Chapter Four
W hen competing on the circuit, Jordyn always played things straight. She prepared, followed the rules and wished her competitors well. So the day after the Nanas’ visit, a Sunday afternoon and the day of Noel’s Christmas kickoff, she drove over to Frosted Firs Ranch, determined to do just that.
A low whistle escaped her as she reached the end of the long, paved driveway and parked her truck.
White fencing wrapped with deep green garlands, red and gold bows, and white lights stretched as far as the eye could see, encompassing the expansive grounds of the ranch, then disappeared out of view as it bordered the narrow road that ran alongside acres upon acres of lush evergreens growing in perfectly aligned rows below the high peaks of the mountains and the wide, blue sky. A beautiful farmhouse-style building stood proudly at the front of the property and served as a gift shop with an antique red sign etched with the message: D ASH INTO A F ROSTED F IRS C HRISTMAS FOR ALL YOUR HOLIDAY DECORATIONS AND GIFTS !
Beyond the gift shop stood several white stables with steeples, two large barns with decorative cupolas, and a breathtaking three-story Victorian farmhouse with a wraparound porch and black metal roof. Every structure on the ranch had been lovingly decorated with evergreen garlands, wreaths, and potted trees and all of it had been trimmed with bright red holly berries, pine cones, and solid and patterned bows in red, gold, white, and silver.
“Talk about a Christmas dream . . .”
Jordyn hopped out of her truck and walked slowly into the gift shop, taking her time to savor the view outside as she went, glancing around at the rural mountain splendor like a child in a toy store. A bell jangled over the door as she entered and a soothing atmosphere of cozy warmth, soft holiday music, and at least fifteen thousand square feet of Christmas decorations, handcrafted toys, and the decadent aroma of rich hot chocolate enveloped her.
“Well, hello.”
Jordyn glanced to her left. A a tall blond man with a come-hither smile stood beside an ornate metal log rack stacked with dozens of bundles of seasoned firewood tied with red bows.
“I’ve seen one of those somewhere before.” Grinning, Jordyn removed the sunglasses she’d donned during her drive over, slipped them in the pocket of her jean jacket and smiled. “You work here?”
The man grinned wide. “Yep. I’m one of the owners of Frosted Firs Ranch.” He sauntered over to her, his swagger surprisingly reminiscent of the cowboys she’d encountered on the rodeo circuit, and held out his big hand. “Tucker Reed.”
“Jordyn Banks.” She shook his hand, the flirtatious gleam in his eyes making her smile. This guy was definitely a heartbreaker—she could spot one a mile away—but the boyish charm in his expression was just endearing enough that she suspected a woman who had the misfortune of falling for him might be inclined to forgive his roguish tendencies. “Any chance you dropped off a bundle of that firewood by my place yesterday?”
“Depends on which place is your place.” He cocked his head to the side and tapped his chin, his mannerism somehow familiar as he surveyed her. “Wavy red hair and deep green eyes.” He raised one blond brow. “I’m guessing you’re our new neighbor at Chestnut Ridge.”
She laughed. “You’d be guessing right.”
“Then, yeah. A bundle of firewood was dropped off at your place yesterday. But it wasn’t me that left it and it wasn’t one of these bundles right here,” he said, patting a log.
“It was Nate, right?”
“Yep. You received a freshly chopped stack of our finest—and perfectly seasoned—oak from my brother, the primary owner of this ranch.” His gaze veered over her shoulder and his blue eyes narrowed on something in the distance, his mouth twitching. “From what he told me, he dropped it off like Santa Claus. Just tossed it on your porch and left like some common big-gut, holiday-gift-giver from the North Pole.” Grinning, he refocused on her face and winked. “Did you get his note? The one with the little smiley face that—”
“Please excuse my brother,” a deep, familiar voice drawled at Jordyn’s back. “I have my doubts that he ever matured beyond twelve years old.”
Jordyn spun around to find Nate and a little girl, a cute blonde with Nate’s crystal blue eyes and warm smile, standing behind her. Judging by her appearance, the child was unmistakably related to the two brothers, and by the way the girl held Nate’s hand and leaned affectionately against his leg, she couldn’t help but wonder . . .
“We.” Her voice faltered with surprise at the word escaping her lips.
Nate frowned in confusion. “I’m sorry?”
