Chapter Three
N ate had discovered years ago that chopping firewood was an excellent distraction. Swinging an ax through the air was an antidote to every unwelcome emotion in the human body: anger, grief, regret, frustration—you name it! And it certainly would’ve relieved the unexpected—and unwelcome—desire that lingered within him long after he’d left Chestnut Ridge . . . had his younger brother and daughter not joined him the moment he’d returned to Frosted Firs Ranch an hour ago and picked up his ax.
“So, she had red hair like the Nanas said?” Tucker, hands on his hips and an eager gleam in his eye, stood several feet away and stared at Nate intently. “Was it long or short? Straight, wavy? Or was she wearing a hat?” He grinned. “You know, those barrel racers, they love them some hats. Wear ’em well, too.”
Nate hefted his ax in the air and swung, splitting a log on the low stump in front of him. “It was long. Kinda wavy.”
But it wasn’t totally red. Up close, Jordyn’s hair had a hint of gold in it. Or maybe that was just the way the sunlight had highlighted the long strands. Either way, his fingers had itched to trail through the soft waves. The rays of sunlight cutting through the cold mountain air had cast a golden glow at her back. That’s what had made those long locks of hers attract his attention. He’d never seen a shade of red quite like it before.
“What about her eyes?” Roxie, standing near Tucker, walked across the pile of logs as though each piece of wood were a balance beam, hopping from one log to another each time she reached its end. “What color eyes did she have?”
Nate placed another log on the stump, swung his ax and split it. “Green. They were green.”
A mesmerizing, deep shade of emerald with more tiny flecks of gold. They’d darkened ever so slightly when she’d looked at him, and every time those long thick eyelashes of hers had blinked slowly, it was as though they were casting a sweet, dreamy spell over him. It’d been hard to look away and even harder to walk away from his alluring new neighbor. He didn’t know what he’d expected when he’d arrived at Chestnut Ridge, certainly not the gut punch of desire he’d experienced when she’d opened the door.
No. He hadn’t felt an attraction that intense in a long time. Not since his teenage years when he’d first begun dating and discovered what attraction was all about.
“Her name’s Jordyn, right?” The spark of male interest in Tucker’s eyes was unmistakable.
Nate rolled his shoulders, trying to dispel the tension that knotted between his shoulder blades and burned clear through to his chest at the thought of Tucker taking a shine to their new neighbor. “Yes. Jordyn. Spelled with a y —not an a .”
Roxie smiled. “Oh, that’s neat. I like that.”
Grinning, Tucker rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “How old is she?”
“Didn’t ask.” But considering the youthful spark he’d admired in her playful gaze . . . “If I had to guess, I’d say she’s probably around your age.”
“Twenty-five,” Roxie supplied. “That’s how old you are, right, Uncle Tucker?”
Tucker grinned. “Yep, sweet pea. And your dad here is an old man who just turned the ripe old age of—”
“Watch it.” Nate bit back a smile. “I might be five years older than you but I can still pin you down.”
“How tall is she, Daddy?” The wind ruffled Roxie’s bangs across her eyes and she pushed them back with one gloved hand. “Is she a whole lot taller than me?”
Nate smiled. “Yeah. She’s almost my height, save for an inch or two.”
Tucker whistled low. “Leggy, then?”
Grunting, Nate chopped another log. “You’ve got a one-track mind, Tucker. You ever think of moving intelligent conversation to the top of your priority list for a woman and putting appearance at the bottom?”
“What’s a pri-or-ty list, Daddy?”
Nate stilled, the wide-eyed, innocent look in Roxie’s eyes making his cheeks burn. “It’s a . . . well, a priority just means something that’s important. That’s all.” He cut his eyes at Tucker and cleared his throat. “Aren’t you getting cold out here, sweetheart? You could take Tucker up on his offer of some hot chocolate and go warm up inside the gift shop with him.”
And maybe then, he could finish the task at hand without being interrogated by Tucker.
“Nope. I ain’t cold.” She hopped onto another log and grinned. “And I want to hear more about the new lady next door.”
Tucker wiggled his eyebrows. “Me, too, brother. You said she asked about the property line ’cuz she’s planning on adding a paddock?”
