Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Jordan had said Cole habitually short-changed himself and Mila was seeing it in real time. She’d just have to derail the tendency.
Fortunately for her cause, his body wasn’t on board with that habit. Words weren’t effective, but actions were. She could employ that strategy to its fullest once they were alone.
At the Raccoon’s front door, he reached for the handle and paused. “Hang on. I meant to ask you this at the break, but then we went outside and I forgot.” He glanced at her. “Would you consider singing with the band for the last set?”
“Me? I’m not a performer.”
“But you sang with me at the wedding reception.”
“That was different. It was just family and close friends.”
“But you’ve sung in public before. I’d bet on it.”
“Yeah, back in high school, in choir and a couple of musicals, but that’s not like singing in a professional setting.”
“But you could. You have the voice for it and Sam already said it’s a great idea.”
“You talked to him?”
“I did and he’s all for it. You probably know the Christmas stuff they’ve been playing. And you said you’d help me with Feliz Navidad.”
“Well, sure, but—”
“I’d love to have you up there with me for the last set.”
As if she could resist that comment or the eagerness in his smoke-gray eyes. Maybe she’d make a fool of herself, but at least she’d get to be with him. “Okay, we can give it a try.”
“Excellent. I promise you’ll have fun.” He opened the door and ushered her inside.
The Rooty Toots welcomed her with such enthusiasm that she felt obligated to say she’d never sung professionally. She’d performed before an audience this large during the high school musicals, but they’d rehearsed the heck out of those numbers.
The band started her off with Winter Wonderland. Sam offered to harmonize if she’d take the melody. Nerves jangling, she agreed. What had Cole gotten her into?
But after the first few lyrics, her jitters disappeared and her love of singing took over. Harmonizing with Sam was easy and the mellow notes from Cole’s fiddle blended in like a dream.
Partway through she flashed him a smile and he responded with a wink. Dancers whirled around the floor, moving to music she’d helped create. Yeah, she liked this. A lot.
The applause at the end felt damn good, too. At the reception she’d sung along with Cole’s fiddle playing mostly to flirt with him. She’d chalked up his compliments to him flirting back.
But his suggestion tonight had nothing to do with flattery. Evidently he valued her talent and liked making music with her. Heady stuff.
For the next hour she summoned her inner Faith Hill, throwing herself into Christmas classics like Jingle Bell Rock, Santa Baby and Sleigh Ride. Although she harmonized each number with Sam, she remained acutely aware of that fiddle and the man who was playing it.
As midnight grew closer, she was about to remind Luis about Tia Ezzie’s request when Sam announced a short break and approached her with more sheet music.
He held it out. “Cole said your auntie wants us to play Feliz Navidad.”
“She does, and I know it, so I don’t need that."
“This is a little different, the duet version, and I was hoping—”
“The one with Michael Bublé and Thalia? I love that!” She took the sheet music. “I’d be honored to sing it with you.”
“Great.” He smiled. “I’ve had this tucked away, too, waiting for a Spanish-speaking vocalist to take her part.”
“You found her. Give me a minute to show this to Cole so he’ll be up to speed. He doesn’t know the song.”
“Sure.”
Sheet music in hand, she approached Cole, who was chatting with Billy, the drummer.
He glanced up. “Did you say yes to the Feliz Navidad duet?”
“You bet I did. I thought you’d like to take a look at the music. Ever played the song?”
“No, ma’am. Billy says the original is really simple, but the duet adds quite a bit to it.”
“Right.” She grabbed the music stand they’d set aside and laid the sheet music on it just as Sam walked over.
He glanced at Cole. “I see you reaching for your glasses, but I don’t think you need to see the sheet music. Ever improvise?”
Cole smiled. “All the time.”
“Then don’t worry about the melody. Just get a sense of it and jump in with some flourishes whenever you want.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” He picked up the music stand. “C’mon, Mila, let’s go impersonate Michael and Thalia.”
When Sam announced what they were about to attempt, a ripple of excitement moved through the room. “You’re welcome to join in on the chorus,” he told the crowd before adjusting his guitar strap. “Ready Thalia?”
