The Rancher's Christmas Match

Together Isaac and Rebecca learn that life has its seasons. They have cried, mourned, been angry, been broken. Now it is their time to laugh, to love, to heal.

I hope you enjoy taking the journey with them—and with me.

Brenda Minton

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

—Luke 2:13–14

This book is dedicated to my friend Lori, for all of her encouragement.

Contents

Cover (#uf7c24ec2-adb8-5bac-bbb9-62870d568cf1)

Back Cover Text (#u3b2a78fb-8052-56d9-838f-3b353ea31500)

About the Author (#uc50a3023-8fef-5754-9cd4-43c023f9eaf8)

Booklist (#u8f125270-2a65-5594-85d3-117cae1aa302)

Title Page (#u38a67469-0765-5219-80ac-26c2e5f8d46f)

Copyright (#u67ff948f-6563-5cda-a172-aef9af543ba5)

Introduction (#ud35b8714-6248-5336-b360-7f18fe64361b)

Dear Reader (#u5770bcbd-dec7-50d9-be23-63554bf1ab54)

Bible Verse (#u6b0701f1-9191-5b38-aa10-c362d9866e0b)

Dedication (#u919fd205-0d7c-51a9-ae15-ae9dad960f4d)

Chapter One (#u28e82576-fe09-5321-8ab0-8f9d3784784b)

Chapter Two (#u85d816d6-e99f-5d4a-8649-4d4a0a8de9c3)

Chapter Three (#u9748be46-a39d-5a2e-9a08-a8ad2e8220d9)

Chapter Four (#udb96b8f2-21cd-56a9-8f17-cf8081ea0876)

Chapter Five (#u396b2469-3f93-5fc3-8c18-135515571a28)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ub578e4dd-336f-5012-825d-c75366f888e2)

Isaac West stood at the door of the feed store, letting his eyes adjust to the late November sunshine pouring down on Hope, Oklahoma. Some days a guy just preferred clouds. This happened to be one of them. The bright sunshine made his head spin and needlelike jabs of pain above his temple warned that a headache would knock him down before he could get back to the ranch.

It had been a good two months since he’d had the last headache. He’d kinda hoped he’d seen the last of them.

“Isaac, are you okay?” Mrs. Adams, the owner of the feed store, called out to him, her voice filtering through the long tunnel that had been his hearing for the past six years.

“I’m good.”

“You’re looking a little on the pale side. You want me to call Jack and have him pick you up?”

He didn’t bother with denials. In a town the size of Hope, everyone knew everyone else’s business. Mrs. Adams meant well. After all, as she liked to point out, she’d known him since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.

“Nah, I’m good,” he assured her. “Right as rain.”

He pulled a toothpick from his pocket and stuck it between his teeth. Might as well just get it over with. He pushed the door open and headed down the sidewalk in the direction of his truck. He stumbled a bit as he stepped down off the curb and lurched to the left, falling against a bright red sports car. The driver of that car slammed her door and glared at him.

He cringed a little. Partly from the madder-than-a-wet-hen look on her face, mostly because the slamming car door vibrated through his skull.

“What in the world is wrong with you?” She spoke with a sweeter-than-honey Oklahoma accent that matched her honey-blond hair and big brown eyes. But the spark in her voice said she was more than a little put out.

If it had been any other day, and if he’d been any other man, he would have flirted. Today wasn’t a good day for being charming. He did try to tip his cowboy hat in a way that appeared chivalrous, when really, he just wanted to get home and away from everyone. Even pretty women.

“Sorry, ma’am, I lost my balance.”