Mistletoe Rodeo (Welcome to Ramblewood) (9 page)

It seemed to Nola that the more people tried to celebrate the holiday, the more people wanted to squash it. She’d thought the hospital’s ban on all things Christmas was bad enough; now some wanted to make it illegal to dress as Santa. Honestly, she was surprised they hadn’t added an elf clause to their new law. They could stand to learn a thing or two from Ramblewood’s festive spirit.

With not enough time to run home and change before the party, Nola dug through the spare clothing options she kept on hand in her office. A person could never be too prepared. Nola never knew from one minute to the next what story she might have to cover, so whether it was a turkey pardon on Thanksgiving or a black-tie affair at the art museum, she had a standby outfit ready to go. She’d never been to Slater’s Mill before, but from what she could find online about the honky-tonk, jeans and a flowing bohemian top with a pair of strappy sandals should work nicely. She pinned the top sections of her hair back loosely and double-checked her reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of her office door.

Nola arrived at the bar only moments before Chase and huddled in the dark with the Langtrys and half the town. A sliver of light appeared as Chase opened the door.

“Why is it so dark in here?”

“Surprise!” everyone shouted as the lights came on.

Nola saw Chase stumble backward, almost knocking Jesse over. When he recovered from the shock, he punched each of his brothers in the arm.

The entire Langtry family, children and all, pushed their way toward the front of the room, ushering Nola along with them. Seeing her in the crowd, Chase smiled and reached for her. Grabbing his hand, Nola was surprised when he tugged her into his arms and kissed her in front of his family and friends.

“Wow,” Nola breathlessly said. “Happy birthday.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me, too.” This time it was her turn to kiss Chase, and she did, long and hard, not caring who was watching. The sound of laughter and applause around them intensified as Chase drew her tighter to him.

Throughout the remainder of the evening, Nola stood at Chase’s side, his arm firmly wrapped around her waist and his fingers locked into one of her belt loops. Nola watched people’s expressions as he introduced her to them. No one seemed surprised or off-put that she was with Chase. They hadn’t defined their relationship, but if this didn’t feel like dating, she didn’t know what did.

Tucked against him, she reveled in the way he casually glanced at her and the soft kisses he periodically placed on her cheek for no reason whatsoever. She was actually Prince Charming’s date for the evening. After watching him from afar for so long, the moment felt surreal. And when Kay invited her along with the rest of the family to come back to the ranch for coffee, it felt natural to say yes...as if she actually belonged.

Back at the ranch, Kay brought out stacks of photo albums showing Chase throughout the years. He seemed a tad embarrassed, but Nola thought it was sweet. She was fairly certain her parents didn’t have any photo albums of her. She had a few loose snapshots taken over the years, but none of them contained her entire family together.

“I can sense a kindred spirit from a mile away.” Miranda settled in beside her on the couch. “You don’t have much family, either, do you?”

From the little Nola knew about Miranda Archer-Langtry, she had zero family to speak of.

“My parents are stationed in Europe, and so is my brother. We were never one of those close families. Certainly not like this.”

“It’s a lot to get used to, but you’d be surprised how easy it becomes.” Miranda acknowledged her husband across the room with a slight raise of her chin. “Joe Langtry died shortly after I came to town. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet him. And even in the midst of this family’s grief, they welcomed me in as if I’d been one of their own all along.”

While Nola listened to Miranda, she noticed a man she’d never seen before walking into the room.

“Who’s that?” Nola asked.

“That depends on who you ask. Jon Reese is the family’s personal attorney, but he’s also my best friend from Washington, DC.” Miranda waved to him but she didn’t catch his attention. “Jon grew up here in Ramblewood. He’s actually the one who pointed me in this direction. Long story short, I took a gamble by moving here and won an amazing family. I’m surprised Jon wasn’t at Slater’s Mill earlier.”

“He looks so serious...as if someone died,” Nola whispered. She noted the grim expressions the four brothers exchanged with their mother.