Nate sighed. “Yeah.”
“And she’s got a white quarter over there?”
Nate positioned a new log on the stump and swung again. “Yeah.”
“White?” Roxie stopped walking along her log, hopped off, then propped her hands on her hips as she looked up at Tucker. “But quarters are silver, Uncle Tucker. All coins are except for pennies.”
Nate chuckled. “He’s talking about a horse, sweetheart. Not a coin.”
“Oh.” Roxie smiled. “You mean like the one you put in our stable last week?”
Nate nodded. “Just like it. But this one was white as a pearl. I caught a glimpse of her in the stable at Chestnut Ridge as I was leaving.”
Tucker squatted on his haunches beside Roxie and gently tugged her blond ponytail. “Those quarters are magicians when it comes to circling barrels. You know the ones I showed you on the video the other day? The ones that compete in the same arena where I used to ride bulls?”
Roxie grinned, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “Yep. I remember. You said you’d take me to see them run one day.”
“Well, we won’t have to go too far for that now, will we? We’ve got a real-life barrel racer living next door.” Tucker, brow furrowing, held up one finger and looked at Nate. “Say, what’s the horse’s name? I’ll look ’em both up. If they’re any good at competing, there’ll be some highlight videos on them somewhere.”
Nate swung his ax again, splitting another piece of firewood, then stuck the blade of the ax into the stump. “It’s a white mare named Star.”
And how he wished he’d had the opportunity to mull over all of this information in silence.
On the short drive home from Jordyn’s place, he’d been looking forward to some solitude in the brisk, winter wind, swinging his ax, relishing the sharp split of oak and dispelling each of the bothersome—but intriguing—thoughts of his new neighbor that buzzed in his mind. Jordyn Banks and the effect her presence had on him had been nothing short of a shock.
When he’d knocked on the front door of her log cabin, he’d planned to greet her politely, welcome her to town and feel absolutely nothing—the same reaction he’d experienced with every woman he’d encountered since losing Macy. But from the moment he’d caught a glimpse of Jordyn through her cabin window, her pretty features and pink, kissable lips had snagged his attention. And when she’d opened the door and stood in front of him, he couldn’t help but notice she had a fantastic figure—soft but strong—and as he discovered later, a sassy attitude to boot.
But it was her fun, flirtatious demeanor that really made him relax in her presence. The open, casual way she’d greeted him as though they were already familiar acquaintances or perhaps even old friends had made him feel an almost instant connection with her. And the teasing tone in her voice and admiring glances she’d sneaked at him when she thought he wasn’t looking had filled him with pleasure. Her easygoing disposition and bubbly welcome were an intoxicating combination. A reaction quite different from the calm, tender emotions he’d felt for Macy.
That realization had sobered him up and dispelled the giddy attraction he’d felt for Jordyn as he’d driven home from Chestnut Ridge over an hour ago. The thought of admiring another woman who was so different from Macy had instantly reminded him of how rare the loving bond he’d had with Macy was.
At first glance, Jordyn Banks was nothing like Macy and therefore, logically, she should not have appealed to him.
But there was something about her. Something about the sweet tone of her voice, the gentle look in her eyes and the way she’d fallen so easily in step with him as they’d walked beside each other across the back lot of her property. Her charisma had made being in her company easy. So much easier than the time he spent with women he’d known all his life, whose advances he’d ended up politely rejecting.
Jordyn Banks was a stranger. It should be easy to get her out of his mind. The emotion she’d stirred inside him had been desire, plain and simple. Nothing more. He just needed to shrug off the attraction he had for her and get down to the business of negotiating a fair price for that magnificent Fraser fir.
“We’ve got a real shot at persuading her to sell us that tree.” Nate dragged the back of his forearm over his sweaty forehead and sighed with satisfaction at the sight of the tall stack of seasoned firewood he’d chopped. “To get off on the right foot, I extended my business discount to her so she can buy furniture and supplies at a good price in town, and”—he gestured toward the stack of firewood—“once I drop this off on her front porch with a neighborly note, she’ll be so pleased with our welcome that she’ll be happy to sit down and negotiate.”
Roxie skipped over and hugged his leg. “She’s gonna give us the perfect tree?”
