Chapter Five
T wo days later, the first snow of the holiday season fell on Noel. Jordyn stood in the open entrance of Chestnut Ridge’s stable, admiring the white landscape and feeling as giddy as a kid as big, fluffy snowflakes fell in a thick blanket around her.
“Wow!” She stuck her hands out, palms cupped, tilted her head back and smiled as she savored the burst of snowy winter wind across her face. “Does it snow like this often?”
Kandy, who stood next to her, shivering, glanced up at the sky with a worried expression. “More than most people would expect. Noel is at the highest elevation east of the Mississippi—even higher than Boone. Heavy and light snowfalls hit us sporadically. One day it can be in the fifties and the next it could be in the low twenties. Snow’s a guessing game around here in terms of when it’ll hit, but we get at least a few feet several times each year. Some of our best tourist business happens in the ski resorts around us, and the owners rely on snowfalls like this one.”
“Well, light or heavy—I love it!” Jordyn stuck out her tongue, catching a snowflake, then grinned. “Most of my foster homes were in the Deep South and we never got anything like this. Most we ever got was a few flurries— maybe a couple inches at most—one or two days a year and that’d be enough to make everything shut down. But this!” She stuck out her tongue again but it felt slightly frozen, so she pulled it back into her mouth and shivered with cold and excitement. “This is truly magnificent!”
As though in agreement, Star, snug and warm inside her stable, neighed gently. She looked especially beautiful today, draped in a thick, red Christmas blanket, her mane and hide freshly brushed.
Jordyn walked over to her stall, touched her forehead to Star’s broad nose and whispered, “I won’t be gone too terribly long, my beauty. From what Kandy has told me, the Snowman Fight doesn’t last very long, and I’ll be home right after to tell you all about it while we watch the snow fall this evening.” She stroked Star’s neck with a gentle hand, a shiver of delight running through her at the thought of her and Star having their very own land. “I bet you’re just as eager as I am to enjoy the view of those glorious mountains covered in snow.”
“Jordyn.” Kandy, her pink hair dotted with melting snowflakes, beckoned for Jordyn to join her outside the stable. “The contest is set to start at noon and”—she glanced at the festive snowman watch on her wrist—“it’s almost that now. We really should get going.”
Jordyn kissed Star’s forehead and gave her one last pet before joining Kandy. “So, the point of today’s contest is to build a great-looking snowman as fast as I can—when time is called, the snowmen will be judged and the winner announced, right?”
Kandy’s boots crunched in the snow as they walked across the grounds to Jordyn’s truck. “Partially. But there’s quite a bit more to it than that.”
Jordyn, preoccupied with the snow around her boots, giggled. “Oh, isn’t this wonderful? Will it snow like this on Christmas Day? I hope it does. I’ve never experienced a white Christmas before and with those peaks”—she waved an arm toward the mountain range in the distance—“I can’t imagine the view being more spectacular!”
“Well, every year, we have about a sixty percent chance of snow on Christmas Day,” Kandy said. “Some of the locals make a habit of betting on it, but I don’t partake in that. When I gamble, I lose my money more often than I win, so I’ve learned not to take the chance.”
“Well, I’d be okay with it.” Jordyn pulled her keys from her pocket, unlocked her truck, and they both climbed in, settling into the front seats and rubbing their hands together as the engine warmed. “How many people place a bet? Is it a big jackpot?”
Kandy held up her gloved hand, a worried look in her eyes. “Look, we can discuss the snow bet later, but right now, as your mentor, my job is to prepare you for the first contest. If I don’t do a good job, Carol Belle is going to have my hide. So could you please focus on what I’m telling you for the time being?”
“Oh, boy. I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” Wincing, Jordyn turned up the heat, settled back against her seat and gave Kandy her full attention. “You’re absolutely right, Kandy. It’s just that I’m so excited to be a part of an actual community Christmas celebration that I can hardly sit still, much less listen to rules. But for you, I’m all ears. And I did do something you asked me to do already to prepare for this contest. I had the best night’s sleep in my life last night! And that’s thanks to you and the other Nanas. Thank you for helping me pick out the perfect bed frame and mattress for my bedroom.”
Kandy smiled and shrugged. “It was nothing. I love to shop anyway.”
“It was much more than nothing for me.” Jordyn reached out, took Kandy’s hands in hers and squeezed gently. “I can’t tell you how much I’ve appreciated your welcome and your help getting settled. I doubt too many people would’ve gone to as much trouble as you and the other Nanas have to make me feel at home.”
