Page 63 of Wrangling a Texas Hometown Hero

Halloween Holiday Carson was as unique as her name.

She might look like a stiff wind could easily blow her over, but no wind—literally or figuratively—would ever knock over Hallie. She was as tough as nails. If you messed with her, you were liable to get the sharp edge of her tongue or a knee in the balls. But that didn’t mean her heart wasn’t as soft as the waves of blond hair that framed her green face. When she loved, she loved deeply and completely.

She loved a lot.

She loved Jelly Roll, George Strait, Dixie Chick, Taylor Swift, Buck Owens, Mickey Gilley, and every other animal her family had adopted. She loved her town and every ornery resident in it. She loved her family and would go to the ends of the earth for them.

And she loved an ex-football player now turned high school coach.

Jace didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky.

But he wasn’t going to waste this special night wondering. He was just going to enjoy every single second of having his feisty, softhearted, loving wife in his arms.

“Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?” He wanted to brush a kiss on the top of her head, but the pointy witch’s hat made that impossible.

She tipped her head back and studied him with those eyes that looked even greener next to the green makeup she’d used on her face. The love he saw made his heart catch. “About a hundred times, and I got to tell you, Jace the Ace, I’m starting to get a little worried you have a thing for goth.”

He cocked a brow. “How can I not when I married a woman named Halloween?”

The scowl that usually appeared when anyone used her given name didn’t show up. Instead, a slow smile lifted her lips. It was the same smile he’d seen a lot of lately. A satisfied smile. Like Jace, it looked like Hallie had finally accepted who she was and had embraced it. The wedding theme and décor was a perfect example. The colors, costumes, and October thirty-first wedding date had all been her idea. Jace hadn’t cared about any of it. He would have gotten married buck naked on any day, or on any planet, to become her husband.

“Good point.” She thumped his shoulder pads. “I’m certainly developing a thing for sexy football players.”

“Sexy? Are you saying I’m making you hot, Mrs. Carson?”

She ran a finger along the collar of his football jersey, sending heat pooling. “Very.”

She lifted to the toes of her cowboy boots and kissed him. The warmth her lips and tongue infused in him made him feel more than just sexual desire. It made him feel like he was right where he should be. When she drew back, he was breathless and lightheaded . . . and unwilling to wait a second longer to have her all to himself.

He took her hand and headed for the open barn doors. Seeing as how Hallie was now running the ranch, it had only made sense that Jace move into the Holiday house. He had just purchased a huge king-sized bed to replace the two twins in Hallie and Noelle’s old bedroom and he was looking forward to trying it out.

“Where are you taking me, Jace Carson?” she asked.

“Back to the house where I intend to show you some new plays I’ve been working on.”

“Football or sexual?”

“Both.”

She laughed and tugged him to a stop. “Sorry, Coach, but I have other plans.”

He realized his mistake. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Hallie. I shouldn’t have assumed you wanted to leave the reception. You want to keep dancing. We’ll keep dancing.”

Hallie looked up at him with a soft smile. “I don’t want to keep dancing. I want you to demonstrate all your new plays . . . just not where my parents and grandma can overhear us.”

He tipped his head. “Us? I believe it was only you making all the ruckus last night.”

“Which is why it’s your turn tonight.” She leaned up on tiptoe and whispered into his ear. “Meet me in the hayloft in five minutes, football stud.”

Need consumed him and he couldn’t help pulling her close. “Why do we have to wait five minutes? Let’s just go now.”

The smile faded from her face. “I need to go find Noelle and make sure she’s okay.” Noelle and her boyfriend had recently broken up and Noelle had looked pretty devastated the entire wedding. Jace understood why Hallie needed to check on her.

“Take your time.” He gave her a soft kiss. “I’ll be waiting.”

Unfortunately, it took him a while to make his way to the hayloft. All the townsfolk stopped him to talk about Friday night’s game. The Wildcats had won—thanks to Sophie’s kicking—and were now in the playoffs. Coach Denny had decided to retire after the season, but planned to show up occasionally to give his advice. Mrs. Stokes had tried to talk Jace into signing a five-year contract, but he had refused. He loved football, but he’d come to realize that he didn’t need it to make himself feel loved and worthy. He had his family and friends for that. He would coach as long as it didn’t interfere with him enjoying time with the people he held most dear.

“I tell you what,” Mrs. Stokes said around the wad of nicotine gum she was chomping. She hadn’t dressed up in a costume, but she had pinned a pumpkin brooch on her mink stole. “That little Sophie has a leg on her and she’s tough. Did you see the hit she took?”

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