Wade Dwyer's life is turned upside down when his father dies and he learns he must marry or he and his siblings will lose the ranch. One last jab of the knife from his father. On top of that, his father's only friend knows about the stipulation and is determined to own the property by any means necessary.<br><br>He's facing the very real possibility of being the reason his family loses their home when his brother's best friend, Lance Matthews, offers to walk down the aisle with him. A faux marriage to the man he's loved for years is a torture he isn't sure he can endure.<br><br>Can he keep the ranch ... and the man of his dreams, too?

The Twisted Oak

The day finally arrived just two days ago when Kenneth had died of a massive heart attack. When Lance had heard the news, the first thing he did was contact Patricia. Now thathad been one hell of a conversation. It had taken some doing, but he’d finally convinced her he was serious about Kenneth Dwyer being her father. Kenneth had an old paternal DNA test from years ago when she’d been born. Apparently, once it had been proven he was the father, he’d ended up paying Patricia’s mother a lump sum of money to get her to “go away,” as he’d so elegantly stated.


Now, the moment of truth was upon him as he slowed Jasper to a trot. Wade glanced over this shoulder, his eyes widening upon seeing Lance. Lance pulled up next to Wade, leaving several feet between them, and nodded, not quite sure what to say now that he was there.


Wade looked ashen, his eyelashes wet as he continued to stare at Lance. “What are you doing here?”


Chapter 12