Chapter 2
TWO
Cole
Say yes, say yes, say yes, I chant to myself as I wait for Blair to respond.
I’ve put my foot in my mouth every single time I’ve been around Blair, and I know her Christmas project is my chance to get close to her.
The first time I saw Blair was at the bank when I went to deposit a check. I looked up as I reached the counter and locked eyes with her. Then I behaved like a bumbling idiot for the next five minutes. I don’t even remember what I said, but I know I insulted her in some way.
I remember kicking myself the entire way back to my ranch and promising to do better the next time I saw her.
I planned to be charming and smooth. We would talk, and I would ask her out.
Then I’d take her on a date, and she’d realize, like I did, that we were meant for each other. We would live happily ever after.
What actually happened was that I ran into Blair at the Wolf Valley Market, crashed my cart into hers in my excitement to get to her, and knocked her backward into a toilet paper display. She glared at me for a full minute before she stomped away.
The next time I saw her was at the coffee shop. I tried to be smooth and sent over a hot chocolate. What I didn’t know was that the shop put in skim milk. When Blair found out, I think she thought I was calling her fat. She stormed out away from me then, too.
This is my fourth chance, and I’m on edge. Things seem to be going well, but I’m terrified I’ll mess it all up.
Blair is always on guard around me. This Winter Festival could be my chance to convince her to lower her guard and let me in. This is my chance. Blair is my dream girl, and I need her to realize that I’m her dream man.
She’s so closed off and guarded. I wonder who hurt her?
My hands tighten as I think about anyone upsetting my girl.
I watch as Blair smooths her napkin between her fingers and shifts. She does that a lot. She’s very organized and methodical. I wonder if maybe she’s OCD as well as dyslexic.
I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on that before now.
I’ve watched Blair enough to know a few things—she loves numbers, is smart as hell, kind and generous, but shy.
She doesn’t like crowds. She dresses modestly for work, but casually when she’s off the clock.
She doesn’t like to drive and prefers to walk.
I saw her looking nervous and awkward as she read the menu at the coffee shop and never realized that it was because she was struggling.
Would it be weird if I offered to drive her everywhere, to stick by her side and read everything for her for the rest of her life?
Yes, probably.
Still, I want to…
“Okay,” Blair says softly.
“Okay?” I ask in confusion.
“You can help with the booth.”
“Oh! Great! We can start tomorrow.”
She nods, pulling out her phone and tapping on her calendar. “What time?” she asks, all business now.
“You get off at five?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
“Yes.”
“Okay, I can pick you up from the bank, and we can go get supplies. We’ll be able to fit more in my truck than in your car.”
She nods, looking relieved. “Okay, sounds good.”
Blair enters it into her calendar, and I smile at how cute she is.
We finish our food and talk about ideas. I read her some of the examples from the email, and we have a rough plan by the time the server returns with the bill. I pay it before Blair can.
She frowns. “You didn’t have to pay.”
“It’s my pleasure,” I tell her honestly.
We stand, and I set my hand on the small of her back to escort her through the crowded diner. It’s snowing when we step outside, and Blair wraps her coat tighter around her.
“Let me give you a ride,” I say, nodding to my truck.
“You don’t have to do that,” she protests.
“It’s not a big deal. Come on.”
Pushing on the small of her back, I steer her toward my truck. I open the door for her and help her inside. When I go to buckle her in, she stops me.
“I’m not an idiot!” she snaps. “I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can,” I say in surprise. “I didn’t… I know how smart you are.”
She looks out the windshield, her teeth gritted.
“Hey,” I say softly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I… I like taking care of you. I know you can do that yourself, and I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“It’s okay,” she whispers. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
“No apologies necessary.”
I close her door and round the truck, climbing behind the wheel.
“When my family and classmates found out I was dyslexic, they treated me differently. Like I was an idiot or damaged goods,” she admits bitterly.
“They shouldn’t have done that. There’s not a damn thing wrong with you,” I tell her firmly.
She lets out a bitter laugh. “There’s so much wrong with me.”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Look at me! I’m fat—”
“Curvy,” I interrupt.
“I can’t read—”
“Takes you longer, but you can read.”
“I don’t fit in—”
“Everyone around here who knows you loves you,” I correct.
“Cole!”
I shrug. “Just correcting false statements.”
She growls adorably.
I grin. “You fit in here just fine. And you have a banging body.”
“Oh, my god,” she groans, a blush staining her cheeks.
“And you’re smart. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.”
She looks out the passenger window.
I reach over, taking her hand. “Don’t talk badly about yourself. I don’t like it.”
She swallows and nods once.
I start my truck and pull out of the parking spot, heading to her apartment.
“How do you know where I live?” she asks as I turn onto her street.
