Page 50 of Wrangling a Texas Hometown Hero

“I’ve been in the middle of gossip before. I think it’s time that I stopped worrying about how people see me and just worry about how I see myself. But the question is can you deal with the gossip?”

She paused for a long moment that had his insides tightening and his heart thumping. If she couldn’t handle the gossip, if she couldn’t own up to what was between them, then he’d have no choice but to leave town. He couldn’t live in the same town and control the need that ate at him. He wasn’t even sure he could live in another country and control it. Which scared him. But at the moment, he was more scared of her answer.

She stepped closer, her bare toes meeting his. Just that slight touch had him trembling. He trembled even more when her hands slid over his bare chest and looped around his neck.

“For another night like tonight, I think I can deal with just about anything.”

Relief flooded him and he grinned. “You liked that, did ya?”

“Oh, I more than liked it.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him. All the emotions he’d been keeping in busted loose and he lifted her completely off the floor and kissed her like he’d been wanting to kiss her ever since they’d started this conversation.

His hands had just filled with the soft curves of her butt when her phone started ringing on the nightstand. He pulled back from the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “As much as I’d love to finish what we started, I think we need to get you home before your daddy arrives with his shotgun and busts down the door.”

Once they were dressed, she drove him back to the Hellhole to get his truck.

“You don’t need to follow me home,” she said. “I’m sure everyone will be in bed by this time.”

He still followed her.

Everyone wasn’t in bed. The porch light was on and Jace could see Hank, Darla, and Mimi sitting on the porch when he pulled in behind Hallie’s truck. He took a deep breath before he jumped out and held Hallie’s door as she got out. She didn’t look as feisty as she normally did. Which had him taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. He continued to hold it as they moved toward the porch steps Hank now stood on.

“Just what the hell is going on, Halloween Holiday?”

Hallie tried to pull her hand free, but Jace didn’t let her go. Nor was he going to let her take the blame.

“Sorry, sir, for getting Hallie home so late. It was all my fault.”

Hallie turned on him. “No, it wasn’t. And let go of my hand before I punch you.” He let go of her hand. “Don’t you dare try to treat me like a woman who needs a man to protect her or explain for her.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Yes, you were.” She looked at her father. “What’s going on, Daddy, is that I’m a grown woman who can take care of herself. So you and Mama and Mimi don’t need to be staying up waiting on me to come home. I apologize for not telling you where I was, but I thought I’d be home before you got back from the Hellhole.”

“And why weren’t you?” He looked at Jace. Since he’d just gotten chastised, Jace looked at Hallie. He didn’t want her to lie to her parents, but he didn’t want her to be as brutally honest as she was.

“Because I fell asleep in Jace’s bed.” She turned to Jace. “Good night, Jace. Thanks for a lovely evening.” She gave him a quick kiss right on the lips before she turned and headed up the steps, leaving Jace with her scowling daddy.

Jace cleared his throat. “I guess I’ll be go—”

“Oh, no, you won’t. You’ll tell me exactly what’s going on between you and my—”

Mimi spoke up from where she sat on the porch. “That’s enough, Hank William. Hallie is right. She’s a big girl and we don’t need to be butting into her business.” She got up. “Now let’s all go to bed. It’s been a long night.” She walked to the screen door and held it open. Hank didn’t budge until Darla took his arm.

“Come on, dear. Like your mama said, it’s not our business.”

Hank sent Jace a warning look that was very similar to his daughter’s. “You better watch yourself, boy. Winning coach or not, I won’t put up with you dallying with my daughter—any daughter!” He turned and stomped into the house.

Darla sent him a curious look, but didn’t say a word as she followed her husband. Jace waited for Mimi to head inside after them. He should have known better. Mimi had always liked getting the last word. He expected her warning to be as harsh as her son’s. But like her granddaughter, Mimi was unpredictable.

A smile broke over her wrinkled face. “Prayers are answered. Just not always in the way you think.” She winked at him before she headed into the house, the screen door slamming closed behind her.

Chapter Seventeen

Since her family was as bad as the townsfolk about keeping secrets, Hallie called an emergency meeting of the Holiday Secret Sisterhood as soon as she woke up the following morning. She hoped they could just Zoom. That way she wouldn’t have to see her sisters’ disappointed faces up close and personal. But since they had yet to initiate Sunny into the club, Sweetie thought Sunny and Noelle should come into town and the sisters all meet in the hayloft that night.

The rest of the day, Hallie was on pins and needles. Jace called, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she sent him a text telling him she would call him later. She knew she was avoiding him and he probably knew it too, but she needed time to think without her brain being sex fogged.

Now that her mind was clearing, she realized starting something up with Jace was a bad idea. In fact, it was the worst idea ever. It couldn’t go anywhere. He was leaving. She was leaving. He had no goals for the future. She had one she wasn’t even sure she wanted anymore.

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