“I’m going to see what’s going on.” Miranda stood and walked across the room toward her husband. After a brief conversation, the Langtry men and Kay left the room.

Miranda returned and sat down on the couch again. “Jesse says it’s just a work thing. Nothing to worry about.”

Nola had been in the business of reading people for years. You learned how to defend yourself in the Army and always watch your enemy. Once she was stateside again, enrolled in college and majoring in telecommunications with a minor in journalism, she had honed that skill. She could usually tell by the slightest gesture or body language when somebody wasn’t telling the truth. The fact that Jesse hadn’t looked Miranda in the eyes during their conversation told her this was much more than just business.

After an hour of waiting for Chase to return and three more cups of coffee, Nola wound her way down the hallway to the bathroom. Pumped full of caffeine, she didn’t think she’d ever get to sleep that night. She’d stopped to admire the many black-and-white photographs that lined the wall when she heard Chase’s voice coming from a partially opened door further down the hall. She peeked through the crack, unobserved by those inside.

“What’s he asking for, then?”

“He wants the mineral rights he claims Joe stole from him in addition to a public apology from all of you,” Jon said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he adds a dollar figure come tomorrow morning.”

“And if we don’t comply?” Cole asked.

“Then he goes public,” Jon replied.

“Daddy didn’t steal anything.” Shane slammed his fist down on the mahogany desk. “I’ve never even heard of this guy before.”

“Scott David is a well-known cattle baron just north of Dallas.” Jon raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t like this any more than you do, and whether you give him what he wants or not, I don’t trust that he’s going to stay quiet.”

Nola knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, but the mention of Scott David’s name glued her to the floor. Now his very public attacks began to make sense.

“Excuse me.” Nola pushed the door open further. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation on my way to the bathroom.”

“Aren’t you...you’re that reporter from Channel 9. What the heck are you doing here?” Jon may have directed the question at Nola, but his eyes were on Shane, looking for confirmation. Shane nodded and everyone looked at her suspiciously.

“I— Yes—I am, but—”

“She’s also my girlfriend.” Chase narrowed his eyes at Jon before ushering Nola out of the room. He pulled the door behind him, making sure it closed tightly. “I’m sorry to have abandoned you out there. This is just some crazy business stuff we need to deal with and I’m probably going to be in there for a while. I think we should just call it a night.”

“I could look into Scott David for you,” Nola offered. “Investigating is part of my job.”

“Yeah, about that.” Chase glanced back at the closed door. “Thank you, but this is just a misunderstanding. Can I trust you not to repeat what you heard?”

Nola opened her mouth, then quickly closed it, only nodding her response. The feeling of acceptance she’d had earlier was gone. Chase may have referred to her as his girlfriend, but the actions of everyone in that room spoke louder than his words. They thought of her as the ruthless reporter looking for a juicy lead. And if it was true that Joe had stolen someone’s land, it certainly would be just the type of story that would propel her toward the coveted co-anchor position.

“Please thank your mom for having me.” Nola gave Chase a quick peck goodbye, already sensing the distance between them. That was okay. Based on the little she’d overheard, Nola didn’t think they knew of Scott David’s online ramblings. She was wide-awake and itching to get home to uncover more information about him and the story behind the accusations.

Chapter Seven

It was the last day of class for Chase’s resident students. He knew he should focus on their performance in the indoor arena, but he hated the way he’d left things with Nola the night before and couldn’t get it out of his head. He had all but accused her of being underhanded. Why hadn’t he acknowledged her willingness to help his family?

Earlier that morning he’d ordered three dozen pink and red roses, intending to have them delivered to her office. He decided, though, that nothing screamed “weak apology” like the faceless delivery of flowers, and he’d arranged to pick them up instead. After a little wrangling at the studio, he’d managed to track down George’s phone number and confirm that Nola was free that night.

