Chapter 2
Colin
I worked hard on putting the display up, starting with the lights on the porch and in the yard.
I strung icicle lights along my porch railing, draped lights over the front windows, and blanketed the bushes in front of the house with netted lights.
Later, I could hang the icicles from the gutter, and I planned to put lights in the shapes of shooting stars on the slope of the roof.
Each year, my display got bigger and better, and I’d won five years running. I always rolled the prize money back into the competition, helping to purchase new lights and pay the electric bill that skyrocketed in winter.
As I worked, wrapping lights around the branches of the dogwood trees in my front yard, I listened to my favorite Christmas music, singing along and letting my mind wander back to Dakota, my serious—and seriously sexy—new neighbor.
I’d noticed the way his friend elbowed him when I mentioned I was single and I wondered if that meant I had a chance.
Not that I needed to be getting involved with the neighbor.
It hadn’t ended well, the last time I’d dated someone in the neighborhood.
When we broke up, they’d attempted to sabotage my lights display.
Luckily, I’d foiled that plan before it got too far.
Then again, if my reading on Dakota was right, he wasn’t interested in my lights display at all, which was good.
I didn’t need a saboteur again this year.
I was going for win number six—beating the record of five consecutive wins that I was already tied for.
The first five-time winner honor had gone to Amos Ambrose back in the nineties.
Nobody had gotten close since, until I’d started my winning streak.
By the time the sun began to set, I was pleased with my progress, and I wrapped up by placing the candy cane lights along the driveway and along the border of my yard. It was coming together nicely, and I was proud of what I’d done.
The following day was Monday, and as the week progressed, I couldn’t find time to put up any more lights.
Work was super busy and I was getting home after dark every night.
I couldn’t exactly climb on the roof to put up the shooting stars in the dark, so it would have to wait until the weekend.
When Saturday finally rolled around, I was excited to get back to work on my display.
Carefully, I placed a ladder against the side of the house. I hefted an armful of spools of lights up the ladder and sat the spools firmly on the roof. The next thing I knew, I was balancing on the roof, my feet firmly on the shingles, and placing lights carefully in the design I’d planned.
“Daddy, that man is on the roof,” a little girl’s voice called as I started laying out the second of the three shooting stars I had planned.
“He sure is.” I recognized the second voice as Dakota’s immediately.
Cautiously, I turned and waved. Next to Dakota, who looked absolutely delicious in a dark sweater and jeans, was a little girl with blonde pigtails wearing a pink sparkly dress.
“Why is he on the roof? You said it’s dangerous,” she continued.
“I did say that. It looks like he’s putting up some decorations. I’m sure he’s being careful.”
“Hey, guy! Daddy says I can’t go on the roof. It’s not safe.”
Dakota shook his head gently. “Caroline, his name is Mr. Colin, and I promise he’s being careful.”
She beamed. “Hi, Mr. Colin!”
I chuckled and lowered myself to sitting. “That’s right. I’m being very careful. But your daddy’s right. It’s not safe for kids. You’ll have to enjoy my Christmas decorations from down there.”
Her eyes lit up. “I love Christmas. Daddy says Santa will find me no matter what house I live in. Even if I don’t live in our old house. He says Santa doesn’t care if it’s Mommy’s house or Daddy’s. He’ll still know how to get my presents to me.”
I grinned, my heart melting. “That’s true. Santa knows everything and he can find anyone.” I hesitated for a moment. “What are you asking Santa to bring you this year?”
“A pointy princess hat and a white pony.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s a tall order, asking for a pony.”
She shrugged. “My friend Sarah has a pony. A real one. He’s brown though. I want a white one, like a real princess would have.”
“And where would you keep him?” I asked.
Another shrug. “In the backyard,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Dakota put a hand on her little shoulder. “Let’s get inside, baby. It’s cold out here. Besides, I’m sure Mr. Colin has more to do than just chat with us.”
From where I sat, I could hear her exasperated sigh. “Okay. Bye, Mr. Colin.” She waved and trudged away, toward her own house. Dakota gave me one last glance and a little wave before following her inside.
He was just being friendly, I told myself, despite the butterflies that fluttered through me when he waved. Nothing to see here.
An hour or so later, I was satisfied with my work on the roof.
The stars were arranged the way I’d envisioned, and I was getting colder by the minute.
I scooted toward the ladder, but as I swung my foot over the side, the leg of my jeans caught on one of the rails.
I pulled my leg back to avoid getting tangled or pulled off the roof, and as I did, the ladder wobbled.
I reached for it, but it was too late—the ladder rocked away from the roof and crashed to the ground with a loud clatter.
I sank to a sitting position with a deep sigh.
“Well…” I said to myself after staring at the now-grounded ladder for a moment.
“Now what?” It was quiet out—all of my neighbors were off doing their own things, it seemed.
Of course, I’d left my phone on the porch downstairs.
There was a tiny window above the porch, but it wasn’t the kind that opened, and breaking the glass seemed extreme.
My mind raced through options. I could try to carefully lower myself to the ground.
That seemed like the most practical option, if none of my neighbors passed by anytime soon.
I didn’t want to spend the evening getting colder and colder on my roof and being stranded until dark.
The only other option was to start shouting for help and hope someone heard me.
I closed my eyes and thought for a minute, combing my brain for other possibilities. As I sat there, I heard a door shut and my eyes flew open.
“Hi, Mr. Colin!” Caroline was skipping toward me, wearing a hat and gloves. “Were you sleeping up there?”
I laughed. “Not sleeping. Just waiting. Can you go get your daddy?”
“What were you waiting for?”
“I’m stuck—see?” I pointed at the downed ladder. “Do you think your daddy can help me get down?”
She nodded solemnly. “Be right back,” she called as she raced away. A few minutes later, she was back, leading Dakota by one hand. “Here we are,” she announced.
Sheepishly, I waved to Dakota. “Hey there. I was hoping you could help… my ladder fell.”
He chuckled and nodded, tugging his hand free of Caroline’s. “Sure thing. Lina, stay back, okay baby? I don’t want you to get hurt.” She nodded and scrambled a safe distance away while Dakota hefted the ladder and rested it against the roof.
Relief surged through me. I grabbed the empty light spools and passed them down before climbing down myself. As I descended, Dakota continued to hold the ladder steady, spotting me for safety.
“You really shouldn’t be doing this alone. You could get hurt.”
A few steps later, I was securely on the ground and Dakota was stepping back to give me space. “Apparently, you’re right. The roof is dangerous.”
He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck bashfully before looking at Caroline. “Hear that, Lina?”
She sighed and nodded. “Can we go play now?”
“Of course, baby.” He gave me another glance. “Are you going to be okay now?”
My stomach fluttered again. I forced myself to take a breath, smile, and nod. “A hundred percent.”
A few moments later, I watched as Dakota and Caroline retreated into their yard, Caroline shouting something about a dragon. I watched them for a moment, my chest aching, before I turned away and refocused on my decorations.