Clearing her throat, she carefully maintained a neutral expression and polite smile as she continued. “You said ‘We’d be happy to welcome you’ yesterday when you asked me to stop by your gift shop. I guess this is what you meant.” She gestured toward the little girl, then Tucker. “You have a brother and a niece?”
“Daughter,” Nate said.
Oh, heavens! The little girl was his daughter. He was married. And she’d admired and flirted with him like a lovestruck fool yesterday.
How humiliating!
She smiled wider, despite the scorching heat in her cheeks. “How wonderful.”
Smiling back, Nate smoothed his hand over the young girl’s ponytail and gently squeezed her shoulder. “Roxie, would you like to introduce yourself to our new neighbor?”
Nate’s daughter released her father’s hand and stepped forward, extending her hand to Jordyn. “Merry Christmas! My name is Roxanna Dawn Reed but I like Roxie best. It’s nice to meet you.”
Jordyn’s polite smile warmed with tenderness as she shook the little girl’s hand. “The pleasure is mine,” she said, crouching down in front of her. “You have a beautiful name, and I love the nickname, Roxie, too. Did your dad give it to you?”
Roxie glanced up at Nate, beaming with pride. “Yes, ma’am. He and my Uncle Tucker did.”
“They have good taste.”
Roxie’s tangled ponytail and a small smudge of dirt on her rosy cheek stirred a wave of nostalgia in Jordyn. She remembered being Roxie’s age, running wild outside, playing until her breath left her lungs, trying to hold on to every drop of daylight. And in a place as beautiful as Frosted Firs Ranch, nestled in the beautiful Christmas wonderland of Noel, she imagined—and hoped—that Roxie took advantage of the perfect outdoor playground.
“What’ve you been up to today?” Jordyn asked. “Enjoying the fresh mountain air?”
“Yes, ma’am. We got out of school last week for Christmas break.” Roxie scratched her neck where a piece of hay clung to her skin. “I helped my dad in the stables and met the new quarter horse we’re boarding.” Her expression brightened, her blue eyes roving over Jordyn’s face and hair. “You have a quarter horse, too, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“And you race him?”
Jordyn smiled. “Her. We used to barrel race together, but I’m taking a break to settle here in Noel. But when my Star was in the arena, she could beat any horse, any day, any time.”
“Even the boy horses?”
“Especially them!” Jordyn laughed.
“Ms. Jordyn’s a fierce competitor. She enjoys wiping the floor with the other riders.” Nate grinned when Jordyn looked up and met his eyes. “Least, that’s what I’ve been told.”
Despite her awkward embarrassment, Jordyn couldn’t help but laugh. “I do like healthy competition, so long as everyone plays by the rules.” She smiled at Roxie then stood, glancing around at the dozen or so customers traversing the aisles of Christmas decorations. “Which, I have to admit, is one of the reasons I stopped by today. I wanted to talk to you about the tree.”
“The perfect one by our fence?” Roxie asked, bouncing in place with excitement. “Dad and Uncle Tucker said we’ll win the Christmas Crown again for Mama with that tree. It’ll be our tenth year in a row of trad-dish-pun!”
Mama. Jordyn winced. Oh, boy.
“Tradition,” Nate corrected. “Roxie, would you mind giving Ms. Jordyn and me a chance to talk?”
“Yes, sir.” Roxie waved at Jordyn. “Bye, Ms. Jordyn. It was nice to meet you.”
“Same here,” Jordyn said.
After Roxie skipped off to the toy section of the store, Nate looked at her with a pleased expression. “You’re ready to negotiate a price?”
“Um, well . . .” Jordyn shrugged. “That’s not exactly what I wanted to discuss, though the tree does have something to do with it.”
Tucker, who still stood by the firewood rack with a rapt expression, burst out laughing. “I know that tone.” He dragged his finger across his neck. “No deal, man. Your negotiation’s dead. She ain’t selling you that tree.”
“Tucker.” Nate frowned at his brother. “Would you mind giving us some privacy? Help Scott ring up the customers or go set up a new display or something.”
Tucker made a face but complied, saying over his shoulder as he ambled away, “I don’t do displays. I’ll help the hands round up the horses and get ’em settled for the night.”
Nate sighed. “You got one of those?”
“One of what?” Jordyn asked.
“A younger sibling who aggravates you no end?”