She grinned. “Ready, Michael. Start us off.” If she hadn’t been performing for almost an hour, she’d be scared stiff, but she’d become comfortable on this stage.
On top of that, she’d sung Thalia’s part a million times.
Still, she kept the sheet music in front of her because it was a complicated duet.
And a romantic one, weaving a love song into the traditional Christmas greeting. Sam delivered the Spanish opening perfectly, his voice that of a tender lover pledging his heart to his beloved.
She barely had time to wonder if Sam had a sweetheart before it was time to join him in the song. Ah, how she wished Cole knew more Spanish so he’d understand what she was saying with those words.
Her family did, and when she peeked at them, the joy on their beloved faces, especially Tia Ezzie’s, made her tear up.
But she never lost her concentration, not even when Cole began to play, overlaying the melody with rich tones that emphasized the romantic words. Maybe he knew those words, after all.
Would the crowd join in? She hoped so. This song was made for that, for bringing everyone together in the spirit of the season.
Then she heard them, the Dazzling Damsels, singing for all they were worth. That was all it took and soon the room was vibrating with the heartfelt words — Feliz Navidad. How could Cole not love this outpouring of goodwill?
As the final notes of the song were followed by thunderous applause, she glanced over at him. He looked dazed, and maybe that was a good thing.
Sam decided to close out the set with All I Want for Christmas Is You, and insisted she perform it solo. Caught up in the moment, adrenaline pumping, she sang directly to Cole.
He responded by locking his gaze with hers during the entire number. As the last note died away and the applause began, he tipped his hat to her. None of that went unnoticed by her brothers, who added whistles of approval to the round of applause.
As for Cole, he chuckled and ducked his head. But then he glanced up and sent her a look so intense she quivered with longing.
The effect of that intimate moment remained with her as the party broke up and everyone headed outside. Cole took her hand, his fingers sliding through hers and tightening as they exited surrounded by the Bridger Bunch.
Her family kept up a steady flow of alcohol-induced banter, alternating between raving about hers and Cole’s musical abilities and teasing them about the heat they’d generated onstage.
The joking continued as Claudie, Monty and Rio piled into the backseat of Cole’s silver truck and Cole helped her into the passenger seat.
“Is it me or is it hot in this truck?” Rio settled in and buckled up.
Mila turned and gave him a look.
Claudie giggled as Cole climbed behind the wheel. “For sure it’s smokin’ hot up front.” Then she ducked her head and lowered her voice. “But maybe we shouldn’t tease the guy who volunteered to haul our asses home.”
Cole snorted. “Excellent point.” He backed out of the parking space.
“Hey, Claudie-waddie, whatcha doin’ in the middle?” Rio had definitely imbibed freely tonight. He hadn’t used that nickname in years.
“I like it here.”
“Aha!” Rio tapped Cole on the shoulder. “See? She likes sittin’ in the middle.”
“Glad to hear it.” Cole winked at Mila.
That wink had more power every time he used it. The trip home would be a long one, especially with Claudie and Rio in the back laughing and whispering about them. Monty, as usual, was asleep.
“Hey, Claudie-waddie.” Rio ducked his head, as if he thought that would muffle his voice. “See how they’re lookin’ at each other?”
She hunkered down, too. “They’re in luuuv.”
“Yeah, but I don’t wanna end up in a ditch.”
“Don’t worry. I’m watchin’ for funny business.”
Mila glanced at Cole. “Please excuse them. They’re plastered.”
“No, really?”
“Am not,” Claudie sang out.
“Me, either!” Rio used his hat to cover the space between the driver and passenger seat and went back to whispering. “Whatcha gonna do if there’s funny business?”
“Poke ’em.”
Grinning at Cole, Mila reached over and put a hand on his thigh. He returned the favor. The warmth of his hand was sweet torture since home was still almost thirty minutes away, but she couldn’t resist trolling her siblings.
Rio moved his hat. “Uh-oh! Funny business!”
