8. Landry
8
LANDRY
When we drive past a 'Welcome to Rainbow Springs' sign shaped like a gnome, Star is already leaning forward in her seat, taking in everything there is to see about our new destination.
Having traveled a lot with the love of my life, I've realized that her nomadic roots are embedded deep. Her zest for adventure and exploring new places is both endearing and contagious, but one of the things I love most about my One is her big, giving heart.
“This place is so cute!” she gushes, turning her big hazel eyes my way. “There's so much we can do to festivize the place.”
I'm unable to hold in my snort. “Festivize?”
“It's a word, I swear!” she protests with a playful swat on my arm. “Maybe we could get the Singin' Canary Christmas Sing-off champion to do some carolin' in the town square.”
“Not sure about that,” I chuckle. “Last night was a one-off.”
“Landry Graham, you have a beautiful singin' voice and a talent that must be shared.” She rubs her thumb over my cheek. “You blushin' is cute too.”
“I ain't blushin',” I grumble, but I don't shift away from her touch.
A giggle escapes her. “Cute you think that. But seriously, Lan. Think back to how our town was lookin' when we left it yesterday, and now look at this place. It's a week until Santa comes and there ain't any decorations or anythin'. Not even a little bitty piece of tinsel or wreaths on the storefronts. Nothin'.”
“Spring Haven was the same last year before the Sallys decided to liven things up,” I add.
“Exactly! Just imagine how good this place is goin' to look by the time we're finished with it. This whole town is goin' to be decked out in so much red, white, and green that no one will say 'bah humbug' for miles !” she says excitedly.
I glance out the window at the quaint buildings along the sleepy main street. The whole town has a vintage feel to it but it's also a quintessential mountain town you drive through and want to stop in. One you'd see on a movie set—whether it's one of those rom-coms Star makes me watch or a horror movie, I'm not quite sure about yet.
“You know what I was thinkin'?” my beautiful wife says. “This whole little trip of ours would make a perfect holiday romance movie.”
My head snaps her way. “How do you do that?”
Star's nose scrunches up as she studies me. “Do what?”
“Read my mind. I was just thinkin' that this place looks like a movie set.” I reach over to squeeze her hand. “Like the ones you make me watch every year from Thanksgivin' to Christmas.”
“What would the plot be if we were makin' a movie here I wonder…?” She looks out through the windshield. “Oooh. I know. A recently-single interior designer returns to her sleepy hometown in Rainbow Springs, Alaska…”
“To save her family's gnome business,” I add.
“Yes! And then she ends up fallin' in love with the rugged, yet charmin' local handyman who helps her bring the magic back to not only the town, but her shop called Gnome Sweet Gnome.” Star sags back into the passenger seat with a smile, her face turned my way. “This is just one of the million reasons I love you. Just so you know.”
“Just a million ? I must be losin' my touch, darlin',” I drawl, loving the way my wife's eyes melt. “I can't count the number of reasons I love you. Because every single day, I fall in love with you a little bit more than the day before. And I can't wait to do it all again tomorrow, and next week, and next year and?—”
Star sighs and moves along the seat to cuddle into my side, resting her cheek against my arm. “You are the sweetest man I've ever met, you know that?”
Now I'm the one grinning because I feel ten feet tall and bulletproof with my One by my side. “Only that way because of you, Star. Now let's find this Gnomery so the fun can begin.”
That's when Star lifts and kisses my cheek before grabbing the walkie-talkie. “Christmas four callin' Sally Forth and all the Christmas trucks. Do you copy? Over.”
“Affirmative, Christmas Four,” Ruthie replies. “Sally Forth ready and waitin'.”
Star waits for the rest of the group to respond before continuing. “I think it's high time we get this show on the road so we can start spreadin' some much-needed Christmas cheer around Rainbow Springs. What do you say? Over.”
“Copy that, Christmas Four,” Lee's voice crackles through the handset. “Let's get this party started! Over.”
“How 'bout we start by headin' over to the Gas, Convenience, Post Office, Hardware Store, and Gnomery, get our cabin keys, and tell George about his surprise. Over,” Red suggests.
“Ready to meet your pen pal, Gramma, and give him a Christmas he'll never forget? Over,” Star asks over the airwaves.
“Ready as I'll ever be, child. Sally Forth, over and out.”
I'm filled with both excitement and a sense of purpose as we pull into the parking lot of the Gnomery,
When Gramma let me and Star read George's letter, I'd never been more compelled to help a stranger before. This was a man who has given—and continues to give—everything to his hometown and his family's legacy. A man who holds all of the town's positions because I suspect there's no one else who can or wants to do it.
Now all he wants is a Christmas people dream about and being here in person, I can see just how much this town needs this. How much George needs this.
Thankfully, our ranch family and the Sallys are all on the same page and want to do everything in our power to give him his Christmas wish. First things first, we need to surprise George and tell him why we're here.
Star and I step out of the truck, greeted by the crisp winter air and the sound of cheerful chatter from our friends, everyone buzzing with energy and eager to start on our mission.
A rosy-cheeked Ruthie approaches us with a grin. “Alright, y'all. Let's head inside and get the introductions out of the way. Later we can all come up with a game plan for the week.”
'Includin' more challenges. Cause I'm not losin' to Landry and Cora again,” Toby grumbles, ever the competitor. Sometimes I wonder if it's because he's the middle child of five siblings, our sister Tess the only one living away from home now.