Jordyn shook her head. “Nope. It’s just me and Star.” She glanced around the store again and dragged her trembling hands over her jeans. “Since, according to Roxie, this tree competition seems to be a tradition for your family, would you like to ask Roxie’s mom—er, your wife—to join our conversation?”
Nate’s expression changed instantly. The relaxed warmth in his eyes faded and sad shadows took its place as he said softly, “I lost my wife, Macy, six years ago.”
“Oh.” Jordyn’s chest tightened. “I’m so sorry. I—”
“You didn’t know.”
“No,” she whispered. “When I met Roxie, I just assumed. . .” Her face heated. “M-may I ask how old Roxie is?”
His mouth flattened into a thin line. “Six.”
Oh. Oh, no. Jordyn looked down at the toes of her worn boots, a lump forming in her throat as she compared the numbers. Six years ago, he’d lost his wife and Roxie had lost a mother before ever having the chance to meet her.
Jordyn’s own pain at losing her mother, though dulled by time, was still present and would probably never completely dissipate. “I . . . um, lost my mother when I was young, too. I hate that Roxie is having to go through that kind of grief.”
“She passed away?” Nate asked.
“Uh, no.” Jordyn looked down at the toe of her boots again. “She wasn’t really skilled at being a good mom and my dad was angry at the fact that I was around to begin with. That combination didn’t make for a good upbringing.” She glanced up, avoiding the intensity of his gaze. “I grew up in foster care, then hit the rodeo circuit when I aged out. Being here”—she pointed at the mountain ranges in the distance, visible through the large windows lining the front of the store—“is like having a home for the first time. I have my own house, my own property and, hopefully, will be able to build a new business soon.”
He was quiet for a moment, then asked, “What kind of business are you looking to build?”
“I’m going to breed horses and offer training for young, upcoming barrel racers.” She smiled. “When I was first starting out, a retired barrel racer and horseman helped me learn the sport and clinch my first win. I’ve never forgotten how good that felt—to have someone supporting me and cheering me on. I want to pay that forward to other riders.”
Nate smiled. “That’s admirable. And you won’t be at a loss for customers here. You picked a prime location. We board horses at the ranch, and due to the scenic view, open space, and rural location, we’ve rarely had trouble finding owners eager to entrust us with their horses’ care. A few words to the right owners and it’d be easy for you to drum up some clientele. I’d be happy to help you out on that front when the times comes.”
Jordyn’s eyes met his, a rush of excitement flooding her veins. “Would you? Oh, that’d be fantastic! I could really use—” Her throat closed. She dodged his gaze again and swallowed hard. “Well . . . that would be nice but I’m not sure you’ll be as interested in helping me out once I say what I came to tell you.”
The smile on Nate’s face faded. “And what’s that?”
Better to get it over with fast. Like ripping off a Band-Aid.
“I’ve decided to participate in Noel’s Christmas competition,” she stated firmly. “And unfortunately for you, that means I need to hang on to my tree.”
The disappointment on his face was obvious. “I see.”
She wrung her hands together. “And there’s something else.”
He held her gaze, trepidation in his eyes.
“The Nanas came by my place yesterday like they promised they would, and they just happened to stumble upon a misfortune of mine.” She searched his eyes. “I tried out the firewood you left on my porch—thank you for that, by the way—but after I lit it, I discovered pretty quickly that my chimney has some major issues that the previous owner, Hal, warned me about.”
Concern flickered through his expression. “What happened? Was the flue not working? Did your cabin suffer any damage?”
“The flue was fine and there was little damage aside from a few hours of smoke. And the whole embarrassing incident is entirely my fault for not being a more savvy home owner but from what the Nanas said, they knew the chimney had caused trouble for Hal in the past . . . and they thought you were aware of the problem as well.” She glanced at him beneath her lashes, looking for any potential of guilt. “They tried to convince me that the Christmas card you sent me was a warning of some kind and that you might’ve been hoping to cause deliberate damage to my cabin with your gift of firewood in hopes of getting my tree.”
He scoffed, disbelief in his eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
The affronted tone of his voice, reflecting a blow to his male pride, coaxed a laugh from her chest but she closed her mouth and held it back. “I thought so, too. But they seemed inclined to believe that you might’ve been mocking me.”
He frowned. “Mocking you?”
