Shannon Vannatter: A Texas Holiday Reunion

His Christmas Homecoming

With her foreman out of commission, Resa McCall needs horse trainer Colson Kincaid to run her family ranch through the holidays. But having the handsome single dad back in Bandera, Texas, is unsettling. Colson broke Resa’s heart years ago, and she can’t risk getting close again. Still, working with him and bonding with his sweet little girl is making the ranch feel merry and bright. Being at Resa’s side stirs up emotions Colson thought were long gone. But he has a powerful secret that could keep them apart forever. Can Colson give Resa the one Christmas present that might finally bring them back together—the truth?

“What’s going on?”

“Have a seat.” Mac gestured to the sofa.

Nerves pinging, Resa perched on the edge.

“Just tell me.”

“As you know, I saw my doctor Friday.” Apology was thick in Juan’s voice. “He wants to do a knee replacement.”

Her jaw dropped. Please, not until after Christmas. Not now. She couldn’t deal with not having a foreman.

But she tried not to let her distress show. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I took the liberty of doing that for you.” Juan turned to Colson. “I called Mr. Mac when I got the news.”

And that had what to do with Colson?

“Colson has agreed to fill Juan’s spot until his return.” Mac’s tone was confident. As if all her worries were taken care of.

Colson. The man whom, almost six years ago, she’d become friends with. Whom she’d fallen for.

And who had gone back to San Antonio without even saying goodbye. And married someone else. And now he’d be here for seven weeks? Her heart took a nosedive.

This could not be happening. She couldn’t let it.

Dear Reader,

I’ve long loved reunion romances. Those stories of obstacles keeping the hero and heroine apart for years. Until finally, they work through their baggage and get to make up for all the time they lost.

Log furniture designer, beautiful heiress, Resa McCall had it all. But the man who completed her married someone else when the sins of his past caught up with him.

Almost six years after their whirlwind romance, with Resa in desperate need of a foreman, Colson came to her rescue. And Resa finally understood why he’d abandoned her.

But Colson had a secret eating him alive. Bandera was the last place he needed to be, the one place that could blow his world apart.

Colson and Resa had to rely on God and embrace the truth before they could stop being so stubborn and trust each other. These characters had long been in my head and I’m so glad they finally made it to paper.

I hope their story reflects my core belief—romance doesn’t make the world go around—God does. Forever love is a blessing straight from Him.

Look for the final book in this series and discover why Devree, the wedding planner, is so pessimistic about taking the plunge.

Blessings,

Shannon Taylor Vannatter

SHANNON TAYLOR VANNATTER is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife/award-winning author. She lives in a rural central-Arkansas community with a population of around one hundred, if you count a few cows. Contact her at shannonvannatter.com.

A Texas Holiday Reunion

Shannon Taylor Vannatter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

—John 15:13

To my husband—my own personal Superman.

On top of pastoring our church,

he makes grocery-store trips, post-office runs

and endlessly chauffeurs our son.

All so I can stay home and write.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

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

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

As her parents exchanged their wedding vows, Resa McCall dabbed at her tears.

And tried to ignore one mind-numbing cowboy, Colson Kincaid.

She and Dad had pulled it off—surprised Mom with a renewal ceremony at the Bandera, Texas, dude ranch where they’d married thirty years ago last spring.

On this first afternoon of December, the anniversary of the day they’d met, they wore replicas of their original wedding finery. The same bridesmaids and groomsmen who’d stood up for them initially now flanked her parents. Even the thirty-five-year-old ring bearer and flower girl had come. And most of their friends and family were here, too.

But try as she might, Resa couldn’t keep her gaze from wandering to Colson now and then. Confident and still ridiculously handsome. Bandera rodeo hero, high school heartthrob with swoon-worthy, vivid green eyes. They’d worked together in their early twenties, six years ago. Fallen in love.

And then he’d left without so much as a goodbye. Spurred her vow to never trust another with her heart other than Jesus Christ.

“I now pronounce you still husband and wife.” The pastor winked and pointed to the mistletoe overhead. “Duncan, you may kiss your wife.”

Great. Resa had missed half the vows thanks to Mr. Cowboy Distraction.

Beneath the tulle-draped rafters of the great room, multicolored twinkle lights reflected off the iridescent Christmas garland as her parents laughingly kissed. Their devotion to one another was clear in their sweet embrace. As a teen, she’d longed for that kind of love. To follow in their footsteps with a committed lifetime marriage.

Until Colson Kincaid.

“Mr. and Mrs. McCall request your presence for the reception in the dining room across the foyer,” the pastor announced, as a mideighties love song started up.

Her parents turned to face their guests. Wearing blissful smiles, they retraced their steps down the white-poinsettia-lined aisle toward the foyer. The wedding party followed and then Resa and her brother, before ushers began escorting guests.

Her gaze flitted to Colson, then darted away. The last person she wanted to see. Today or any other day. She’d had to invite him. How could she not, since his father was her parents’ business partner? But she hadn’t thought he’d actually come.

In the foyer, Mom and Dad lined up with the wedding party.

“This is so wonderful.” Mom latched on to Resa’s arm. The tears started up again, and before she knew it they were blubbering, with Dad pulling them in for a hug.

“It was Dad’s idea.”

Mom kissed his cheek. “It was perfect.”

True to form, Resa’s brother, Emmett, stood off to the side. Inspecting his nails, looking bored.

“Break it up, you two.” Dad cleared his throat. “Greet our guests without getting them wet.”

“I better go make sure everything’s set in the dining room.” Resa disentangled herself, dabbed under her eyes, shot a glare at Emmett.

She stepped through the doors to the reception area. “Ceremony’s over.” Garland lined each side of the steaming buffet, which included lasagna, zucchini and seven-layer salad. “They’re greeting guests.”

“All set here,” a voice called from the kitchen.

There was a long row of tables in the center for her parents, family, close friends and the wedding party. Round tables filled each side for guests, graced by centerpieces with strings of imitation pearls woven through white poinsettias.