Jon’s news had put a damper on an otherwise great birthday. Scott David had made it clear through their attorneys that he was out for blood. Even though everyone had dismissed the idea that Joe Langtry would outright steal, the way Chase’s mother had retreated into herself after Jon left had caused Chase to wonder if she knew more than she was letting on. He’d planned to discuss it with her over breakfast, but she had already left the house by the time he’d made it downstairs.

Chase regarded Shane on the other side of the arena, cheering on their best student as he rode a full eight seconds atop one of their toughest bucking broncs. The tension between the two brothers had grown over the past twenty-four hours, and Chase attributed it to Jon’s remark about Nola.

Shane wasn’t the most trusting of people, not that Chase could blame him. None of them really knew Nola outside of her job. The personal side of her was still new to the Langtrys, and up until last night, they’d all enjoyed having her around as much as he did.

By midafternoon, Chase had said goodbye to the last of the students. The Ramblewood tree lighting would begin in a few hours, and he intended to have Nola there by his side. George had promised to text him when they were on their way back to the studio. Seeing his mother’s car parked alongside the house, Chase decided it was best he reconfirmed whether Nola would still be welcome.

Downstairs in the family wine cellar, Kay removed bottles of Christmas muscadine wine from their racks and placed them in multisectioned canvas totes.

“Where have you been all day?” Chase asked.

“At the winery checking our holiday inventory. I’ve decided to serve our wine at the Mistletoe Rodeo dinner and I threw together some gift baskets to raffle off in the tricky tray.” Kay pointed to a full tote. “Would you take that upstairs for me, then come back and get this one? I want to get things ready for tonight.”

“Speaking of tonight, is Nola still invited?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?” Kay asked, perplexed.

“Well, the way Jon accused her of listening at the door for a news story, I wasn’t sure.”

Kay shook her head. “Jon did no such thing. I think you’re reading too much into it. Besides, there’s no story to report. This is all a misunderstanding. I’m sure Jon and the rest of our attorneys will sort it out. That’s what we pay them for.”

The harshness in his mother’s tone unsettled Chase. He didn’t think he’d ever heard her use the phrase, “That’s what we pay them for” before. It was very unlike her to throw their power around.

“Mom, is there something you’re not telling us?”

Kay stopped and stared at him. “What I’m telling you is to forget this nonsense and help me carry these upstairs. Call your brothers and tell them to get their patooties over here because I want all the Christmas decorations out of the attic before we leave for the tree lighting. I lost track of time today and I’m behind schedule. Now chop-chop.” She clapped her hands for emphasis.

After numerous dusty trips to the attic, Chase needed another shower before catching up with Nola, and now he was running low on time. He’d just finished dressing when he received George’s text. After stopping at the florist along the way, he arrived at the television station with only half an hour to convince Nola to accompany him to the tree lighting—preferably alone. He wanted to spend the evening with her, not with her and George.

Her office door was open and he knocked lightly, hiding his face behind the roses. Not hearing the laughter he had hoped for, he slowly lowered the flowers. Nola sat at her desk, her back rigid, face frozen. By no means did she appear amused or in a forgiving mood. In fact, he wasn’t quite sure what her mood was. She looked like a statue.

“I’ll begin with ‘I’m sorry,’ but I know that probably doesn’t mean much.” Chase took a step forward and set the roses on the corner of her desk.

“It helps.” Nola looked at the arrangement and inhaled the scent without moving from her seated position. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

“I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable last night.” Chase sat in the chair across from her. “The news of this Scott David person just really took us by surprise.”

“What would you say if I told you I wasn’t surprised?” Nola tapped her pen against a file folder in front of her.

“You know Scott David?” Chase knew it was part of Nola’s job to be aware of what was going on out there, but he would have thought a cattle baron north of Dallas was out of her news coverage area.