Mila lost it. She had to abandon the game to dig out a tissue from her tiny purse and mop the tears of laughter from her face.
“Hey, Claudie-waddie, you didn’t poke ’em.”
“Didn’t have to. They stopped.”
After blowing her nose, Mila turned to gaze at her sister and brother. “No poking.”
Claudie gave her a Cheshire Cat grin. “Tell us the surprise and we won’t bug you.”
“Good one!” Rio bumped his shoulder against Claudie’s. “Tell us and you can put your hands wherever you wanna.”
“What if I wanna put them around your neck, muchacho?”
“You know what?” Cole put on his turn signal and pulled onto the two-lane highway. “Why not let them try to guess the surprise?”
“Seriously?”
“Sure. I’ll throw out the first clue. The surprise is very sweet.”
“That’s a great clue.” She was impressed. He might be better at playing these games than she’d expected.
“Cupcakes are sweet,” Rio said.
“Cupcakes?” Claudie laughed. “It’s been two months. He was buildin’ somethin’, like… like maybe—”
“Somethin’ ta hold cupcakes! A Chrismus tree!” Rio sounded pleased with himself.
“For two months? He woulda finished in two days. It’s not a cupcake tree.”
“Maybe it’s like…a… Chrismus tree made of… I dunno… horseshoes!”
“Come on, Rio. Ya don’t weld horseshoes in the hayloft. You’d burn that sucker down.”
Mila liked this bunny trail and didn’t want them to abandon it. “What if he built something without welding?”
Cole nodded. “Polyurethane adhesive is a wonderful thing.”
“What fits in a horseshoe?” Rio punched his hand in the air. “A cupcake!”
Claudie snorted. “It’d fall through and go plop, silly.”
“What if he put another one facin’ up? Or two facin’ up?”
“Might work.”
“Damn straight. Woo-hoo, guessed it! Horseshoe cupcake Chrismus tree. High five!”
“Hold on a dang minute. Does he bake?”
“I dunno.” Rio tapped him on the shoulder again. “Do ya bake, dude?”
“Sometimes.”
“See? It’s a horseshoe cupcake Chrismus tree.”
“Nosir. It’s somethin’ way cooler. And I live with Mila. She’s gonna spill the beans.”
“There’s only one flaw in that logic.” Mila turned toward the back seat. “I won’t be spending much time with you between now and Christmas.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re movin’ in with Cole?”
“I didn’t mean that.” The tantalizing prospect had occurred to her but it seemed a little soon. “We’re taking it slow.”
Rio chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“Hmm.” Claudie sank back against the seat. “Mila bakes.”
“It’s Mila’s cupcakes in the horseshoes?”
“Could be. She’s gonna add somethin’ to it.”
“Okay, then.” Rio leaned forward. “Cupcake horseshoe Christmas tree. Are we right?”
Cole met Rio’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “No.”
“Well, fudge it all.” He flopped back against the seat. “Fluffy fudge it all.”
“Fluffy?” Claudie giggled. “Where did that come from?”
“My mouth. It came from my mouth.”
“I know, dummy. But Cole says just plain fudge.”
“I’m addin’ my own twist and that’s what came to me. Fluffy fudge it all.”
“Tomorrow I’m gonna think that’s stupid. Tonight it’s sooo funny. Fluffy fudge it all! Maybe Cole hates it.”
“I don’t.”
Claudie let out a deep sigh. “Good thing it’s not a horseshoe cupcake Chrismus tree. It’s somethin’ better, right?”
Mila exchanged a look with Cole. “Way better.”
He reached for her hand. “Thanks for that.”
“Claudie-waddie. Check it out. Funny business.”
“They’re just holdin’ hands and we’re close to home. No biggie.”
Easy for Claudie to say. She wasn’t the one holding Cole’s hand. They’d be parked by the barn in less than ten minutes.
Cole brushed his thumb over her palm in a lazy caress, sending her pulse into overdrive. She snuck a glance at him.
He sucked in a breath and turned his head. “Almost there.”
“Yeah.” Oh, yeah.