Throat tightening, Nate looked down and smoothed his hand over her soft hair. “I hope so, sweetheart. Your mom loved watching that tree grow. She used to say God grew it special just for the Noel’s tree competition.”
“And if we have it,” Roxie said, “we’ll win the Christmas Crown again, won’t we?”
Nate nodded. “That’s what I’m counting on. Ten wins in a row. That way, the Reed family tradition of winning will still be going strong and we’ll have a new Christmas Crown for your Mom’s Christmas case.”
“Shouldn’t be too difficult to pull off.” Tucker spun on his heel and started walking away.
“Hey,” Nate called out. “Where you going?”
Tucker stopped and looked back. “I’m gonna bring my truck around, load up the firewood and take it over to her.” He grinned. “Introduce myself to her properly and turn on the charm. We’ll have that tree within the hour.”
“Oh, no.” Nate waved a hand in the air. “No way. Right now, it’s best that we back off and give her some time to settle in. And since she has an empty house, with the Nanas expected to drop by tomorrow, I’m thinking a gift of firewood to make her cabin cozy would be welcome. I’m gonna bribe her a little bit—like the Nanas suggested.” He took off his gloves and glanced at the sky, noting the sun had dipped behind the mountain range in the distance. “I’ll take care of loading this up in my truck after supper, then I’ll drive over after dark and leave it on her front porch.” He could feel Tucker’s suspicious gaze on him, and his skin prickled under his brother’s scrutiny. “I’m gonna wrap a bow around it and leave a card, you know?” He strove for a blank expression, then looked Tucker in the eyes. “Do it up real nice as a neighborly Christmas gesture.”
“A neighborly Christmas gesture?” Tucker cocked one eyebrow, searched Nate’s expression, then burst out laughing. “Oh, man. You want to have a real conversation now? Maybe actually tell me what’s going on here?”
The knowing look in Tucker’s gaze made Nate’s cheeks burn.
Frowning, Roxie glanced up at Nate. “What’s he mean, Daddy?”
Nate cleared his throat and dragged his hand across the back of his neck. “Nothing, sweetheart. Your uncle Tucker’s just babbling nonsense like he usually does. Now, did you bring the Christmas card out with you like I asked?”
“I sure did, Daddy.” Roxie stuck her hand in her jacket pocket and pulled out a small Christmas card with a festively trimmed Christmas tree drawn on the front. “I picked the prettiest one from the gift shop,” she said, smiling broadly. “Scott helped me.”
“That was nice of him,” Nate said.
And even nicer that he and Tucker had been able to afford to hire Scott, a local senior in high school, as well as two other teenagers to run the gift shop at Frosted Firs and sell Christmas trees during the late afternoon and evening hours this Christmas season. That way, he and Tucker had more time to devote to enjoying the holidays with Roxie while she was on vacation from school.
“Thank you for helping me, sweetheart.” Nate took the Christmas card from her, pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and sat down on the stump. He placed the pen to the card then paused, hesitating.
Tucker guffawed. “What you gonna say, Casanova?”
Roxie’s brows rose. “What’s a cass-a-rova, Daddy?”
“Nothing,” Nate said softly, shooting a stern look at Tucker. “I’m just going to write a nice, neighborly Christmas message.”
And he tried. He really tried.
Sitting there in the back lot of Frosted Firs Ranch, he stared down at the blank side of the Christmas card on his thigh and tried several times to write something festive and catchy. This was harder than he thought. What did a man say to the new, attractive woman next door that couldn’t be construed as an invitation for something more than just “being a good neighbor”? ’Cuz Lord knew, as a happy single man who preferred to remain so, he didn’t need to send any mixed signals.
But he did need to make his message kind so that, hopefully, his welcome gift would make a good impression on her and convince her to consider his offer for the tree.
Tucker, who’d been staring a hole through Nate’s head for the past five minutes, seemed to read his thoughts. “How about you just write, Give us your tree, woman ?”
Nate rolled his eyes.
“Or”—Tucker spread his hands—“here’s some free firewood in exchange for giving me a leg up in the Christmas Tree Competition.”