“With the smiley face. I think it was the wink that did it.”
Nate sighed. “The wink was Roxie’s idea—as was the smiley face. I . . . wasn’t sure what to write.”
Jordyn smiled. “I see.” She added gently, “But I think it’s only fair that I let you know that the Nanas hold a very big grudge against you for monopolizing their Christmas festivities and they’re pretty intent upon using me to give you a run for your money this year.”
“No doubt.” Some of the irritation left his expression as a slow smile spread across his face. “And you’re here to tell me that you’re going to wipe the floor with me, right?”
She laughed. “Yep. I play fair, you know? Giving you warning that I’m in it to win it is the right thing to do. The Nanas have assigned Kandy as my mentor, and I’ve been told I need to attend the official kickoff of the competition tonight in the town square.”
“And I should brace myself for your wrath?”
“You bet.”
He laughed. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to agree to be friendly enemies rather than helpful neighbors until the competition ends.”
“For the integrity of the competition, I think that’s best.” Her attention lingered on his smile, that same rush of attraction streaming through her veins.
Oh, boy. Keeping her distance from a man she was this impressed by was going to be tough.
“Um . . .” She swallowed hard. “Is it okay for friendly enemies to shake on it?”
He held out his hand, the teasing light in his blue eyes making her wish they were on the same team. “I wish you luck, Jordyn—with a y —Banks.”
“Good.” She slid her hand in his and squeezed, the warm press of his skin against hers causing her breath to catch in her throat on her next words. “You’re gonna need it.”
And maybe this brief touch would help get him out of her system a little bit? Even if it didn’t, it’d have to be enough to tide her over until they were free of the competition, because as susceptible as she was to this man’s charms, there was no way she could let her guard down around Nate Reed and still win the Christmas Crown.
Three hours later, dusk had settled over the town square of Noel. The setting sun cast a pink-toned glow over Noel’s Nanas, who stood on a stage positioned in the center of the town square amid a swelling crowd of Noel’s residents. Several vendors had set up in the square, some selling crafts, others Christmas decorations, and a few selling snacks such as popcorn, baked goods, and caramel apples. Hot apple cider and the sweet scent of hot chocolate drifted on the crisp winter air, and children’s laughter was all around as little ones chased each other across the dormant grass.
An undercurrent of excitement vibrated in the air. This moment was the big event Noel’s residents anticipated all year.
“Oh, opening night always makes my stomach churn!” Kandy, standing on stage beside Carol Belle, rubbed her middle as people continued gathering in the town square.
Carol Belle scoffed. “I don’t think it’s opening night churning your stomach so much as the amount of hot cocoa you downed at Kringle’s Café earlier.”
Kandy blushed but her eyes returned to the crowd in the town square and homed in on one face in particular. Max Reynolds, owner of Kringle’s Café, six-foot-one and gorgeous, looked up and locked his gaze with hers, the corners of his blue eyes creasing as he smiled up at her. He lifted his hand and waved.
A lock of his salt-and-pepper-hued hair fell over his forehead and her fingertips longed to delve into the thick strands and smooth them back.
“I couldn’t help it.” Kandy smiled, waving back. “That hot cocoa is addictive.”
Carol Belle nudged her. “Kandy. There’s a world of difference between you and Max Reynolds.”
Kandy’s smile dimmed. “I know.”
“I know he’s taken a shine to you, but he’s fifteen years younger than you.”
Kandy lowered her hand and looked away, refocusing on the crowd. “I know.”
Carol Belle sighed. “Any man would be lucky to have you in his life, Kandy, and I don’t mean to offend you or butt into your business, but you know how much female interest there is in Max around here and—”
“I know exactly what people would think,” Kandy whispered. “And say. Which is why I keep my distance. The only time I see him is when we go to Kringle’s Café, so there’s never been—and never will be—anything other than hot cocoa and red velvet cupcakes between us.”
Carol Belle sighed. “I don’t mean to—”
“It’s okay.” Kandy looped her arm around Carol Belle’s. “I know you’re just being a great friend and watching out for me. And I also know how far along I am in life and how much younger Max is.” She shrugged. “It’s just a nice fantasy. The way he looks at me . . . I’ve never had a man look at me that way before. Not even Carl noticed me the way Max does. Max thinks I’m interesting and fun.” She wound a pink curl around her finger and grinned. “He even complimented my hair.”
