Page 9 of A Perfect Christmas Dance (Kringle, Texas #7)

Nina sat at one of the long folding tables in the fellowship hall, her plate filled with green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and a slice of ham. The aroma of all the homemade dishes filled the air and mixed with the animated conversation.

People laughed, joked, discussed tomorrow’s upcoming pageant, and complimented each other’s food dishes. Kids darted between the tables, playing tag, and giggling. Every so often, someone shouted at them to settle down while the faint strains of Christmas carols played in the background.

Nina poked at her food, her mind miles away from the homey gathering. No matter how hard she tried to focus on the conversation around her, she couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened on the ladder just a short time ago.

The sensation of falling—her heart in her throat, the weightlessness as the ladder tipped still fresh in her mind. Then the solid feel of Ryan’s arms catching her, the way his strong body steadied her as if he knew exactly what she needed.

It shook her more than she cared to admit.

Across the table, Gee watched her, his eyes dark with concern. “You sure you’re okay after that little mishap earlier? You’ve been staring at that green bean casserole like it’s gonna jump off your plate and eat you .”

Nina met his gaze. “I’m fine, Gee. Just woolgathering, I guess.”

Jean Deerling, seated beside her grandfather, reached across the table and gave Nina’s hand a gentle pat. “That was quite a tumble, Nina. You had us all worried for a second there. Good thing Ryan was quick on his feet.”

“Yeah, he… he caught me. I’m lucky he was there.”

Gee nodded. “Between the bakery, the holiday rush, and helping out here at the church, you’re running yourself ragged.”

“’Tis the season,” she said with a laugh, brushing off his fretting. She had been stretched thin and today’s fall had made her realize how distracted she’d been, especially when it came to Ryan Danvers.

“I’m sorry your folks won’t be with us for Christmas,” Jean said. “Garrett was just telling me they were spending the holiday with your mom’s sister in Flagstaff.”

“Yes,” Nina said, feeling a tug of loneliness. “But they’ll be here for New Year’s and we’ll exchange gifts then.”

“You and Garrett are welcome to join our boisterous bunch for Christmas Day,” Jean invited. “We’re having tamales and enchiladas.”

“Thank you for the invitation.” Nina nodded. “Hopefully we can make it.” She didn’t want to commit in case something happened with Ryan.

Pipe dreaming, much?

Mrs. Claiborne bustled by with a platter of deviled eggs. She paused beside Nina. “That angel sure looks beautiful up there. You and Ryan did a fine job. Just don’t go scaring us again, Nina. I about had a heart attack when you fell.”

“I’ll try my best,” Nina said, her face heating again, but this time, it was from more than just the fall. It was the memory of being in Ryan’s arms, the way his touch had sent a jolt through her that she wasn’t entirely ready for.

Gee set down his fork. “I’m going for those honey buns I saw on the dessert table. Anyone else want one?”

“I heard Ryan made those,” Jean said. “It’s his mom’s recipe. Bring me one, too, , unless you want to split one. They’re huge.”

“Splitting it is.” Her grandfather got up and headed for the desserts.

Nina blinked at Jean, her fork freezing in midair. “Ryan baked?”

Her eyes darted to the dessert table where the honey buns sat, golden brown and inviting, nestled between Jean’s pecan pie and Sarah Porter’s famous fruit salad.

Jean grinned. “You wouldn’t expect a man like him to bake, but I guess he’s full of surprises.”

Nina’s pulse quickened. Ryan, baking? That was unexpected.

“You gotta wonder why some woman hasn’t locked that man down by now,” Jean said, sipping her iced tea.

Indeed. Why wasn’t he married?

Nina arose from her seat. “I think I’ll take a spin around the dessert table myself.”

Weaving through the crowded fellowship hall, Nina searched for Ryan. He stood near the coffee station, chatting with a few of the older men from the church and her stomach somersaulted. She willed him to look her way, but he didn’t.

Disappointed, she wandered to the dessert table, picked up a honey bun with tongs and settled it onto her plate. She took a bite, savoring the sweet flavor. It melted in her mouth. Perfection. She couldn’t have baked a better honey bun herself.

She closed her eyes and took another bite. “Mmm.”

“So, what do you think?”

She turned, startled to find Ryan standing right next to her, his eyes fixed on the honey bun in her hand. She swallowed quickly, the taste lingering on her tongue. “They’re… incredible. I didn’t know you could bake.”

“Me either, to be honest.” He shrugged and smiled. “It was my mom’s recipe. She used to make them every Christmas.” He glanced toward the table where Gee sat with Jean. “Figured it was time to bring it back.”

Nina looked down at the honey bun, then back up at him. “That’s really special. Your mother would be proud of these and of you for keeping her tradition alive.”

Ryan gave a quiet nod, but she could see the flicker of something in his eyes—grief, maybe, or the weight of memories. “It’s a small thing, but it helped to remember her, you know?”

“I do know,” she said, thinking of her grandmother Ellie and her love for the bakery. Immediately, she felt guilty for the few moments she’d considered selling the bakery to Katherine Brothers.

Ryan’s tender smile touched her heart. She had always known Ryan as the quiet, dependable rancher, but today—first with the ladder, and now with these honey buns—he was showing her sides of himself she’d never seen before.

And she wasn’t sure what to do with that.

“Well, I better get back to Gee,” she said.

“Uh-huh.” Ryan nodded.

“See you later,” she said and went back to her seat.

“Well, well,” Gee said, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Looks like you two were having quite the conversation over there.”

“We were just talking about the honey buns, Gee. Nothing more.”