“It’s not a big town,” I say, dancing around the truth, which is that I know a lot about her and want to learn more.
We pull up outside her apartment, and I shift into park.
“Thanks for the ride,” she says, gathering her things.
“Anytime. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nods, smiling weakly as she climbs out of the truck.
Blair waves once and enters her building. I watch her go, shift into drive, and head home.
I live on the outer edge of town, on a sixty-acre ranch.
This place reminds me of my childhood, which is one of the reasons I bought the ranch when I got out of the military.
I knew I didn’t want to go back to Montana.
I wanted to put down roots somewhere that no one knew me and landed in Wolf Valley.
Thank God I did.
I park outside my place, surveying the barn and paddocks as I climb out of the truck. Everything seems to be in place, and I smile as I head inside.
My phone rings as I unlock the front door, and I grin as I see the name on the screen.
“Hey, Mary!” I greet my foster mom.
“Cole! When are you going to come for a visit?”
I snort. “I was in Silver Bell Hollow a few weeks ago,” I remind her.
“That wasn’t a long enough visit,” she complains.
“I know. I’ll try to come back soon,” I promise. “How’s everything there?”
Mary and Christopher Maas were my heroes when I was a kid.
Hell, they still are. They opened their ranch to foster kids, gave them a home, a family, and a place where they could belong.
They taught me how to be a good person, how to take care of myself, and do all of that life stuff.
They made me the man I am today, and I owe them my life.
I try to go back a few times a year and visited a few weeks ago.
I went to the Silver Bell Christmas Festival the first weekend of December with my foster brothers.
We watched the tree lighting, sled races, mistletoe scavenger hunt, and spiced cider contest. It was good to see so many familiar faces and catch up with my family and friends.
“You should come back for Christmas,” Mary tells me.
I smile. “I’d love that, but I’m needed here.”
She sighs. “I hate thinking of you all alone for the holidays.”
I clear my throat. “Well, I may not be alone this year.”
“Cole Hunter! Did you meet someone?” she asks excitedly.
“Yeah.” I grin.
“What’s her name? Where did you meet her? What does she do? When can I meet her?” Mary asks, firing off questions faster than I can process them.
“Her name’s Blair. She works at the bank here in town, and that’s where we met.”
“Oh! I’m so happy for you! Where was your first date? How long have you two been together? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Well… we haven’t gone out yet. Not exactly,” I admit.
Silence greets me.
“I know it sounds crazy, but she’s it for me, Mary. I knew it as soon as I saw her.”
“I’m happy for you, Cole.”
“You think that I’m crazy,” I groan.
She chuckles. “No, I believe you. You were never interested in any of the girls in town. Never even had a crush on anyone. If you say that Blair is the one for you, I know she is.”
“Thanks,” I whisper.
“Let me know when I can meet her.”
I laugh. “I will. I promise. Now, tell me how things are going in Silver Bell Hollow.”
I sit in my recliner as she tells me about the ranch and the holiday preparations. I listen, smiling as she tells me about what’s been happening on the ranch where I grew up.
I was the youngest of the boys during my time with Mary and Christopher and don’t recall much of my life before I was placed there.
I remember being worried and uneasy when I first arrived at the ranch, but that didn’t last long.
Every other boy there was in the same situation as I was.
We were all abandoned or orphaned. We were all alone… until the Maas’s took us in.
When I turned eighteen, I decided to leave Montana and see the world. I joined the Army and became a Green Beret. In the military, I found another family. I grew close to my friends during boot camp and deployments. I was happy. Settled.
I was an Army Green Beret until about a year ago when I got shot.
I was deployed overseas when it happened and had to be flown to the base in Germany for treatment.
When I came out of surgery, I knew my military career was over.
I could see it on the faces of my friends in the room, and I ended up spending my recovery trying to figure out a new plan for my life.
So, I fell back on what I knew and bought a ranch.
“Love seems to be in the air,” Mary murmurs.
I raise an eyebrow, picturing her smiling. “Is that so?”
“Oh, yeah. Grady, Dallas, Nate, and you. Everyone seems to be falling in love this Christmas.”
“Really? Well, I can’t wait to meet everyone.”
“You know they’re all here for Christmas this year…” She trails off.
“Not this year, Mary, but soon. I’ll bring Blair home soon.”
“You’d better. All right, I’ll let you go, but don’t be a stranger. You know you’re always welcome here. Anytime.”
“I know. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Cole. Take care.”
We end the call, and I smile as I think about my found family and how different next Christmas might be if we’re all falling in love and settling down.
Yawning, I plug my phone in and get ready for bed. I take a shower, smiling as I think about seeing Blair tomorrow.
I’m excited to spend so much time with my girl, and I know that if I play this right, I might just get what I want most this Christmas.
My curvy little ice princess.