Carol Belle laughed. “Maybe he deserves more respect than I give him.”
“He does.” Kandy held her gaze. “He’s respectful and kind. In all these years, I’ve never felt like I was missing anything by not dating or marrying again. I’ve been fulfilled by Carl’s memory and happy with you and the girls. Max is the first man I’ve been interested in since I lost Carl, and my attraction to him was a complete surprise. Do you know how great that feels? To admire someone again? To be admired again?”
Carol Belle nodded. “I can imagine.”
Kandy squeezed Carol Belle’s arm. “Anyway. That’s all there’ll ever be between me and Max Reynolds. Admiration, hot cocoa, and red velvet cupcakes. A nice fantasy of what might’ve been if circumstances were different. But now, it’s time to honor the memory of Carl and George by kicking off this competition.” She tipped her chin toward the crowd and grinned. “I see our top two contenders for the Christmas Crown have arrived. And from the looks of things, I think they might be scoping each other out.”
Carol Belle followed Kandy’s gaze and scanned the crowd, her eyes focusing first on Nate then on Jordyn, who stood on the other side of the town square. “Well, what do you know? I think you might be right . . .”
“It’s almost time, Daddy!”
Nate glanced down and smiled at Roxie, who practically vibrated with excitement at the scene unfolding before her in Noel’s town square. She’d been anxious for tonight’s celebration and had even welcomed his suggestion two hours earlier that they both spruce up a little bit before attending the evening’s ceremony. Normally a rough-and-tumble type of girl, Roxie usually chose to wear jeans and a sweater. But tonight, she’d insisted upon wearing her favorite red Christmas cardigan which had little bells sewn into the cuffs, and she’d even insisted that Nate tie a red ribbon around her ponytail.
“Do you think Ms. Jordyn will wear a ribbon in her hair tonight, too, Daddy?” she’d asked, looking up at him with wide eyes as he’d combed her hair.
That had been the first of many questions Roxie had peppered him with as they had prepared for the celebration, climbed into his truck and driven into town.
Roxie, seated in the back seat of the extended cab, had begun asking questions the moment they left the driveway and had continued up until the second Nate parked the truck near the town square. She’d wanted to know exactly how tall Jordyn was, if Jordyn curled her hair or if it was naturally wavy, and where Jordyn had found cowgirl boots with blue stitching like the ones she’d worn at the gift shop. Was Jordyn’s quarter horse a pearl white or an ivory white like the one they were currently boarding at Frosted Firs Ranch? How fast did a barrel racing horse run on average and did Nate think Jordyn’s horse would be faster? Did Nate think Jordyn would mind if they came by Chestnut Ridge to visit Jordyn and see her horse? And if they did visit Jordyn, did Nate think Jordyn would let her ride Star?
By the tenth question, Tucker, who was seated in the passenger seat during the ride to town, had grinned, shot Nate a sly look and whispered under his breath, “Looks like you’re not the only one who’s taken a shine to Jordyn.”
At the time, Nate had brushed Tucker off and changed the subject, but he had to admit to himself that he had as much trouble getting Jordyn out of his mind as Roxie did.
He hadn’t expected Jordyn to ask about his being married, though the question and her interest was understandable considering she’d met Roxie. But he’d been unprepared for the opposing mix of emotions he’d experienced at the relief in her eyes when he told her he wasn’t married and that his little family consisted of only him and Roxie.
On the one hand, saying he’d lost Macy out loud had stung as painfully as it always did, but realizing Jordyn’s interest in him might be as intense as his interest in her also filled him with a sweet ache of pleasure.
It felt good to be wanted—especially by a woman as intriguing and beautiful as Jordyn. And he couldn’t help but wonder, for the first time in years, what it might feel like to date a woman he was truly attracted to again. What would it feel like to spend some part of his day as a single, carefree man rather than a somber businessman and bone-weary single dad? Would he feel that same rush of heady emotion every time he was with Jordyn? Or, after spending some time together, would this pull of attraction he felt for her fade a bit?
Surprisingly, he found himself wishing he could throw caution to the wind and enjoy exploring a romantic relationship with Jordyn while still maintaining the status quo at the ranch.