Over the past two days, the four women had escorted Jordyn to almost every store in downtown Noel, helping her shop for every little thing she needed to spruce up her new log cabin and feel at home. Kandy had helped her pick out a bed frame and soft mattress while pillows, sheets, and a comforter had been carefully chosen by Holly to suit Jordyn’s taste.
Eve, thrifty and practical, had listened carefully to Jordyn’s wishes regarding living room furniture and had found a living room set consisting of a sofa, recliner, coffee table, and one end table at a better bargain price than Jordyn could’ve imagined. She’d measured every piece of furniture carefully, ensuring the entire set fit into the living room of Jordyn’s log cabin as though it’d been built into place right along with the rest of the cabin.
Kandy had taken on the task of choosing dishes, silverware, pots, pans, and cups for the kitchen. And Carol Belle had focused her efforts on adding a decorative and inviting touch, by choosing handcrafted rocking chairs for the front porch, garland over the mantel piece, a fresh poinsettia plant on either side of the front porch steps, and strings of white Christmas lights along the banisters. She’d even installed new bulbs in the old-fashioned porch lanterns by the front door, giving the cabin a warm, welcoming glow.
The Nanas had also arranged for Jordyn’s chimney to be repaired at a fraction of the cost she would’ve spent had she done the hiring herself.
All in all, Jordyn had settled into her new home in record time. Last night she’d enjoyed a warm fire (without billowing smoke!) in the living room, rested comfortably on her cushy new sofa, and after relaxing for a bit, had crawled into bed, pulled the soft comforter up to her chin, and slept more soundly than she ever had in her life.
“I mean it,” Jordyn said, squeezing Kandy’s hand once more. “It’s not just the material things y’all helped me pick out. It’s your presence. It’s so nice to have your help and company. I’d be honored to be able to call all of you my friends.”
Kandy beamed. “We feel exactly the same, dear.”
“Well, then.” Jordyn rubbed her hands together briskly, shifted the truck in gear, and started driving down the road. “The least I can do after everything y’all have done for me is listen closely and abide by the rules of today’s contest.” Turning onto the main road, she grinned. “Shoot away, Kandy.”
During the short drive from Chestnut Ridge to Noel’s town square, Kandy gave her a rundown on the ins and outs of the Snowman Fight contest. It was difficult for Jordyn to concentrate, however, as the passing scenery—impressive on any day but mesmerizing on a snow day!—demanded her attention.
“You have twenty minutes to build your snowman, that’s all,” Kandy said. “But the difficulty level will be at an all-time high for you, since you’re doing this on your own. You won’t have time to make even a fraction of the ammunition the other teams will have at their disposal.”
Jordyn, distracted by the dazzling snowflakes that peppered the windshield, frowned. “Ammunition?”
Kandy nodded. “Snowballs the size of your head, I’m telling you, will be lobbed your way from everyone! Especially the Stones.”
“Stones?” Jordyn’s mouth gaped open. “They throw rocks during this thing?”
Kandy laughed. “No! I’m talking about the Stone family. They’re your biggest competition apart from Nate, and you’ll need to be alert at all times around them.” Her tone turned serious. “And don’t let the Stone children fool you. They might be young, but they show no mercy and they’re devilish. Downright devilish!”
Jordyn hid a smile. Boy, Noel’s residents sure seemed to take this Christmas competition seriously, but surely it wasn’t as aggressive as Kandy suggested. After all, it was a Christmas contest!
“I’ll be fine, Kandy.” She patted the older woman’s knee for good measure as she parked the truck among the other vehicles surrounding the town square. “No need to worry. I can handle myself.” She glanced at the energetic scene before them and grinned. “Now, let’s get out there and join the party!”
And, she discovered shortly, it was indeed a party.
Dozens of people, gathered in small groups, were positioned throughout the snowy town square, huddling close amid the blustery wind, casting glances all around to check out the competition while rubbing their gloved hands in anticipation. The stage the Nanas had used to kick off the Christmas competition two days ago was still positioned in the center of the town square and Eve, Carol Belle, and Holly stood near the microphone, waiting for all participants to arrive so they could begin the contest. When they noticed her, they waved, their faces lighting up.
Smiling, Jordyn waved back.
