Coming Home to Texas

Coming Home to Texas
Victoria Chancellor

Love, Marriage…Baby?

Plus-size model Jodie Marsh knows she wants these things–in the future. But when she becomes pregnant after a wild weekend with confirmed bachelor Travis Whitaker, she has to get married now to save her professional image as America's Girl Next Door.

To her surprise, Travis agrees to marry her, but on one conditionhe doesn't want a marriage of convenience. He wants to make their relationship real. So Jodie's got the baby and she's got the man. But will she find the first part of the equationtrue love?

It looks as if Jodie just may get what she wantsalbeit in the wrong order!

“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 victoriachancellor@msn.com.

Best wishes and happy reading,

Victoria Chancellor

Coming Home to Texas

Victoria Chancellor

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

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 (#ucbb16258-c4f1-54f7-a590-a0a6567db7d0)

Chapter Two (#u41077da5-64be-5bad-8e77-a36554c8e067)

Chapter Three (#u2971603f-895b-5708-b8f5-96d0c971747a)

Chapter Four (#uec96524b-a068-5bd1-bd28-49f5214deeba)

Chapter Five (#u1eefe6b0-c08b-5554-aa6b-2c8550800ef2)

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)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

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.