Nate rubbed his aching forehead. “No. I said all I needed to say regarding that when I went over there earlier. This just needs to be a simple welcome. It can even be just one word. Just something short and pleasant, you know?”
“One word?” Roxie asked, bouncing with excitement by his side.
Nate nodded. “Sure.”
“You’re giving her firewood.” Roxie smiled, approval in her eyes as she glanced at the large stack of split logs. “That’s so she’ll be warm and cheery at Christmas, right? That’s what you say to me every time you make a fire in the fireplace—that you’re keeping me warm and cheery.”
Nate reached out and nudged her chin affectionately with one knuckle. “That’s right, sweetie.”
“Then how about you write joy ?” she asked. “Because I always feel joy when you make a fire to keep me warm.”
Nate kissed her forehead. “That’s perfect! Kind and to the point.”
He pressed the pen to the card, amended Roxie’s word slightly, and wrote, Enjoy!
Roxie peered over his shoulder. “But make it happy, Daddy. Put a smiley face.”
Nate grinned. “You got it.”
He drew a smiley face underneath the word, Enjoy!
“Happier, Daddy. Give it a Santa wink, okay?”
“Sure thing.” He added a wink to the smiley face which, judging by the proud expression on Roxie’s face, met with her approval.
“Perfect!” Roxie giggled.
“Nothing like a useful gift and benevolent message to inspire goodwill in a neighbor at Christmas,” Nate said. “Hopefully, she’ll be so grateful, we’ll have a decent shot at getting that tree.”
And with a little luck, his gentlemanly gesture would help Jordyn, and maybe even the Nanas, see the good in him.
“Of all the . . . !”
The next afternoon, Jordyn, coughing and sputtering, ran over to one of the living room windows in her log cabin, jerked it open, stuck her head outside and heaved in a lungful of ice-cold winter air.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” she gasped. There went her plan for extending a warm welcome to her guests!
“Jordyn?”
There they were—Noel’s Nanas. Arriving for their afternoon visit just in time to witness her predicament. All four of the women, dressed in elegant holiday-themed sweaters paired with either a skirt or dress pants, hustled across the front yard and up the front steps of the log cabin as fast as their shiny high heels would allow. Kandy, straggling behind, carried an oversized white basket decorated with a shiny red bow.
“What in heaven’s name is going on?” Carol Belle asked.
Leading the pack, she halted in her tracks at the front door, her mouth hanging open as a thick cloud of black smoke rolled out of the window, engulfing Jordyn’s face and prompting a new round of hacking coughs.
“Oh, my Lord!” Kandy squeaked, clutching the basket to her chest. “She used the fireplace! I told you we should’ve—”
“That’s quite enough, Kandy,” Carol Belle said hastily. “Are you okay, Jordyn?”
“I’m”— cough —“okay.” Jordyn coughed again, peering through the fine particles of black soot.
The front door banged open, several sets of high heels clacked across the hardwood floor in the living room and a second window whooshed open. A chorus of dismayed murmurs peppered the air as the four women waved their arms, dispelling as much of the black smoke as possible.
“What in the world?” Carol Belle’s gentle but firm hands hooked around Jordyn’s waist, tugging her away from the window and back across the living room to a small pocket of clean air near the kitchen. “Did Hal Sutton not tell you the fireplace is a dud?”
Jordyn cupped her hands over her mouth and released a horribly croupy cough. “He told me the place needed some repairs and that the chimney needed to be inspected but I bought the place as-is and I decided to give the fireplace a try anyway.” Finally able to drag in some much-needed oxygen, she lowered her hands, lifted her face and inhaled. “It’s not Hal’s fault. I was in such a hurry to buy this place and settle in, I didn’t ask or worry about any problems the place had and I declined to have the home inspected to close the deal sooner. I should’ve had the chimney inspected before I tried using it like Hal suggested.”
Her cheeks heated as all four pairs of eyes leveled on her with a hint of disbelieving judgment. Oh, how could she have been so impulsive and irresponsible!
“But, well . . .” Jordyn added sheepishly, “I’ve never had a home before—let alone one with a fireplace—so I don’t know all the ins and outs of owning a house and I was so excited to have my own home and my own fireplace—especially at Christmas!” She looked down, her cheeks heating. “I just opened the flue, threw the wood in and lit it.”
