Coming Home to Texas. Victoria Chancellor

      

      “Three days to plan a wedding!”

      “You’ll have one day to decide, then we need to go to the county clerk’s office to apply for a license. I suggest you call your relatives, friends and business associates tomorrow and make travel arrangements for them. I’ll take care of the rest.”

      Jodie looked completely stunned as she sat upright in the chair, framed by the window. In the dark glass, Travis saw a reflection of the room. He saw himself, looking stiff and determined. Well, fine. That was how he felt. His decision was firm—he wasn’t getting married again unless it was for keeps. Maybe he and Jodie didn’t have enough in common to build a marriage.

      But maybe, just maybe, they did.

      Dear Reader,

      Ranger Springs, Texas, is the type of place that exists in stories I’ve heard from my wonderful native-Texan in-laws, Vaughn and Lillian Huffstutler, and in my imagination of what a small town should be. It’s the type of place where I’d love to live—if only they had a major mall, a large grocery store and a Starbucks! In that regard, I’m very similar to the heroine of Coming Home to Texas, Jodie Marsh. She’s a California “city girl” who marries Texas rancher Travis Whitaker. She must then adapt to his adopted hometown in the Texas Hill Country. I’m a Kentucky “city girl” who married my very own Texan thirty-three years ago.

      Jodie and Travis Whitaker are modern characters in a traditional setting. She’s a plus-size model and he’s a famous architect. They are introduced by characters you might recognize from The Prince’s Cowboy Double and The Prince’s Texas Bride. Their attraction is immediate—with consequences that extend well beyond the nine months she anticipates.

      I hope you enjoy this sixth book in my Ranger Springs series. Please write to me at P.O. Box 852125, Richardson, TX 75085 and include a SASE for reply, or e-mail me at [email protected].

      Best wishes and happy reading,

      Victoria Chancellor

      Coming Home to Texas

      Victoria Chancellor

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MILLS & BOON

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      To my lovely niece Laura Madrill, her wonderful husband, David, and their precious Garrett Adam. All the best forever.

      Thanks to former model and supermother Cari Manderscheid for her expertise.

      Books by Victoria Chancellor

      HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

      844—THE BACHELOR PROJECT

      884—THE BEST BLIND DATE IN TEXAS

      955—THE PRINCE’S COWBOY DOUBLE

      959—THE PRINCE’S TEXAS BRIDE

      992—THE C.E.O. & THE COOKIE QUEEN

      Contents

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter One

      Jodie Marsh gathered her courage along with her Kate Spade tote and umbrella, preparing to make a mad dash toward Travis Whitaker’s front porch. A mad dash toward her immediate future. With one last sigh, she pushed open the door to her rental car and swung her legs out. Her feet landed in a puddle and she watched as her Manolo Blahnik sandals disappeared in a small pool of muddy water. Great. Now she would squish when she confronted him.

      Travis wasn’t expecting her and she doubted he’d even heard the car pull into the driveway over the persistent rain. His house looked spacious and new, although it also reminded her of the old rock homes and weathered-wood barns she’d seen dotting the countryside. She assumed he’d designed it since he was an architect.

      Jodie stopped on the porch and folded her umbrella, shaking the water from it. Frowning, she wiggled her sandals, but they were still wet enough to make her feet feel slippery. And cold. She’d assumed Texas would be warmer and drier. Now she was mentally and physically uncomfortable. She took another deep breath and peered inside the house.

      The windows were dark and looked rather intimidating beneath the leaden sky, but she wasn’t going to let rain or her imagination stop her from talking to the man with whom she’d spent one spectacular weekend almost five weeks ago. He’d been a blind date, but a fantastic one. They’d shared an immediate attraction—and much more—for two and a half days in Monte Carlo.

      She’d hesitated long enough. After placing a hand on her stomach, she rang the doorbell. And waited.

      And waited. Where was Travis? She’d called from the airport but had hung up as soon as he’d answered. Calling had been a mistake. She couldn’t