“Now, you’re sure you are warm enough?” Kandy, who had walked with Jordyn to the edge of the town square, got busy, checking Jordyn’s attire. She tugged at Jordyn’s gloves, fluffed her scarf higher on her neck, and verified that all of the buttons on her jacket were properly fastened to ward off the cold. “And one more thing,” she said, pulling a green, knitted wool hat from her purse. “Keeping the head covered helps keep the body warmer, and we don’t want you catching a cold now, do we?”
Feeling treasured, Jordyn closed her eyes and smiled as Kandy gently tugged the hat into place on Jordyn’s head, then tucked her long red waves over her shoulders. The older woman’s touch was caring and kind, much as Jordyn imagined a mother’s hands would be.
“Now, you’re all set.” Kandy squeezed her shoulders. “Just don’t forget that you need to be on your guard against the snowballs just as much as you must focus on building the snowman. Twenty minutes. That’s all the time you have to build.”
Jordyn hugged her and grinned. “No problem. How hard can it be?”
The expression of consternation on Kandy’s face said it all.
“Okay, folks!” Carol Belle’s voice echoed with authority across the town square. “It’s time to begin. Take your places, please.”
Jordyn hugged Kandy and thanked her one more time, then dashed across the town square, glancing around her for an empty spot in the snow to build her snowman. Toward the center of the town square, near the stage, Roxie stood with Nate and Tucker. When the little girl noticed Jordyn, her hand shot up in the air, waving feverishly.
“Ms. Jordyn!” Roxie was waving both hands in the air now, beckoning Jordyn over. “We saved you a spot over here! Come and join us!”
Jordyn hustled over, weaving between the teams as she went, bounding across the freshly fallen snow. When she reached them, she smiled down at Roxie. “Merry Christmas, Roxie! I’m glad to see you here this snowy afternoon.”
Roxie, just as cute as ever in her festive Christmas cardigan and knitted wool cap, beamed up at Jordyn. “You’ve got the same hat as me. ’Cept yours is in a different color.”
Jordyn gently tapped the tip of Roxie’s nose. “Seems we do. Did you by any chance get yours from one of the Nanas?”
Roxie nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Ms. Kandy gave it to me.”
“That’s where mine came from as well. You wear yours beautifully. The color red suits you.”
Roxie blushed. “I like your green one. It matches your eyes.” She looked away briefly, then pointed to an empty area nearby. “We saved you a spot to build your snowman right over there.”
Jordyn glanced up, her eyes moving past Roxie and finding Nate’s. “We?”
Shrugging, Nate lowered his hands onto Roxie’s shoulders and smiled. “Roxie did. She insisted that you would need a little help getting settled for the competition this morning.”
Jordyn raised one eyebrow. “So you had no hand in it then?”
“Not a chance.” He grinned. “We’re friendly enemies now, remember?”
The teasing note in his voice sent a delicious shiver through her. Even now, in a town square full of men, Nate stood out among them. His impressive height, muscular body and charismatic grin enticed her even more than they had upon their first meeting.
The man was positively hypnotic!
“Well,” she said softly. “I’m grateful for Roxie’s help.” She glanced down once more and winked at Roxie. “Thank you very much for thinking of me.”
Roxie smiled even wider. “You’re welcome.”
Tucker, standing next to Nate, pointed to the empty spot Roxie had saved for Jordyn. “You best take up your position or you’re liable to fall behind before you even start.” He lifted his fists in front of his face. “And keep your dukes up! Competitors are ruthless around here.”
Jordyn issued a sly smile and narrowed her eyes. “Oh, I got this.”
Moments later, the Nanas began counting down and Jordyn hurried over to the empty space Roxie had reserved for her, ensured her gloves were still tugged snugly over her fingers, and readied herself for the competition.
“When I say go,” Carol Belle spoke into the mic, “you may begin building your snowman. The timer will be turned on and you’ll have twenty minutes to construct until time is called. Remember that snow is your material for this contest. You may utilize it in any way you wish to aid in building, defending, or preventing the creation of a snowman.”
Jordyn hugged her midsection and bounced in place with excitement. Here she was, in a beautiful new town with a beautiful new home and beautiful new friends, competing in her first ever Christmas competition. She couldn’t imagine today being any more fun or exciting.
And speed being a factor in who won this contest? Oh, she had this in the bag! Racing to a finish was her specialty.