But as a single father, he couldn’t undertake any sort of personal change without considering Roxie’s best interests first. Besides, he and Jordyn could only be friendly enemies now that she’d broken the news to him that she planned to enter the Christmas competition and use the Fraser fir in her backyard to secure a win.
And he had to give Jordyn credit. She’d been honest and direct about her intentions when she’d visited him at the gift shop earlier; he admired her determination. It was clear she was a strong competitor.
What was it she’d said?
I’ve never forgotten how it felt to have someone supporting and cheering me on.
It was a shame they weren’t on the same team. He would’ve enjoyed working with her, supporting and cheering her on . . . or at least he thought he might. But at the same time, the thought of spending Christmas with another woman—even in an innocent fashion—filled him with a sense of betrayal. Christmas had always been the most special time of year for him and Macy.
“Can I, Dad?” Roxie stared up at him expectantly.
“Can you what?” Nate asked, shaking his head slightly to clear his mind of Jordyn.
“Can I go say hi to Miss Jordyn?” Roxie pointed to the left, where Jordyn stood several feet away.
Just as Nate spotted her in the crowd, Jordyn looked over at him, their eyes meeting. She looked different than she had three hours ago. She wore the same boots she’d worn earlier but she’d changed into a darker pair of jeans, a white sweater, and a green scarf that matched her eyes perfectly. The long waves of her hair were loose, spilling around her shoulders, the red hue highlighting the pink blush in her cheeks put there by the wind.
Jordyn smiled at him, and he smiled back, that familiar hum of pleasure zipping through his veins.
“Yeah,” Tucker drawled beside him. “Why don’t we all go over and say hello?”
The teasing gleam in his eyes made Nate shift uncomfortably from one boot to the other as his smile vanished.
Friendly enemies, he reminded himself. That’s what he and Jordyn had agreed to be for the duration of Noel’s Christmas competition, and he was going to stick to their agreement. They’d even shaken on it.
“Not a good idea.” Nate smiled down at Roxie, wincing as she frowned with disappointment. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but we’re on a different team from Ms. Jordyn right now. And the Nanas have very strict rules when it comes to the Christmas competition.”
“Oh, yeah.” Tucker rocked back on the heels of his boots and grinned at the Nanas, who were lining up in a neat row on the stage. “No cross-conspiring,” he stated in a monotone.
Roxie made a face. “What’s cross con—con . . . ?”
“Conspiring,” Nate stated slowly. “It means working together with someone in secret in order to get around the rules in some way.”
Roxie’s expression turned serious. “It’s not good to break the rules is it, Daddy?”
Nate smiled with pride. He had a good and honest daughter and he hoped, despite the increasingly cynical world they lived in, that she’d carry those attributes with her into adulthood. “That’s exactly right, sweetheart.”
Nate stole one last glance in Jordyn’s direction, but the sun had set, the pink glow surrounding them dissolved, and several long sets of Christmas lights, which had been strung on tall poles that surrounded the town square, burst into a warm glow.
Cheers erupted from the crowd that surrounded the stage and a soulful Christmas carol streamed from loudspeakers that were positioned strategically among the crowd. Singing, joyful whoops, and boisterous applause erupted all around the stage as Noel’s Nanas, dressed in matching Christmas sweaters and dancing to the music, stepped up to a microphone positioned center stage and smiled.
Carol Belle took to the microphone first. “It’s that time of year again, my friends!” She clapped her hands and Noel’s residents followed her lead, bursting into applause, the excited energy of the crowd waving through the throng of people. “Tonight is the night we kick off Noel’s annual Christmas competition, and this is going to be one of the best years yet! We have strong, returning competitors—and brand-new ones—who are going to make each of the twelve contests more exciting than they’ve ever been!”
Kandy stepped up to the microphone next. “And on that note, we’d like to welcome our newest resident of Noel and first-time competitor in our annual Christmas competition, Jordyn Banks!”
As Kandy spoke, she lifted her arm and pointed out into the crowd. A spotlight, positioned at the edge of the stage and manned by a teenager, swept chaotically over the mass of people below, then landed on Jordyn.
Caught off guard, Jordyn squinted up into the bright blaze of light and held her hand up in front of her face, smiling and blushing as the crowd applauded, their attention now focused on her.
“Jordyn Banks,” Kandy continued, “has moved into Chestnut Ridge and will be joining our competition this year. Let’s give her a very happy Noel Christmas welcome, shall we?”