“I know of him.” Nola opened her folder, turned it toward him and slid it across the desk. “This is a photo of Scott and his trophy wife, Juanita.” Nola flipped the page. “This is his online persona and the avatar he uses when commenting about you and your family.”

Chase studied the pictures, both meaning nothing to him. “What comments has he made? And how do you know about him?”

“After your National Finals interview at the ranch, I went online to check the social media sites to see how our segment went over with your fans. That was the first time I saw his comments. Every site I went to, his name was there. And he’s made further comments in more places every day since. They’re all there. I printed them out.”

“This is what you were trying to tell us when you came into the room last night, wasn’t it?”

“It was, and I was so annoyed afterward I wasn’t even going to give you this much, to tell you the truth.” Nola gestured to the flowers again. “Let’s just say I had a change of heart.”

Chase stood and awkwardly attempted to squeeze between her desk and filing cabinet. “Do you think there might be room for one more change of heart?”

Nola stifled a giggle at his distress. “That all depends on what we’re talking about.”

“Come to the tree lighting with me and my family. I know you’re on standby, and if you have to leave, that’s fine. But we would really love to have you come back to our house afterward for food and the tree trimming and caroling and—” Chase crouched before her as best he could with what little room he had and took her hands in his. “Nola, it would mean the world to me to spend this time with you. Christmas is a big deal for my family and I’d love to have you there with us tonight. I think you deserve to celebrate the holiday.”

Nola’s eyes began to glisten
.
“I don’t know what to say, except...yes. I’d love to.”

“Since we’ve practically spent the past week together, and I think we both enjoy each other’s company, I have something else to ask you.” Chase squeezed her hands a little tighter, hoping he wouldn’t scare her away. “I don’t know how you’re feeling or where you’d like to see this go, but I’d like to give it a genuine chance. I screwed up last night and that was hard to live with today. So how would you feel about spending the holidays with me and my crazy family? I’d love to show you a real Christmas.”

Nola didn’t answer in words. Instead, she snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him. Drawing her closer, Chase pulled her to her feet.

“Is that a yes?” The warmth of her body against his sparked other ideas. He’d much rather skip the tree lighting so they could be alone.

“Yes.” Nola kissed him again.

Reluctantly he set her away from him. “In that case, we don’t have much time.”

“Then, let’s go.” Nola grabbed her red wool coat and her handbag and stood waiting for Chase to lead the way.

“Oh, hell.” Chase attempted to squeeze past her desk and filing cabinet again. “You really need a larger office.”

“I’m lucky I have this one,” Nola said as they entered the hallway.

“And I’m lucky I have you.”

Nola shook her head at him. “I never took you for the hopeless-romantic type.” Nola pushed open the double doors to the parking lot and began walking to her car. “I’ll follow you if I’m going to the ranch afterward. That way we won’t have to backtrack here later.”

“Okay.” Chase hated how the temporary separation cooled their moment. He had looked forward to driving to the tree lighting with Nola beside him in his truck. There was something comforting about the idea. It almost had a sense of permanence to it, and for the first time, Chase wondered if he had found the woman for him.

* * *

R
AMBLEWOOD
WAS
PACKED
with cars, forcing Nola and Chase to park at Slater’s Mill and walk toward the center of town.

“I don’t think we’ll make it in time.” Chase took her hand in his and led her toward the sidewalk. “Want to make a run for it?”

Although Nola had worn pants to work, she was in heels. “I don’t think that’s going to happen in these shoes. Give me a second to grab my sneakers out of my car.”

Chase checked his watch. “There’s no time.” He turned around, squatted and looked over his shoulder. “Hop on.”

Nola laughed at him and continued to her vehicle, unlocking it quickly. “You’re insane, you know that? The last thing your shoulder needs is me holding onto it for dear life as you run us down the street.” She slipped on a pair of black running shoes, tossed her heels onto the backseat and shut the door. “Let’s do this.”

