Raylen dragged the bow across his fiddle, and the first chords of the song raised the hair on Liz’s arms. She might have just met her match.

Raylen moved closer to Liz and their eyes met as the contest began. Gemma picked up the microphone and sang the words to the song as Liz and Raylen fought it out without blinking. Time seemed to stand still until the song was finished and then the applause began.

Liz had forgotten that there was anyone on the face of the earth but her and Raylen. She’d gotten lost in his blue eyes as they played facing each other. For a minute, she wondered where the audience came from and why they were clapping, then she remembered and bowed gracefully as if she’d just finished a set on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

“You goin’ to lay that fiddle on the ground because I’m better than you?” Raylen asked.

“I beat the devil out of you, cowboy,” Liz said.

Raylen’s blue eyes twinkled. “Oh, no, you didn’t. Ain’t no one ever beat me on the fiddle.”

She poked her bow at him. “Suck it up, cowboy. I beat you fair and square.”

“I want a rematch,” he said.

Grandma pointed at Raylen and then at Liz. “I’d say it’s a draw and we’ll have a rematch next time. For now, we’re going to play some more. Don’t be puttin’ your fiddle down, girl. You’re goin’ to give him a run for his money the whole rest of the afternoon. Raylen, you don’t get to play anything else today neither.”

Grandpa nodded seriously. “The queen of Montague County has spoken. If you kids don’t listen to her I’ll hear about it all week.”

Raylen shot a look at Liz.

She popped the fiddle on her shoulder and dragged the bow across the strings in an old Irish song that put even a bigger smile on Grandma’s face.

“You sure you ain’t Irish, darlin’?” Grandma clapped in time with the music.

Liz winked at Grandma and kept playing.

Raylen raised an eyebrow at her and matched her note for note.

Rye picked up the tune on the guitar and Colleen did the same with the banjo. Grandma placed the dulcimer in her lap and began to strum. When that song ended Grandma went right into “Rye Whiskey,” and Liz didn’t miss a beat. She glanced over at Raylen and flashed her brightest smile.

You are flirting, Lizelle. She heard Aunt Tressa’s voice and almost dropped her bow. Less than twenty-four hours and you’re letting a cowboy and a silly Christmas wish run your life, possibly even ruin it. You have the gift. I’ve told you that a million times, so why don’t you stop fighting it and come back where you belong.

She argued as she played. I’m going to work on Tuesday morning. That should keep me away from him. And I’m not flirting, and I don’t have any gift. I just watched you from the time I was born and learned to read people’s expressions and emotions. It only takes a couple of well-placed questions and a pack of cards to tell a fortune. There’s nothing to it.