The Nanas were silent for so long, she couldn’t help but lift her head and glance at them. Instead of the criticizing looks she expected, their eyes had warmed with a mixture of surprise and a hint of sadness.
“You’ve never had a home before?” Holly fiddled with the tassels on her cashmere scarf and bit her lip. “A home . . . or a house?”
Jordyn shrugged. “Neither, really.”
“But what about when you were a child?”
“I grew up in foster homes,” Jordyn said, waving away the women’s concerned glances. “It wasn’t bad, you know? I met some really great people, lived in a lot of different places . . .” She forced a smile. “I guess that’s why I enjoyed traveling the circuit so much. Bouncing around felt more familiar to me than staying in one place.”
A soft sound of dismay escaped Eve’s lips as she surveyed Jordyn with a wounded expression.
Kandy stepped over the big basket she’d placed on the living room floor and hurried over, taking Jordyn’s hands in hers. “And you chose Noel as your safe landing?” She kissed Jordyn’s cheek, her pink hair tickling Jordyn’s skin briefly before she stepped back and smiled. “We’re so glad you decided to join us—especially during Christmas!”
“Yes, indeed!” Eve clacked across the hardwood floor on her high heels and hugged Jordyn. “You came at the perfect time!”
“Absolutely perfect,” Holly chimed in, hugging Jordyn, too.
“Quite right,” Carol Belle said, nodding. “Noel is gorgeous all year round, but at Christmas, it really shines.”
Jordyn smiled. Kandy’s gentle kiss still lingered on her cheek and warmed her heart. She looked at each of the Nanas, her chest filling with a pleasant tenderness at the thought of potentially having four caring women in her life. How wonderful it would be to have friends to visit and laugh with during Christmas, and maybe even learn from and lean on from time to time throughout the rest of the year.
“That’s kind of why I caused such a scene,” she said. “I was given a huge stack of firewood last night and I knew y’all were coming this afternoon to visit with your proposition, so I thought I’d try to make a cozy seating area for us and well . . .” She glanced around at the five lawn chairs she’d arranged into a circle in the middle of the living room, the cheap red fabric covering them barely visible amid the dark cloud of smoke. “Well, I was . . .” Her shoulders sagged. “I was trying to make a good impression.”
But she’d failed miserably.
Carol Belle exchanged an odd glance with the other Nanas, a hint of accomplishment in her eyes. “You say you were given firewood? As in for free?”
“Yeah.” Jordyn licked her lips as she drew in another lungful of clean air. “I went to town yesterday evening to get some lawn chairs and a few supplies, and when I came back, Nate Reed was driving off in his truck. He left a stack of firewood with a big, red bow on it and a Christmas card.”
“You . . . you say Nate brought the firewood over himself?” Holly asked, her expression brightening with pleased surprise.
Jordyn nodded. “It was so nice of him—it’s a shame we didn’t have a chance to enjoy the firewood.”
“Mm-hm.” What sounded like a low growl escaped Carol Belle’s lips. “May I see the card in question?”
Jordyn waved away an errant puff of smoke that drifted toward her nose. “O-of course. It’s in the kitchen.” She walked into the kitchen, waving away more smoke as she went, grabbed the small card off the counter, then returned to the living room and handed it to Carol Belle. “It’s a beautiful Christmas card, and he wrote a nice message.”
She hid her grin. Nate’s gift had been unexpected, as had the cute smiley face he’d drawn on the back of the card. Perhaps her hunky new neighbor had a flirtatious—and possibly sensitive—streak after all. Had he felt the same electric chemistry between them that had taken hold of her yesterday?
Carol Belle studied the colorful Christmas tree on the front of the card, then flipped it over. For a moment, Jordyn could’ve sworn Carol Belle’s mouth twitched with humor, but the amused look vanished in a flash and Carol Belle’s eyes grew round and angry.
“This wasn’t a considerate gift and Christmas card, Jordyn,” Carol Belle said. “This was a warning!” Her hand shot out, jerking the small card toward the three women who stood nearby waving their arms to dispel the last vestiges of smoke. “Have a look, ladies, and tell me what you think.”
