Page 24 of Sweet Beginnings (Honeysuckle, Texas #1)

“Good grief.” Alice Sweet blinked. “I think I’ve been permanently blinded.”

Carson couldn’t help but snicker. His mom’s exaggeration wouldn’t be so amusing if it weren’t pretty much true.

On a good day, Mildred McEntire could out sparkle the North Star, but today’s bedazzled outfit could definitely light the way for a parade of tankers on a foggy night.

The woman had outdone herself. Form-fitting stretch pants with a matching sweat jacket in neon pink could grab anyone’s attention, but the fine lines of silver beads and sequins that ran side by side from top to bottom set the suit apart from anything Carson had ever seen in his life, including on prom night.

There were probably several drag queens who would kill for that outfit.

All she needed was a pair of platform sparkled shoes and she could own the runway.

The thought of Mildred surrounded by a multitude of strutting drag queens had him biting down on his lower lip.

“It’s not funny.” His mother rubbed her eyes.

“No, ma’am.”

“Every time she swings that arm, the reflection of the sun hits everyone. Give her a magnifying glass and she could start a fire.”

This time, a loud laugh burst from deep inside him.

Alice Sweet flashed her son a practiced glare that he hadn’t seen since he was a teenager.

“Sorry.”

“Hm,” his mom grunted. “I think she’s doing it on purpose. Then no one will be able to see well enough to get the bean bags in the holes.”

Normally, he would have argued that the declaration was a bit much, but in this case, he wouldn’t put it past Mildred.

“Did we miss much?” Sarah Sue came hurrying up beside them, Preston on her heels. “We were waiting to bring Dad, but he got called away to the Hanson place; one of the twins sliced his chin open falling from a tree.”

“Oh, dear.” His mom spun around.

Sarah Sue smiled. “If the way he was cussing out his brother for pushing him is any indication, I’d venture it could have been worse.

Dad said it would be faster for him to drive to the ranch to stitch the kid up than meeting them at his office.

Especially with everyone and their godmother in town for the tournament. ”

“Well, I’m glad the fall wasn’t any worse.” Alice turned back just as her sister Vicki weighed the bean bags in her hand. “Ooh. It’s our turn.”

Standing only inches behind his wife, Preston gently laid his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

When she leaned back into him, his arms dropped and circled her waist. They looked like two perfectly fitting puzzle pieces.

A rush of delight at his brother’s newfound happiness warmed Carson’s heart at the same time a sense of dread squeezed his chest.

Preston had found the brass ring. A temporary wife for the good of the family had become the perfect match, the love of his life.

There was no way Carson would be that lucky, or as his mother would often say, blessed.

At this rate, one of them had to find someone—anyone—to marry and fast. The money Preston had been gifted by the trust was already spent and the small monthly stipend was helping, but they needed more.

A lot more. And the lawsuit over the development still had all his money tied up for who knew how much longer.

Like it or not, he was going to have to bite the bullet and pick a woman, any woman.

“She made it.” His mom slapped her hands together with glee then cupping her mouth, hollered at her other sister, Liz, who was up next.

Sarah Sue put her fingers to her lips and let out a whistle that could probably have been heard all the way in Oklahoma. While Carson resisted the urge to rub his ears, Preston leaned in and kissed his bride as if there was no one else on the planet.

A sharp elbow jabbed him in the side. Spinning his head around, he leveled his gaze with his sister Jillian.

“It’s not nice to stare. Give them some privacy.”

“Privacy?” Did she not know there were at least a thousand people mulling about for the weekend tournament? It was all he could manage not to shout at the newlyweds to get a room.

“They really are cute.” Jillian cast a sideways glance in their direction and the hint of a smile, bloomed into a full grin. “They remind me of Mom and Dad.”

Daring to turn to face his sibling and his wife, Carson’s gaze dropped to their now joined hands.

It was as if they always had to be touching.

Either fingertips, or shoulders, or knees.

His sister was right, the two were so dang much in love, any fool could see it.

And yes, he had no doubt these two would develop the same kind of bond their parents had.

The corker: not till this very moment did he realize just how much he wanted the same thing.

For just a split moment, his mind darted back to college and the one woman whose memory had stuck with him all these years. Too bad she was married to another man.

“Any luck?” Jillian muttered softly.

There was no need to ask with what. He merely shook his head. Luck and love had eluded him all this time, why should it find him now?

“She did it!” Their mother spun about on her heels again, threw her arms up in the air before pulling all her kids into a huddled hug. “They made it to the semi-finals!”

Easing out of the family squeeze, Carson’s gaze homed in on Preston and Sarah Sue, walking hand in hand, gently bumping hips with every other step, as they joined his mom in congratulating her sisters. A slow sigh escaped from deep in his lungs.

“Yeah.” Jillian sighed beside him. “I know how you feel.”

Everyone, including his aunts, were doing what they could to save the Sweet Ranch.

It was time he stopped dragging his feet.

Somewhere in the plethora of women who had responded to his postings there had to be one that would be able to pull off the charade for a year without making his life miserable. There just had to be.

So glad you could join Preston and Sarah on their adventure in the Honeysuckle Texas Series. Turn the page for an excerpt from Carson’s story, Sweet Surprise.