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Jace had seen the hit. He’d had to catch himself from rushing out on the field. But Sophie had made it clear she didn’t want to be treated any differently than the rest of the team. Thankfully, she’d jumped right back up and the penalty for roughing the kicker had given the Wildcats the ball back. Still, he’d been worried about her for the rest of the game.

And he hadn’t been the only one.

“I thought it was so sweet when her uncle came charging down from the stands to check on her,” Sheryl Ann, who was dressed like a pumpkin muffin, said.

Mrs. Stokes snorted. “Sophie didn’t think so. It looked like that little gal chewed him out good.”

Jace couldn’t help grinning. Sophie was as feisty as Hallie. And speaking of Hallie . . .

“I’d love to talk more about the game, but it will have to wait. Right now, I need to go find my bride.”

Thankfully, he didn’t run into any more chatty townsfolk. When he reached the hayloft ladder, he took it two rungs at a time, figuring Hallie was already waiting for him. But when he got to the top, he didn’t find Hallie.

He found a grinning cowboy vampire, a sexy nurse with hay in her hair, and an extremely angry baker.

“You absolutely disgust me, Casey Remington!” Noelle waved the whisk she held in her hand at Casey who was showing off some pretty realistic fangs. “I mean can’t you go anywhere without seducing some unsuspecting woman?”

“Now, Smelly Ellie, Nurse Nancy here isn’t unsuspecting. In fact, it was her idea to give me . . . a little examination.”

“Sara,” the nurse said. “My name is Sara.”

“Of course it is.” Casey winked at her and Noelle released an exasperated huff.

“I don’t care what her name is, you have no business being in this hayloft. This isn’t your ranch, Casey Remington. This is the Holiday Ran—” Noelle cut off. “What did you call me?”

Casey’s eyes widened innocently. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember the nickname you got in grade school when you farted and our entire second grade classroom had to evacuate and let the room air out?”

“I did not fart! You did and blamed it on me!” Noelle threw the whisk with an accuracy Jace had to admire. It sailed end over end straight for Casey’s head and would have hit him smack dab in the nose if he hadn’t had good reflexes.

He caught it with a wire twang and looked thoroughly impressed. “Nice throw, Smelly Ellie.”

Noelle released a growl and Jace figured if he didn’t want to see blood drawn, he needed to step in.

“Hey, y’all!” He finished climbing the ladder. “Are we having a private party up here?”

“I was hoping to,” Casey said. “But then Ellie showed up and she’s always been a bit of a party pooper.”

“Party pooper? I’ll show you party pooper.” Noelle started for Casey, but thankfully Hallie poked her head through the opening of the hayloft.

“What in the world is going on?” She climbed the rest of the way up and stood next to Jace. She had removed her green makeup and costume and was wearing a flirty dress that showed off her legs. He couldn’t help slipping a hand around her waist and pulling her close as Noelle pointed a finger at Casey.

“I caught this womanizing fool climbing the ladder with this nurse and followed them. I’ll be darned if I was going to let him sully yours and Jace’s honeymoon love nest.”

“Honeymoon love nest?” Casey glanced around. “So that explains the quilt and pillows, camp lanterns, and champagne. I just thought you Holidays knew how to set up a hayloft.” He took the nurse’s hand. “Come on, Nurse Sara. I know another place you can give me my physical.”

Once they disappeared down the ladder, Noelle released an aggravated huff. “I hate that man. I truly hate him.” She followed them down the ladder and Jace figured she wasn’t through giving Casey hell.

Jace looked at Hallie and laughed. “It looks like your sister isn’t as devastated by her breakup as we thought.”

She shook her head and sighed. “This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I asked you to meet me here. There are times I wish I was an only child.”

“I don’t believe that for a second. But I think we can remedy any more interruptions.” He pulled up the ladder and set it on the floor. When he turned, Hallie was grinning.

“I do love an innovative man who knows how to deal with my big interfering family. Or I guess I should say our big interfering family. For better or worse, you’re part of it now.”

He thought his heart couldn’t get any fuller, but her words made it feel like it might bust right out of his chest. He pulled her into his arms. “I think I can live with that.”

“Good. Because you’re going to be living right in the middle of all the chaos. And I’ll be honest, sometimes it’s not so much fun.”

“Then we’ll just have to figure out ways to make it fun.”

She looped her arms around his neck and smiled rather evilly. “I might have a fun idea.”

“Really? Because a fun idea just popped into my head too. Which one should we try first?”

Her eyes twinkled with a light that he knew would guide him for the rest of his life. “You know I always like to go first, Jace the Ace.”

He would never mind letting her.

THE END