“In three, two, one,” Carol Belle counted off. “Go!”
A flurry of activity broke out across the town square, bodies, warmly bundled, dashing from here to there, arms serving as shovels as they gathered up heaps of snow and gloved hands furiously assembling snowballs and snowmen.
Jordyn joined the fray and dug into the snow at her feet, clearing a spot for the base of her snowman and patting snow together to form the foundation of what she hoped would be the best snowman Noel had ever laid eyes on. She enjoyed the feel of snow in her hands, the satisfactory pat of snow upon snow and the laughter surrounding her as others worked.
She gathered a second armful of snow, patted it down onto the foundation she’d made, propped her hands on her hips and smiled broadly. Yeah! Things were going nicely. She had this in the ba—
Something rock-solid and cold slammed into the side of her head then crumbled into her right eye. “Ow!”
A black-haired boy around ten years of age faced off with her from several feet away, an evil grin spreading across his face. “She’s unprotected, Ma! Get her!”
A stout woman with the same black hair and fierce expression as the boy, picked up a snowball from a large stockpile that lay near the boy’s feet, pulled back her arm in tandem with the boy’s reloaded hand, and threw it in Jordyn’s direction.
Both snowballs slammed smack into Jordyn’s middle and she doubled over, clutching her gut and squeezing her eyes shut as a heavy barrage of snowballs continued to pummel her back.
Oh, boy! What in the world had she gotten herself into?
“Man! Jordyn’s getting creamed.”
Nate patted down a fresh scoop of snow into the second sphere of the snowman he, Roxie, and Tucker had been building, then glanced to his right. Jordyn was on all fours in the snow, cradling her middle with one hand and desperately tossing snow into a pile with the other while trying to avoid an onslaught of snowballs coming at her from every direction.
Though being snowballed was a given during the Snowman Fight contest, the majority of ammunition aimed at Jordyn seemed to be originating from the Stones, who were building their snowman directly opposite Jordyn. The four-member family was feverishly assembling their snowman and taking turns projecting hard snowballs at Jordyn.
Chester Stone was the main culprit. Young, but a veteran of Noel’s Snowman Fight, Chester was well-known to be the reigning serial snowball attacker. His younger sister, Angelina, was a close runner-up, however. The little girl, only two years older than Roxie, was a wiry little eight-year-old with good aim and a vicious hunger for domination.
For every snowball Chester threw, Angelina propelled two more in Jordyn’s direction. The little rascals aimed for her head, neck, back, and—more recently—her knees, forcing Jordyn into a defensive heap on the ground.
Just then, Chester picked up a particularly dense snowball, hefted it over his shoulder and hammered Jordyn right in the head. She yelped, dropped the snow she’d gathered in her arms and covered her head with both hands.
“That devious little snowball-throwing rascal,” Nate grumbled.
Roxie, who was patting down a fresh layer of snow on their snowman, glanced up at Nate in surprise. “Who’re you talking about, Daddy?”
Nate grimaced. “No one, sweetheart. That was an awful thing to say about someone and I shouldn’t have said it.”
“Sometimes calling people names is necessary,” Tucker said, bending swiftly to the ground, packing together a snowball and propelling it across the town square at another team. “That Chester Stone has hit Jordyn with more snowballs in the past five minutes than I’ve thrown during this contest altogether over the past two years. That kid deserves a taste of his own medicine.”
With that, Tucker scooped up another hefty handful of snow, packed it into a snowball and hurled it in Chester’s direction as the boy bent over for another armful of snow. Tucker’s snowball smacked him square in the backside.
Chester, the little devil, rubbed his backside and frowned, ceasing his attack on Jordyn momentarily to yell at Tucker. “Hey! You can’t do that.”
Tucker, undeterred, made another snowball and threw it at a team nearby. “I can do whatever I want, kid. There are no holds barred in this competition.”
A slight grin spread across Chester’s face at the prospect of a new confrontation. He bent over, patted together another snowball and, aiming with precision, hurled it, smacking Roxie on the arm.
“Ouch! That hurt,” Roxie said, dropping the snow in her hands and rubbing her arm.
“Hey, kid, you watch that,” Nate said, narrowing his eyes at the boy. “Roxie is a builder, not a fighter.”
“Ain’t no difference between the two during a Snowman Fight,” Chester yelled. “Anyone’s fair game. Like Tucker said, I can throw my snowballs at whoever I want!”