Eve plucked the card from Carol Belle’s hand and peered at it through her glasses.
“Notice what’s on the front?” Carol Belle prompted.
“What’s on it?” Kandy asked, hurrying over to Eve’s side, the bells on a silver bracelet she wore jangling.
“A Christmas tree,” Eve said softly as she exchanged a knowing look with Carol Belle.
“A Fraser fir just like our Fabio,” Carol Belle grumbled.
“And on the back?” Holly asked as she pressed close to the other women for a look. She still waved a hand in front of her perfectly made-up face, warding away the tendrils of smoke lingering in the living room.
Eve flipped the card over. “He wrote one word. Enjoy. ” Her brows rose. “And he drew a smiley face.” She looked up, her surprised gaze roving over each of the women standing around her. “A smiley face that’s winking.”
The Nanas exchanged meaningful glances; then, moments later, Kandy gasped, Holly tutted her tongue, and Carol Belle stomped one high-heeled foot.
“That mean-spirited, nasty, grinch of a man!” Carol Belle huffed. “I knew he meant it when he said he wasn’t going to bow out of the Christmas competition, but I never dreamed he’d try to sabotage an innocent woman he didn’t even know just to get his hands on a tree!”
“Sabotage?” Jordyn frowned, bewildered by the overly righteous indignation in Carol Belle’s voice and mixed signals coming from all of the Nanas. “Wait . . . what exactly is it you think he did?”
Carol Belle scowled. “He tried to smoke you out to send a message.” She stabbed her hand at the still smoking fireplace. “That right there’s a warning!”
Jordyn laughed. “You think Nate did this on purpose? You think he knew my chimney was damaged and gave me firewood so I’d burn it and smoke up my cabin?” A low laugh escaped her lips. “Please forgive me, but I think that’s a bit of a stretch—”
“Really?” Carol Belle scowled. “He lived next to Beau Manning, the former owner of this place, for almost a decade. Beau was a frugal man and would use up every last bit of good in something before he replaced it. I, myself, know Beau had to call the fire department twice before he moved out because of the cracks in that chimney. And if I knew about it, I bet Nate did, seeing as how he lives right next door.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t put a thing past Nate when it comes to the Christmas competition. And by the way . . .” She leaned closer to Jordyn and tilted her head. “Did he happen to approach you about Fabio yesterday?”
Jordyn hesitated. “Well, yes, but—”
“See!” Carol Belle stomped her foot again. “He wanted to buy the tree, didn’t he?”
“Yes, b—”
“But nothing!” Carol Belle said. “You can’t let him get away with this or he’ll stomp all over you during the competition. You need to go over there and give him a piece of your mind!”
Oh, boy. What was she getting herself into here?
“Let’s slow down a bit, please?” Jordyn gestured for the Christmas card and when Eve handed it to her, she turned it over, studying the cheery Christmas tree illustration. “I really think this was just a kind, neighborly act that backfired. And I do want to participate in Noel’s Christmas competition, but I did just move in. I have to agree with Nate that I’ll be spending a lot of time sprucing this place up and may not have time to fully partici—”
“He said that?” Eve peered at her over the rim of her glasses. “Nate said you’d be too busy to participate in our Christmas competition?”
Jordyn nodded slowly.
“Oh, my.” Holly clamped a hand to her chest.
“Let’s not be hasty.” Kandy clapped her hands together and smiled. “Nate didn’t mean anything by it. He was probably just making conversation and watching out for his new neighbor. After all . . .” She glanced around at the lawn chairs in the living room. “Jordyn will need some time to settle in.” She smiled brightly at Jordyn. “I’d be happy to help you decorate. There’s a wreath at Nate’s gift shop that would be just perfect for—”
“Excellent point, Kandy.” Carol Belle crossed her arms over her chest. “Jordyn does have a lot to do and she’ll need a helping hand to guide her through the Christmas contests.” She pursed her lips. “The rules allow for a mentor for newcomers, and I think any situation involving Nate necessitates one. There are twelve contests and you’ll need someone to guide you through the rules of each—especially the Christmas tree contest.”
Jordyn grinned. “Rules, a mentor, and twelve contests? This Christmas competition must be a big deal for Noel, huh?”
