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CHAPTER1
Portia
Alicia Carter smiles at me, her lips stretching wide like a darn gator. Little tendrils of ice trickle down my spine and I groan silently.
She’s up to something. I know she is. I just wish I knew what the heck she’s up to now.
Her and her twin sister, Sarah, are the towns resident gossipy matchmakers extraordinaire. There’s nothing they won’t do to get people together. It’s actually rather frightening and I know a lot of people avoid them like the plague. I usually do as well because I’m in no rush to find my one and tie myself down. I’m too busy on the ranch to worry about love or marriage. Getting tied down just sounds exhausting.
“Portia Devon, as I live and breathe! I’m so glad to see you!”
I almost take off at a dead run to get the heck away from her but I don’t bother. She’d probably manage to catch me. She’s eighty if she’s a day but she’s a freakishly spry eighty.
“Alicia! It’s nice to see you too.” I’m a terrible liar and she knows it. She just grins as if she actually believes me.
She reaches up and grabs my arm, tugging me in close before I can figure out how to get away. “You are coming to the Christmas party tonight? We’ve got so many fun things planned this year.”
“Oh…I don’t know. I’m just in town to pick up some supplies to make dinner for the hands. I’m really busy.” I keep babbling but the whole darn time she’s tugging and pulling me over to a table that she’s got set up with a fish bowl of scraps of paper.
“All you have to do is stick your name right here and then later on we’re going to draw names out of a hat…live! It’s going to be so much fun and we’re going to do games and everything.”
I lift a brow and eye the large bowl of papers. “What’s with the papers?”
“Oh, it’s for a special drawing. It’s gonna be so much fun!”
“Yes, so I’ve heard.” I sigh, knowing that I’ve been well and truly rounded up and there’s no way I’m gonna make it out of here without signing up for whatever special prize they’re giving away. “Okay.” I take a piece of paper and sign my name, tossing it in the bowl. “So what do I now?”
“All you have to do is show up tonight and we’ll draw names. You’ll find out what it is then! Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
“Yeah, sure.” No, it really doesn’t. It sounds like freaking torture. But I smile and back away. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Wear something extra nice.”
“Why?” I scrunch my brows at her, confused.
“Oh, no reason. It’s going to be a blast.”
“Okay.” I turn away but see a familiar face out of the corner of my eye. “Oh, no way,” I growl under my breath and hit the door as quickly as I can.
Not fast enough though.
“Port. How ya doing?” I cringe when I hear his deep voice and feel the tingles in my belly that I absolutely loathe.
I turn and glare at the guy who always makes me feel a little out of control.
“Trace Lowell.” My lip curls. “I’m fine. And my name is Portia. A fact which I have pointed out to you repeatedly. I’m so sad that your memory is so dang bad. It’s a handicap for sure but I’m sure that you’ll be just fine. You have other nice qualities. I don’t know what any of them are. But I’m sure that you do.”
I turn back for the door and almost make it out before his smooth, husky voice growls. “My memory is fine, Port. I’m not the one that can’t remember things.”
“I remembered your name so I think that I’m doing much better at this game than you are.”
“Right. Still the same testy woman that you’ve always been, sweetheart.”
“Because I don’t fall at your feet every time you open your mouth? Please,” I scoff.
“I like that about you, Port. I just don’t like the whole high and mighty thing you got going on.” His large, tanned hand waves up and down my body and I have to struggle not to look down or flinch. “You’re too much.”
Huffing, I stomp away from him.