Drake Stone, Chester’s father and big-bellied bartender in downtown Noel, stopped adding snow to the family snowman and took a moment to pat Chester’s back instead. “That’s right, son. You tell them!” He glared at Nate and Tucker. “You mess with the bull, guys, you get the horns. I put some snow in my boy’s hand, and he can take down any man. Can’t you, son?”
Chester puffed out his chest. “Sure can, Pop!”
Nate dragged his hand over his face and groaned, the frigid dampness of his glove against his cheek making him shiver slightly. This was all they needed. The Stone family’s snowball attack on Jordyn was within the competition’s rules, but it was certainly dishonorable—and at the very least, rude—to target her, considering she was participating as a one-woman team. But the last thing Nate wanted was for Roxie to become the Stones’ target instead.
“That’s some real chivalry you’re teaching your son there, Drake,” Nate shouted over the laughter surrounding them. “Can’t say I’d be proud if I had a son who relished throwing snowballs at females. It’d do your son good to take on a male for a change this year. Far as I’ve seen, he only attacks girls and women.”
“Stop your whining, Nate!” Drake picked up a snowball in his beefy hand and threw it at Nate, who ducked, the snowball missing his forehead by a mere inch. “You don’t want none of this.”
Nate glanced down at Roxie, who still rubbed her arm with one hand and struggled to pat down a new layer of snow on their snowman with her injured arm. Then he glanced to his right where Jordyn had risen from her hands and knees to a standing position. She’d managed to form the bottom foundation of her snowman and was feverishly adding her second layer, shooting anxious glances at the Stone family in between motions.
She darted a glance Nate’s way and the hopeful gratitude in her eyes as she held his gaze stirred indignant anger within him at the thought of the Stones taking advantage of her vulnerable state.
It was unconscionable, really. Lighthearted contest or not, it had never been in Nate’s nature to stand by and leave a woman defenseless to the whims of a stronger attacker.
But stepping in on Jordyn’s behalf was against the rules. Cross-conspiring was a huge no-no on the Nanas’ list of rules, and one team aiding another—even if the other team was comprised of one vulnerable individual at the mercy of many—would be a breach of honor according to the rules.
The choice was clear. Either he turned his back on Jordyn, refocused his efforts on building his own team’s snowman and secured a win, or he would have to act inconspicuously on Jordyn’s behalf.
Nate glanced at Tucker, who paused in his efforts to defend their snowman, glanced over his shoulder at Nate and nodded firmly. “Let ’em have it. They deserve it.”
“Yeah, Daddy.” Roxie, forming the head of their snowman, looked up at him with fierce encouragement in her eyes. “Help Miss Jordyn. Give them some of their own medicine. I won’t tell.”
Grinning, Nate bent and kissed her cheek. “Good girl. But only this once and only because it’s a question of honor.”
Roxie nodded solemnly. “Like you said, we’re always supposed to help others when they are hurt or in need.”
“There are five minutes remaining,” Carol Belle announced over the microphone.
The flurry of activity across the town square increased as each team doubled and tripled their efforts. Most of the teams surrounding them had already finished their snowman or were close to finishing. Jordyn was the only participant who had yet to form the second sphere of her creation.
Five minutes wasn’t much, but five minutes less of being pummeled by snowballs might give Jordyn a fighting chance in the contest and would be worth the effort.
Ducking behind his team’s snowman, Nate gathered a pile of snow at his boots, packed together several snowballs, then leaned around the snowman, waiting for Chester to turn his back and project another snowball at Jordyn.
“Let it loose,” Tucker said in a hushed voice over his shoulder.
And Nate did just that.
Still hidden behind the base of their snowman, he threw several snowballs in quick succession, each one aimed for a different member of the Stone family. Three out of four snowballs hit their mark, smacking Chester, Drake, and Chester’s mother, Betty Stone, square in the gut. The move was enough to distract the Stones from their attack on Jordyn, prompting them to glance in every direction, looking for the source of their own assailant.
Chester and Drake’s eyes narrowed in Nate’s direction, but they were unable to pinpoint him as he crouched low in the snow behind his snowman, shielded by Tucker’s tall form.
“That you, Nate?” Drake shouted. “I can’t see you, but I know what you’re up to. Chuck another one of those at me and I’ll turn you in to the Nanas for cross-conspiracy. And from what I’ve heard, they’re out for you anyways.”