“The absolute biggest, my dear,” Carol Belle said.
“We’ve been managing the contest for ten years now. Ever since . . .” Kandy glanced at Carol Belle, her tone softening. “Well, ever since Carol Belle lost George.”
Jordyn hesitated then asked, “I don’t mean to pry but . . . who was George?”
“My late husband.” Carole Belle’s voice trembled. She looked away and cleared her throat. “George and I grew up together. Right next door, actually. Both of us were headstrong and we fought like cats and dogs when we were kids, but when we got older, that animosity turned to something sweeter.” She smiled. “We married young. Had a lot of good years together. But I lost him to cancer eleven years ago.”
Jordyn winced. “I’m so sorry.”
Carol Belle sniffed and waved away her concern. “Not your fault. Everyone loses someone at some point in life, but I lost George on Christmas Eve, so that made the pain a whole lot worse.” Her chin trembled. “He loved Christmas. Every year, he spent days decorating our lawn and house—inside and out. He always used to say Noel needed a formal Christmas tradition of some kind other than the lighting of the town tree. He said he thought a contest of some sort would lift everyone’s spirits, boost community relations and maybe even bring some of our loved ones home.” She cleared her throat. “Our daughter left home years ago after she and I had a falling out, and she hasn’t returned to Noel since. I’ve never met my grandchild, and now George never will. He loved her so much and used to hope Christmas might one day be the catalyst for her return.”
Kandy reached out and squeezed Carol Belle’s hand. “I lost my husband, too. I was only thirty-three when Carl died of a heart attack and it was quite a shock, so I knew how difficult things would be for Carol Belle for a while after losing George. So one day, Carol Belle and I sat down with Eve and Holly and discussed how we could best honor our late husbands and make Christmas joyful for Carol Belle again.” She met Carol Belle’s eyes and smiled. “The Christmas competition was a hit and grows bigger every year with us Nanas at the helm. When the four of us work together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.”
“If it hadn’t been for Kandy, Eve, and Holly,” Carol Belle said, “I don’t know how I would’ve overcome my grief. Organizing the Christmas competition kept me busy and optimistic, and it’s become a well-loved tradition in Noel.” Carol Belle smiled wider as she patted Jordyn’s shoulder. “And you’re going to be our guest of honor this year. Since Kandy is great at motivating others, I’m assigning her as your mentor and will add your name to the sign-up list. Opening day is tomorrow at dusk in the town square.”
Kandy squealed and did a little dance, her pink curls bouncing over her shoulders. “This is so exciting! I’m going to teach you everything I know about getting a leg up on the competition—especially Nate!”
“Oh, but wait just a sec.” Jordyn rubbed her temple, her mind swirling. “I thank you for the support, but twelve contests will take a lot of time and commitment. I wouldn’t want to let anyone down by promising to do something that I can’t carry through with—especially seeing as how the Christmas competition is so special to all four of you. I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize its success. And I still have a ton to do around here. I mean, I don’t even have a bed yet. I’m still using my sleeping bag on the floor.”
“We’ll take care of that right now.” Kandy looped her arm around Jordyn’s and tugged her toward the door. “We pounce on any excuse to shop, and holiday sales just kicked off in Noel. We can shop while your cabin airs out.”
“Do you prefer a storage, adjustable or simple bed frame?” Eve asked, clicking along on her heels behind them.
“Metal or wood?” Carol Belle asked, joining them.
“And what about bedding?” Holly smiled and looped her arm around Jordyn’s free one as they tugged her outside. “Do you like comforters or quilts? Cotton, flannel, or silk sheets? And what type of pattern? Solid, floral or . . .”
Jordyn, her mind swirling, threw caution to the wind, allowed the women to lead her along the driveway, bundle her up in their red Cadillac and start the drive to downtown Noel. It was a welcome new joy to be swept up among the women as though she were one of them, and chances were, if she agreed to sign up for Noel’s Christmas competition, she might even win over more residents of the town.
But winning the Christmas competition for Noel’s Nanas would mean Nate’s tenth Christmas Crown win—and Fabio would have to be sacrificed. And Neighbor Nate would—according to the Nanas—have to become Christmas enemy number one!