Page 6 of Her Candy Cane Cowboy
Nate says something else about my encounter with Ginger at the post office. “What about you?” I take a big bite of cornbread. “You got your girl locked down yet?”
“Working like hell on that,” he says, then falls silent.
“So are you leaving Courage County then?” Grady asks.
“Maybe,” Nate says.
The mood feels a little heavier now than it did when I first walked in. “Remember that time we pranked Christopher?” I ask.
“Which one?” Cole grunts.
“You know, when we made the scarecrows look like Dolly Parton.” I lean my chair back on two legs after I polish off the last bite of the chili and put my feet on the edge of the table. My stomach hurts from eating two meals so close together.
Grady chuckles. “I remember you gluing those jumbo-sized tissue rolls to the front of every scarecrow in the field.”
“And how you got those blonde wigs—” Cole shakes his head.
“I did that,” Nate says. “Borrowed ‘em from the community theater. Still can’t believe Mary never found out about that one.”
“We need to get another one over on him, just for old times’ sake,” I say.
Nate gets up and takes his bowl to the sink. “Why don’t you worry about getting that girl of yours to fall for you?”
I grin. “Don’t you worry about that. I’ve got a plan.” I know Ginger’s the one for me and I’m not leaving Montana without her.
Chapter 4
Ginger
Once we finish with the ornaments and tidy up, Mary tries brushing the glitter from her shirt but only makes it worse. Finally, she gives up with a laugh and goes to change clothes.
In the living room, I stand around admiring the vintage decorations and listening to the conversation the other ladies are having. Though they’ve all been kind and welcoming, I just can’t get into the holiday spirit the way they do.
I’m thankful once Mary returns and we say our goodbyes to the others, then get in my rental car for the drive to the community center.
“I want to hold a party for the town there,” she explains as she settles into the seat.
“Ah, so it’s a gathering for a large group?” When she’d hired me online, I’d assumed it was a simple family party she needed my services for. I hadn’t asked the in-depth questions I’d normally ask because I had been in a hurry to leave town.
“Yes, the larger, the better,” she says. “I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to have some holiday fun.”
She reminds me so much of my late grandmother with her similar spunk and wit while having what I suspect is a backbone of steel.
“After I see the place, it might take me a couple of hours to sketch out a decorating and activity plan,” I warn.
“Take your time and don’t worry about bringing me back to the ranch after you’re done there.” She pulls the seatbelt across her body and snaps it into place. “Christopher is meeting me in town for some holiday shopping we need to finish up.”
“Okay,” I respond. “As long as you have someone who’ll be there for you.”
She laughs. “I have a lot of someones who are there for me.”
I sense her gaze on me and glance over as she smiles.
“Like Dallas.”
Hearing his name makes my stomach tighten. It takes me a hot second to pinpoint the reason why. Just the brief encounters we’ve had left me feeling like I was on a rollercoaster. Thrilling but scary at the same time. I don’t need therapy to know why the fear is there.
I’m afraid of the chemistry, that magnetic whatever it is about him that makes him unforgettable. I don’t want to get burned again.