Hand in hand, they ran toward Main Street, laughing hysterically along the way. She was impressed that Chase could keep up with her—not many people could. Running was a holdover from her military days and it helped keep her grounded.

“Chase! Nola!” Tess called out through the sea of people. “We were beginning to wonder if you’d make it.”

“So were we,” Nola said as Tess pulled her into a warm embrace. One day she’d get used to this hugging thing, but it was still new to her. She waved to Chase’s brother over Tess’s shoulder. “Hi, Cole.”

“Good to see you.” The man gave her a quick hug. “They’re running a little late, so you haven’t missed anything.”

Relieved that there didn’t appear to be any lingering suspicion from last night, Nola began to relax. An enormous white spruce stood in the middle of Ramblewood Park. Nola hadn’t imagined the place would be this full. She’d heard of small-town tree-lighting ceremonies before, even seen them in holiday movies, but none of them compared to the sheer magnitude of people who’d come out for this one.

A man stood on the back of a decorated flatbed trailer and tapped the microphone. “Welcome, Ramblewood!” The crowd erupted in applause. “Thank you all for coming out this gorgeous evening. If you wander near the fountain, please help yourself to a free hot chocolate, generously donated by The Dog House. I apologize for the delay, but we had to wait for a few members of our opening act to arrive. Please join me in welcoming the first and second grade classes of Ramblewood Elementary as they lead us into our Christmas celebration.”

The crowd applauded again as a large group of children climbed the staircase onto the trailer and faced the crowd. Chase stood behind Nola, wrapping his arms around her like a warm blanket, erasing any doubts she had about him earlier. His nearness heightened her senses, making it easy to get lost in this moment.

“We love you, Ever!” Tess waved to her daughter onstage while Cole recorded them on his phone. Nola had been one of the child’s biggest fans since the day they’d met. Ever’s cerebral palsy had made walking difficult back then, but her continued hippotherapy and leg braces allowed her to easily walk onstage with the rest of her class tonight.

“They’re adorable.” Nola clapped and waved along with the crowd as the children sang “Jingle Bells” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.”

“I never in a million years would have thought that coming home for Jesse’s wedding would take my life in this direction.” A tear spilled onto Tess’s cheek, her face shining with pure pride for her daughter as she spoke to Nola. “Cole and I dated in high school, but we went our separate ways. When I saw him again, I knew this was where I belonged. Ramblewood was home.”

Cole kissed his wife on the cheek. “I’m going to go get Ever. Be right back.”

Nola glanced around the large crowd, wanting for once to capture a moment in her mind instead of on camera. The chill of the night air didn’t stand a chance of penetrating the warmth that radiated off the people there. She may have avoided the event in the past, but she silently vowed never to miss another one in the future.

After Cole and Ever joined them and a few more performances by local children, everyone began to light the single white candle they had received when they entered the park.

The emcee once again took the stage. “If you would all be so kind, please join me in singing “Silent Night” as we remember those who are no longer with us.”

It was a touching gesture, and Nola was aware of a few people wiping away tears. She looked down at Ever standing between Tess and Cole, and then squeezed her eyes tight, willing herself not to cry.

“Are you okay?” Chase whispered against her cheek from behind.

“I will be if you continue to hold me.” Chase tightened his arms around Nola and sang into her hair. When the song ended, they blew out their candles as the mass collectively observed a moment of silence.

Kay and the rest of the Langtry clan made their way toward them as they waited for the lighting of the tree. Afraid she might cry if she spoke, Nola managed to hug everyone without uttering a word.

“Ramblewood.” The host began to rile the crowd once again. “Please join me in wishing your friends and neighbors a merry Christmas!”

The Christmas tree instantly began to sparkle with thousands of colored lights reflecting off red velvet bows. It might be smaller, but to Nola, this tree beat the one she’d seen online at Rockefeller Center. A seemingly endless stream of strangers hugged and wished her a merry Christmas to the point where Nola thought her heart might burst with happiness.