DeniseHunterBooks.com; Facebook: @AuthorDeniseHunter; X: @DeniseAHunter; Instagram: @deniseahunter. the Accidental Bride A Big Sky Romance By DENISE HUNTER Thomas Nelson Copyright © 2011 Denise Hunter All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-59554-802-3 Chapter One The bell above the diner's door jingled and—despite her most valiant effort—Shay Brandenberger's eyes darted toward the entry. An unfamiliar couple entered—tourists. She could tell by their khaki Eddie Bauer vests and spanking-new hiking boots. Look out, Yellowstone. When her heart rate returned to normal, she checked her watch and took a sip of coffee. Five minutes till she met Miss Lucy at the Doll House, forty till she met John Oakley at the bank. What if he said no? What would they do then? "Mom ... Earth to Mom ..." Olivia waved her hand too close to Shay's face, her brown eyes widening. "Sorry, hon." The one bright moment of her Saturday was breakfast with her daughter, and she couldn't enjoy it for the dread. "What were you saying?" Olivia set her fork on her pancake-sticky plate and heaved a sigh worthy of her twelve-year-old self. "Never mind." She bounced across the vinyl bench, her thick brown ponytail swinging. "I'm going to meet Maddy." "Right back here at noon," Shay called, but Olivia was out the door with the flick of her hand. The diner buzzed with idle chatter. Silverware clattered and scraped, and the savory smell of bacon and fried eggs unsettled her stomach. She took a sip of the strong brew from the fat rim of her mug. The bell jingled again. I will not look. I will not look. I will not — The server appeared at her booth, a new girl, and gathered Olivia's dishes. "On the house today." Shay set down her mug, bristling. "Why?" The woman shrugged. "Boss's orders," she said, then made off with the dirty dishes. From the rectangular kitchen window, Mabel Franklin gave Shay a pointed look. So Shay had helped the couple with their foal the week before. It was the neighborly thing to do. Fine. She gave a reluctant smile and a wave. She pulled her wallet from her purse, counted out the tip, and dragged herself from the booth, remembering her daughter's bouncy exit. Lately her thirty-two years pressed down on her body like a two-ton boulder. She opened the diner's door and peeked both ways before exiting the Tin Roof and turning toward the Doll House. She was only checking sidewalk traffic, not hiding. Nope, she wasn't hiding from anyone. The boardwalks were busy on Saturdays. That was why she hadn't come to town for two weeks. Why their pa