Shotgun Vows Read Free

back, highlighting the one white streak that started at her forehead and disappeared into the bun at her nape. Mattie liked the motherly woman who dished out hugs almost as plentifully as food. The downside was that she was followed by a man in business clothes.
    Mattie felt two parts excitement and one part irritation when she recognized Mr. Stuffed Shirt in the expensive suit. Dawson Prescott.
    He hardly looked at her as he walked briskly pasther to Uncle Ryan and shook hands. He nodded to her aunt and Willa, then gave Mattie the briefest of glances. Boy, that chapped her hide. Just like their first meeting when he had said she looked eighteen. Ever since, he’d ignored her, as if she didn’t exist. Every time she’d seen him around the Double Crown with her cousin Zane and her brothers, he hadn’t even glanced her way. Cheeky devil, she thought. She tried not to let it bother her, but it damn well did.
    â€œI brought the portfolios for you to look at, Ryan,” he said to her uncle.
    â€œDidn’t I tell you that I trust your judgment? I’ve put together a dynamite staff, the best there is, one that I trust implicitly to handle money matters. Mostly family, I might add.” He looked at Dawson. “Or practically family.”
    His wife smiled lovingly at him. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you that pride, even in staff that is practically family, goes before a fall, my darling?” she teased.
    He put his arm around her. “Yes. And when mine comes, it’ll be a humdinger. I can only hope there’s a bungee cord attached when it happens. But I trust Dawson. It wasn’t necessary to bring this out here tonight.”
    Lily looked at the newcomer. “But since you did, the least we can do is feed you. Have you had dinner yet, Dawson?”
    Tell her yes, Mattie said to herself. Yes, yes, yes.
    â€œNo, I haven’t,” Dawson answered. “But it’s not necessary—”
    â€œThere are plenty of leftovers,” Lily continued. “Can we warm something up for you?”
    Say no, Mattie thought. No, no, no.
    â€œThat would be great,” he said. “But I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
    Perverse man, Mattie thought. Completely ignored her mental telepathy. She would have to work on that.
    â€œIt’s no trouble, dear,” Lily said. “As a matter of fact, Matilda just walked in, and she hasn’t had dinner yet, either. So now she won’t have to eat alone.” The older woman smiled brightly.
    The evening had just gone downhill in a big way, Mattie decided. And it had started out so promising…. Now she was cornered. She wouldn’t insult her family by not extending hospitality to another guest in their home. She would set a record for fast food-consumption, then say her farewells and head for the bunkhouse.
    She forced herself to smile at Dawson. “I’m going to go clean up. Then I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
    â€œDon’t rush, dear,” Lily said. “We’ll entertain Dawson while you freshen up.”
    During her shower and then a quick combing and braiding of her hair afterwards, all Mattie could think was, Why me? Why did she draw the short straw and get stuck with the dude? Although if she had to be stuck with someone she didn’t like, at least he wasn’t hard on the eyes. She hadn’t been that close to him since their first verbal sparring. Then she’d been too annoyed to notice. But tonight, being in the same room with him, she couldn’t miss the intensity that made his hazel eyes seem more green, or the way the light picked up the sunstreaks in his brown hair, or how wide his shoulders looked in that white dress shirt, wrinkled after a day’s work.
    â€œWork?” she said to herself, slipping on a clean pair of jeans. “Number cruncher,” she said disdainfully as she put on a long-sleeved white cotton shirt. She couldn’t