“C'mon, Tobes. I can't help it if I got all the talent in the family,” I muse, puffing my chest out just that little bit extra.
The rest of the family chuckles, including Dee who bear hugs her pouting husband.
“After you, Gramma,” I say, holding my elbow out for her arm before I lead her toward the front door of the building.
“Is it crazy that I'm feelin' a wee bit nervous about meetin' him?” Gramma whispers for my ears only.
I cover her hand with mine and lean in close. “You've been talkin' to each other for a while and now you're goin' to meet your friend for the first time. If he knew you were comin', he'd be nervous too. We've got you, Gramma. It's goin' to be fine.”
She grins up at me and I feel it right in the middle of my chest. “You're a good man, Landry Graham. Star is a lucky woman.”
“It's the other way around, ma'am,” I say just before I hold the door open for her and usher her inside.
The bell above the door jingles as we enter, and I can't help but smile at the cozy atmosphere of the place.
The whole shop is filled to the brim with all kinds of things that you'd expect to find in an all-in-one gas, convenience, post office, and hardware store. Then there's the gnomery part of the business.
There are gnomes of all shapes and sizes lining the shelves, each one with a unique personality. There are some new ones from the last time Star and I were here, ones I think might have been inspired by our visit, like a white goat that could pass for our little Nelly Nosey Parker back home, a dog that I swear looks like Rhett and Cora's Bruno, a few Halloween ones, a turkey, and even one dressed like a mountain man cowboy, complete with a plaid shirt and hat.
George walks out from the back of the store, looking no different than the first time I saw him months ago when we came for Mags and Red's surprise rodeo wedding.
Standing no more than five feet tall, his build is stout and sturdy, his skin thick and weathered, like a man who's lived his life to the fullest. Then there's the bulbous nose and bushy brows arched over honest eyes which just make him look like someone you instantly trust. And apparently want to cross the state to meet.
His big toothy grin falters ever so slightly as he takes in the big group who have now all filed in behind us. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees Ruthie, a smile slowly spreading across his features. Without a word, he runs around the counter and crosses the room in quick steps, his arms opening wide as Ruthie meets him in the middle for what seems like a long-overdue hug.
“I can't believe you're here,” he says, stepping back before looking again at the rest of the family. “Well, now. There sure is a bunch of y'all. Red! You came back!”
“Sure did,” Red replies, stepping forward hand in hand with Mags. “We heard that you've been writin' Miss Ruthie here and we just had to come by for another visit. My wife and I have good memories of Rainbow Springs and your cabin.” I bite back a smirk at Red's words because it was in this town and George's rented cabin that Red and Mags got together.
“That's mighty nice of you,” George says, his eyes looking a little glassy. “I can't believe you brought your family back here too. Not sure my little shop here has ever had this many people at once.”
“A cute place like this? You must be lyin', George,” Mags says with a wink.
George's face softens. “And you're too nice. I remember you. You suggested I change the name of the shop so it wasn't such a mouthful.”
“And that new sign of yours outside looks great ,” Red adds.
“So, what are y'all doin' here? Just stopping by? I didn't know there was another rodeo event…” George says, his whole demeanor so much brighter than when we walked in. “Can I interest any of y'all in a gnome for the gnome fence?”
The Sunday School Sallys step forward to join Gramma and I take that as my cue to move back to my wife.
“We're here because I got your last letter,” Ruthie says. “The one about your Christmas wish.”
George opens his mouth to speak, but no sound comes out at first. His eyes dart between each of us, a mixture of shock and something akin to hope flickering within them.
“You've made the man speechless, Ruthie,” Miss Aggie stage whispers, making us all chuckle.
“Tell him why we're here,” Miss Frankie adds.
All eyes turn to Ruthie who is grinning at George. Proving how invested we are in this, I swear we all hold our breath as we wait for his reaction. “We're here to give you your own Holly Jolly Rainbow Springs Christmas, George.”
“You are?” he says, tears shining in his eyes.
“Sure, we are. But first, we need keys to all the cabins you've got 'cause we're here for the week,” Red announces.
“Done!” Anythin' you need, whatever you want. Free of charge!” George rushes out excitedly.
Rhett chuckles. “Just the cabins, and we'll be payin' our way. You're runnin' a business just like we do back home.”
He nods, looking so grateful my heart swells. “I don't know what to say,” he replies, his voice thick. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Don't thank us yet. You haven't seen how festive we can all get. By the time we're all finished, the main street will be full of people, there'll be Christmas trees on every corner, people buzzin' with the holiday spirit, and tinsel and bells as far as the eye can see. Come Christmas Eve, we'll have rolled out the welcome mat for Santa to deliver presents to all of the town.”
“I can't believe this. I never thought I'd–” George finishes, his voice heavy with emotion as he wipes away a stray tear. His gaze sweeps over every one of us, his eyes filled with gratitude and wonder.
“We're all in this together, George,” Ruthie says, her hand resting on his arm. “Bull Mountain is here to save Christmas.”
“Where do we start?” he asks, bouncing on his feet in a way I never thought a gnome—I mean man—could.
“Is there a place in town we could go to meet, eat, and come up with a plan?” Toby asks just as his stomach grumbles loudly.
George's eyes brighten. “I know just the place!”