Page 5 of Wrangling a Texas Hometown Hero

The double ceremony seemed to go on forever and Hallie had never been good at standing still for long periods of time. It was impossible not to fidget as she scanned the seated guests for a head of lite beer-colored hair. When she found it, she wished she hadn’t.

Jace’s storm cloud eyes pinned her with an intensity that made her feel like she’d been kicked in the stomach by a mule. Her legs turned to chicken noodle soup again and she had to lock her knees or end up in a heap on the barn floor.

What was the matter with her?

Men didn’t make Hallie Holiday melt. Men were passing entertainment she could do with or without. They didn’t even make the top ten on her list of priorities. She was not a woman who followed men around with stars in her eyes.

She stiffened her spine, lifted her chin, and stared right back at Jace.

Those pretty eyes twinkled with humor.

Her eyes narrowed.

His perfect teeth flashed.

Damn, the man had a mega-watt smile that lit up a room. But before the weird melting feeling could consume Hallie again, his gaze shifted and his smile faded.

She turned to see who in the wedding party had caused the emotional raincloud when Noelle rammed her with an elbow and hissed under her breath, “Pay attention!” Hallie returned her attention to the brides and grooms just as the preacher pronounced them husbands and wives.

After the ceremony, Hallie hoped to break free so she could find Jace, but she was stuck posing for what felt like a million wedding pictures. She was baring her teeth for the bridesmaids’ photos when she noticed her grandmother watching her intently.

When Mimi watched you intently, it wasn’t good.

This was proven moments later when Mimi took her arm and pulled her around the side of the barn.

“So you want to tell me what’s going on with you, Halloween Holiday?” Mimi was one of the few people who got away with using her given name.

“What do you mean? Nothing’s going on with me.”

Mimi’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you lie to me, young lady. You’ve been acting like a cat on a hot tin roof all day.” Her eyes softened. “Be honest. You’re feeling a little jealous of Liberty and Belle, aren’t you?”

Jealous of her sisters getting married?

It was hard to hold back her laughter. As far as she was concerned, marriage was the fastest way for a woman to lose her independence. Her sisters were perfect examples. Once the love bug bit Sweetie, Cloe, Liberty, and Belle, they’d changed. And not for the better. They seemed to have lost their identities and drive to succeed. Hallie wasn’t about to become a Stepford Wife.

But since she couldn’t tell her grandmother the real reason she was upset, Hallie latched on to the excuse.

“You guessed it, Mimi.” She shrugged. “I’m green with envy that my sisters have found their one true loves to spend the rest of their born days with—cooking and baking and making a little love nest.” She might have laid it on too thick because Mimi snorted with laughter.

“Since when have you wanted to cook and bake? Or get married for that matter? I was talking about you being jealous that your sisters have figured out their lives while you just lost your job and are floundering a little bit.” Leave it to Mimi to brutally cut to the chase. “But there’s no reason to be jealous, Halloween. Sometimes what we think is failure, is actually a blessing that points us in the direction God wants us to go.”

As exasperating as Mimi could be, she was also extremely intuitive. Which might be why she was so exasperating. Hallie was just relieved that she hadn’t put two and two together—or her and Jace.

“I can’t say I wasn’t feeling a little lost after I got fired,” she said. “But you might be right. It could be a blessing in disguise.” She started to tell her grandmother about her plan to buy her own brewery when Mimi spoke.

“Then we’re both in agreement . . . you need to move home.”

Hallie stared at her. “What?”

“You heard me. You need to move home. There’s plenty of room. You won’t have to pay rent. And I’ll be happy to move all my winemaking equipment so you can use the cellar to make your beer.” It was a sweet gesture. Mimi loved making her elderberry wine. Which was probably where Hallie had gotten her love of making libations.

“Thank you, Mimi, but I’m a little too old to be living with my parents and grandma. Plus Daddy and I get along as well as a lit match and a stick of dynamite. I’m not the dynamite in that scenario.”

“Your daddy has mellowed.”

“Not from what I’ve seen.”

“Then you haven’t looked close enough. And there’s nothing wrong with an adult woman living at home. Your sisters lived here.”

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