Jean leaned in, her voice low and conspiratorial. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I saw the way he was looking at you, Nina. That boy’s got stars in his eyes.”

“Jean!” Nina said, glancing around to make sure no one had overheard. “It’s not like that. We’re just… friends.”

But even as she said it, Nina felt a flutter in her stomach. The memory of Ryan’s smile, warm and genuine, flashed through her mind.

Could she actually get her Christmas wish?

Her gaze drifted back to Ryan. He’d moved to a table near the window, and he was deep in conversation with his brother-in-law, Scott Finley, and a few other local men. The overhead lighting caught his profile and showcased his strong jawline.

He looked up and caught her staring. He gave her a slight nod, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a half smile.

She quickly looked away, her heart racing.

“Nina?” Jean’s voice cut through her thoughts. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Your cheeks are flushed. The flu’s been going around.”

Nina forced a smile. “I’m fine, really. Just… thinking about everything I need to do at the bakery tomorrow and speaking of, I really need to get going. My bedtime is fast approaching.”

After bidding her grandfather and Jean good night, she gathered her things and headed for the door just as Ryan was walking out.

They almost collided.

“Sorry,” they said in unison, then laughed.

“Great minds think alike,” Ryan said with a grin.

“Two early risers knowing when to call it a night,” she said.

“May I walk you to your car?” he asked.

“I would appreciate that.”

He held the door open for her to go first. Outside, the crisp night air nipped at Nina’s cheeks. Ryan fell into step beside her, his presence comforting on the cool December evening. They didn’t speak, but it wasn’t awkward. In fact, it was nice not needing to say anything.

They reached her car, and Nina fumbled with her keys, suddenly reluctant for the evening to end. As she opened the door, she turned back to Ryan.

“Nina?” Ryan said.

“Yes?”

He cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you’d like to go to the Kringle Christmas Tree Lighting with me this Saturday. The usual carolers will be there, and I heard there might even be a horse-drawn sleigh for hire.”

Nina’s heart skipped. The tree lighting was one of Kringle’s most romantic holiday traditions. “Like… like a date?” she asked, hardly daring to believe it.

Ryan held her gaze. “Yeah, exactly like a date. If you want it to be, that is.”

“I’d love to, Ryan. It sounds perfect.” She pressed a palm to her chest and smiled up at him.

“Great, I’ll pick you up at six?”

Feeling giddy, Nina nodded. “Six it is.”

“Since we’re both headed in the same direction, would you mind if I followed you home, just to make sure you get there safely?”

Touched by his concern, she nodded. “I’d like that.”

* * *

Why had he asked her on a date?

Ryan couldn’t answer the question as he followed Nina’s truck down the quiet streets of Kringle. The night air pressed heavy around him. His pulse, still unsettled from the leftover adrenaline of catching her when she fell from that ladder, rippled.

That closeness, the way she’d looked up at him with such utter trust, shook him in unexpected ways.

Ahead, Nina’s taillights blinked. She turned into her neighborhood and pulled into a driveway.

Her house. He’d never known where she lived.

It was a modest cottage but with quaint architecture that had a welcoming feel.

Christmas lights decorated the eaves, and in the front window, a tree glowed.

A simple but unmistakable picture of home, the kind of place where one might kick off their shoes and sink onto a plush sofa with a peaceful sigh.

His place? It was anything but.

Ten miles away, his ranch waited, dark and empty, with no signs of life except the cattle in the pasture.

He hadn’t even left the Christmas lights on.

His house felt more like a relic of the past, every room filled with memories he didn’t want to confront.

After his parents passed and Jenny married and left, the house wasn’t a home anymore, just a shell where he slept and worked.

And tonight, the difference fully hit him hard.

Nina’s home was lively, rich, and inviting. The thought of her stepping inside, putting on some Christmas music and brewing herself a cup of bedtime herbal tea, stirred something in him. It wasn’t jealousy—it was a hollow feeling, a reminder of what he’d been avoiding for years.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel.

What was he doing, trailing after her like this?

He’d told himself that keeping his distance was the smart move, that a woman like Nina had her whole future ahead of her, but the truth was, he was the one who’d kept himself stuck.

Working the ranch, burying himself in routine, avoiding anything that made him feel too much.

And Nina? She was making him feel everything.

He parked at the end of her driveway, watching as she got out of her van. She paused for a moment, glancing back toward him before giving a little wave, and then she slipped inside her house.

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Ryan in the quiet of the street, staring after her.

He leaned back in his seat, the engine still running, his eyes drifting to the rearview mirror.

His reflection stared back at him, tense and conflicted. He’d spent so long keeping everything and everyone at arm’s length, locking away his emotions because it was easier, but this wasn’t easy anymore.

Nina brought something back to life in him—something he wasn’t sure he could handle.

Could he really risk getting close to her?

What if she decided this town—or worse, he—wasn’t enough?

The thought of her walking away cut more profound than he cared to admit.

And yet the idea of going back to that empty, lifeless house, of continuing to pretend that the loneliness didn’t get to him, felt unbearable.

The question gnawed at him as he stared down the road leading back to the ranch. For the first time in a long while, the notion of heading home alone left him unsettled.

Was this it? The moment when he finally stopped hiding, stopped letting the past control every decision? Or would he continue down this road of isolation and regret?

His eyes flicked once more to the rearview mirror, but this time, he wasn’t just seeing himself. He was seeing the man he had the potential to be—the man who could take a risk, who could let someone in again, who could finally let go of the fear that had kept him paralyzed for far too long.

But that kind of change wouldn’t be easy. It never was. And Nina… she might be the biggest risk of all.