Tell me something I don’t know! Chuckling under his breath, Nate remained crouched out of view behind his snowman as his eyes met Jordyn’s. She patted a fresh layer of snow onto the midsection of her snowman, and mouthed, Thank you!
The grateful admiration in her pretty features sent a wave of warmth through him.
“Four minutes,” Carol Belle announced.
Jordyn, a frantic look in her eyes, returned to the task at hand, chucking handfuls of snow on top of her entry and desperately trying to construct a snowman before time ran out.
With the Stone family’s attention now focused on Nate, she was able to add a great deal more snow to her haphazard creation, but when time was called, her snowman remained unfinished.
Nate winced. Well, it could barely be called a snowman, considering it was just one sphere topped with un-leveled clumps of snow that failed to form a shape of any kind.
“Step away from your snowmen, please,” Carol Belle directed over the speakers. “The judges will be around momentarily to evaluate each team’s snowman. In the meantime, the very gracious owners of Kringle Café have provided a warming station on the north end of the town square with free hot chocolate and hot apple cider. Let’s give them a hefty thank-you for their donations, shall we?”
Nate clapped along with the rest of the crowd and Roxie bounced in place, shouting, “Hot chocolate! I’m gonna get whipped cream on mine.”
“Now, please disperse for the judging and enjoy a warm beverage while you wait,” Carol Belle directed the crowd.
Excited voices and holiday music peppered the air as everyone left their snowmen, made their way to the north end of the town square and huddled by the warming flames of small, outdoor firepits while enjoying cups of hot chocolate and apple cider.
“You did an awesome job, sweet girl,” Tucker said, crouching beside Roxie and giving her a high five. “Why don’t you and I grab us a cup of hot chocolate and bring one back for your dad?”
Roxie smiled, her blue eyes full of joy. “And Ms. Jordyn, too? Can we bring her one?”
“I don’t see why not.” Tucker looked in Jordyn’s direction, lifted his chin and shouted, “Hey, Jordyn! Me and Roxie are grabbing some hot chocolate. You want us to bring you one back?”
Jordyn paused in the act of brushing snow off her jeans and nodded in Tucker’s direction. “That’d be great. Thanks!”
Tucker took Roxie by the hand and they left, Roxie skipping beside him as they made their way toward the north end of the town square.
Moments later, Nate felt an elbow gently nudge his arm.
“Thank you,” Jordyn whispered near his ear.
Nate stilled, his heart kicking his ribs, then faced her, his breath catching at the pink in her cheeks and tempting lips. Her green eyes, the deepest shade he’d ever seen, sparkled with mischief and merriment. “For what?” he asked.
“For holding off that evil little boy and his family.”
Nate strived for an innocent expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She grinned, leaning closer. “Oh, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You, my friendly enemy, helped me out in my time of need.”
Man, up close, she was even more gorgeous. The teasing lilt of her voice, her admiring expression and the warmth radiating from her body after the bout of exercise tempted him to lean in, lower his head, and brush his cheek against hers. But, somehow, he managed to hold back.
“I did nothing of the sort,” he said softly. “Cross-conspiring is against the rules, you know.”
“Oh, I know.” She grinned, those beautiful emerald eyes of hers roving slowly over his face. “But you did anyway. Even though it might cost you in the long run.”
“If you’re thinking of turning me in for breaking the rules,” he said quietly, “you’ll have a hard time. The Nanas require proof before they take action on things like that, and you’ll be hard-pressed to show them any concrete evidence.”
Lips curving, she eased even closer, her arm brushing his. “I have no interest in turning you in. All I’m interested in is thanking you.”
With that, she lifted to her toes, leaned even closer and brushed a kiss across his cheek. Her warm mouth was a soothing balm to his chilled cheek and his eyes slowly closed as he gave in to temptation, leaning into the soft touch of her lips, savoring her touch.
Maybe it was the warmth of her presence, the aromas of sweet chocolate and spicy cider mingling on the air between them or simply the nostalgic joy that remained after a good old-fashioned snowball fight, but whatever it was, he wanted more. He wanted to turn his head, press his mouth to hers and explore the taste and feel of her mouth against his.
But the moment was over.
Jordyn stepped away, her gaze lingering on his mouth briefly before she met his eyes and whispered, “I’m no damsel in distress, Neighbor Nate. But sometimes, it’s nice to have a knight like you around.”