The applause grew louder and a chorus of welcome broke out from the crowd. Roxie, still standing in front of Nate, bounced with excitement and waved enthusiastically, shouting welcome along with Nate.
Nate grinned. Oh, man, Jordyn was embarrassed. He could tell from a mile away. But despite her obvious discomfort at being singled out by the Nanas, she looked over and met his eyes again, and the delighted gratitude in her expression as she mouthed the words thank you made him smile even wider.
“Now that we’ve greeted our newest participant,” Carol Belle said into the mic, “we need to get down to business.” After the cheers died down, she continued speaking. “As you know, we want everyone to have fun and enjoy themselves during these contests, but there must be rules to ensure that the competition is as fair and equitable as we can make it. And those rules must be properly adhered to and enforced every year.”
Eve, nodding as she stood beside Carol Belle, leaned in toward the mic. “Rule number one. If you have signed up to participate in the Christmas competition, you may compete individually or in a group of four or less. Once teams—comprised of an individual or a group of individuals—have been established, all participants must remain on their chosen teams for the duration of the competition.”
“This rule,” Carol Belle interjected, “is meant to promote community and collaboration among our residents.”
“There will be twelve Christmas contests,” Eve said. “Whoever wins the most contests will win the Christmas Crown at the town square tree-lighting on Christmas Eve. Until that time, scores will be tracked on our Tree Scoreboard and will be updated immediately after the winner of each contest is announced.”
The spotlight moved over the crowd until it settled on a tall wooden board, carved into the shape of a large Christmas tree, positioned at the opposite end of the stage.
“Whoever is in the lead,” Eve said, “will have their name appear at the top of the tree. Everyone else will be ranked, according to winning points, below, and the number of points each group or individual has earned will be listed beside their name. Transparency has always been and always will be a core principle in our Christmas competition.”
“Which brings us to the most important rule of all,” Carol Belle said, holding up one finger. “There will be no cross-conspiring in this Christmas competition. It bears repeating that once you have signed up for a team or as an individual competitor, you must operate solely within your team or as an individual. No teams or individual competitors are allowed to cross-conspire, plot, plan, discuss, strategize, or manipulate any aspect of the Christmas contests in order to sway the win or gain an advantage over other competitors. If you are found to be a cross-conspirator, you will be immediately disqualified from the competition and, depending on the circumstances of your violation, may or may not be banned from future Noel community competitions.”
The excited cheers of the crowd died down and a hush settled over the town square.
“I mean it,” Carol Belle stated firmly.
Holly, standing beside Eve, cleared her throat and made her way to the microphone, edging Carol Belle back a few steps. “Well . . .” She clapped her hands and smiled. “Now that we’ve gotten the rules out of the way, let’s get to the fun stuff!”
The crowd cheered again, and Roxie tugged on Nate’s shirtsleeve and grinned up at him, her expression filled with delight.
“Kandy,” Holly prompted, sweeping an arm toward the other side of the stage, “please begin the drawing to determine the order of this year’s contests.”
Kandy, who stood beside an oversized snow globe with folded pieces of paper fluttering around inside like snowflakes, lifted the top off the snow globe, reached in and withdrew one piece of paper. She unfolded it, smiled, then announced, “The first competition will be Snowman Fight at First Snow.”
A collective squeal and laughter erupted from the crowd.
Kandy reached back into the snow globe and withdrew another folded piece of paper, then announced, “Our second contest will be Candy Cane Fishing.”
The drawing continued, Kandy reaching into the large snow globe and withdrawing folded pieces of paper in succession until she collected twelve. Each contest was announced as it was drawn and Carol Belle announced the final contest lineup once the drawing was completed.
“Here it is in order: Snowman Fight at First Snow, Candy Cane Fishing, Terrible Tinsel Triathlon, Christmas Cookie Crumble, Sexy Santa’s Eggnog Nod—which I’ll remind you counts as two contests and is solely for adult participants—Gingerbread Architect, Christmas Karaoke, Christmas Dance Craze, Ugly Sweater Wrapping Pretty, Christmas Light Delight, and Noel’s Christmas tree contest.”
The four Nanas arranged themselves into a neat line again, looped their arms with one another and shouted out in unison to the cheering crowd, “At first snow, let the Christmas competition commence!”