Page 28 of Merry Christmas, Cowboy (Home to Texas #2)

It was red knit with white trim and a fuzzy tassel at the top. “One of my students’ moms, made it for me to wear tonight. I must look like an elf or something.”

He studied her for half a second. “A cute elf.”

She smiled. He had a way of making her feel good about herself. “Thanks.”

“Well, I’d better get this jacket to Cody. He wants to go on the sleigh ride one last time.”

“Oh, how is it?”

“How is what, the sleigh ride? Haven’t you gone on it yet?”

She shook her head. “I’ve been busy.”

“Well, we need to rectify that. Right now.” He put out his hand. “Come with me.”

She hesitated only a second. Her energy was fading, and how nice it would be to sit down and take a ride. With Garrett.

“Okay.” She put her gloved hand in his and together they walked over to the barn. Cody was holding a place in line. “Do you mind if Miss Russell comes along?” he asked his nephew. “She hasn’t taken a ride yet.”

“Yep, she can come.” Cody smiled at her. “This is my fourth time.”

“Wow, Cody, you must love this ride.”

“I do, but Uncle Garrett says I can’t have more than two candy canes.”

“I see.” Was Uncle Garrett being a grinch? No, just a good parent. “Well that’s because he doesn’t want your teeth to fall out when you’re older.”

“Yes, ma’am. I know.” Then he cheered up. “I don’t mind as long as I get another ride.”

When it was their turn, Garrett stepped into the wagon first, then lifted Cody, and then as she climbed onto the step stool, Garrett reached over to take her hand and help her up.

They sat at the back of the wagon, Cody, Garrett, and then her.

It was colder, away from the crowded booths and they bundled up with thick throws, covering their legs up to their waist. Santa made sure all twelve of them were in and comfortable and then gave the horses the order to move on.

“This is great,” she said as the horses began to march forward. “I get to see this place from a different perspective. The lights make it festive, don’t they?”

“Yep, they do,” Garrett said.

She sighed and resisted the urge to rest her head on Garrett’s shoulder. Many in town had already seen them together, a result of their pact, and so it wouldn’t be all that strange to see them like that. But she didn’t work up the nerve.

“Cold?” Garrett asked.

“Just a little bit.”

He pulled the throw higher up, so her chest was covered, then from underneath the blanket, he laced their hands together. She gazed at him, and he gave her a gorgeous smile. It was a beautiful moment that lingered as the sleigh continued on.

“This is nice,” he said.

“Mmm.” She had no words, but then the wagon stopped and three elves came out from behind a tree, singing a little Christmas jingle as they handed out the candy canes.

Cody shook his head, refusing to take one, and Garrett gave him a nod of approval. That was enough to put a smile on Cody’s face. Garrett had good instincts when it came to raising children. She liked that about him. Heck, what didn’t she like about him?

The ride lasted fifteen minutes, but it was too short for her. She could stay in the bumpy wagon sleigh all night long, watching the events from a distance, enjoying the twinkling lights and sitting close to Garrett, holding his hand.

“That was fun,” she told him.

“Uncle Garrett, is it time for s’mores?”

Garrett directed his focus on a row of barbecues set up, burning hot with flames that roasted marshmallows in record time. “I suppose. Nic, come join us? After a ride, a nice warm s’more is just the ticket.”

“Sounds good to me.”

The three of them headed over to the s’mores station and each one of them picked out a long stick. They waited until it was their turn, and Cody asked for a double marshmallow. “I suppose it’s all right, since you didn’t have too many candy canes.”

“Thanks!”

Garrett helped Cody maneuver the marshmallows over the simmering flames, toasting them up the way he liked it, light brown. Then he squashed them between a chocolate bar and graham cracker sandwich.

“Looks perfect, Cody,” she said.

“You go on and eat it by the tables over there. Be careful,” Garrett said. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“’Kay.”

“Are you ready for yours?” Garrett asked.

“Yes, but you’re so not helping me. I know just how I like it.” She placed her marshmallows over the flame and turned the stick around and around. Garrett stood beside her, making his own and watching her out of the corner of his eye.

“You’re burning yours,” he said.

“Uh-huh. I am.”

“I never figured you for a burnt-to-black marshmallow eater.”

She shrugged and smiled. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

“Maybe, but I do know the important things about you.”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

Garrett made up his s’more and waited for her to finish up on hers. “I know you’re dedicated and determined and kind. You’re generous to a fault, but feisty when necessary and you have an unusual affinity for burnt marshmallows. You’re also—”

“Whoa, quit while you’re ahead, Garrett.” She tried not to let his compliments go to her head, but looking at his strong profile under the lights and the gleam in his eyes, made that a very hard mission.

She put her s’more together, making a gooey mess and together they walked over to the table. Cody was sitting with her mother and father. She’d introduced her folks to him after the snowman contest earlier and they’d taken to each other right away. “Hi, guys.”

“Hello. Nic, I see you destroyed your s’more again,” her father said.

“Just like always.” She grinned.

Her dad loved to tease.

She took a big bite of her treat. The combo of toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, and melted chocolate had to go down as the world’s best guilty pleasure. “Oh, so good.”

Garrett grinned. “You’re really enjoying that.”

“What’s not to love?”

“Mine was good too,” Cody added.

“I bet,” Garrett said.

“We’re just chatting with Cody here. He’s a fine boy,” George told Garrett.

“Thanks.”

“Uncle Garrett, how much longer can I stay up?”

“Well, being as we have another hour left before we close it all down, I’d say an hour and ten minutes.”

“Oh, boy.”

“You’re on holiday break now, so it’s okay to stay up a little past your bedtime.”

“Thanks, Uncle Garrett.”

“Is it okay if our team of volunteers come by in the morning to break it all down?” Nicole asked. “They’ve already done so much work I hate to make them stay late tonight.”

“Sure, we can manage that. Right, Cody?”

He nodded. “Do we get to keep the Christmas wishing tree?”

“Of course, Cody. We’ll leave it up, otherwise those wishes might not come true,” Nicole answered. “And we’ll leave the lights up, if your uncle Garrett says it’s okay.”

It was sort of Christmas spirit blackmail, putting it on Garrett that way, but she’d promised to make Cody’s holiday the best it could be. And the boy loved those lights.

Who, but a grinch wouldn’t?

Garrett eyed her, his brows arching as if to say, he knew what she was doing. “Well, maybe some of them, Code. As it is now, the entire county can see the ranch from miles away. Is that a deal?”

Cody frowned, thought about it a second, and then nodded. “I guess so.”

“We’ll be sure to leave the lights around the house up for sure, Cody,” Nicole said.

“Thanks, Miss Russell.” His shoulders slumped. “I wish we could have a festival here every week,” the boy said and everyone chuckled.

It was true, holding the fundraiser here had fascinated Cody and given him something to look forward to and think about.

It was a well-needed distraction for both Cody and Garrett.

Nicole was glad she’d persisted at changing Garrett’s mind about it.

And hopefully, he could see the good it has done, not only for the families in need, but for his family too.

Her folks rose from the table. “Well, it’s almost that time. Your mom and I are tired. We’d better get going. We’ll see you at the house later on, Nic. Unless you want us to wait for you?”

“Gosh, no. You two have been here all day. I’m glad you made it. Go on to the apartment and I’ll see you in a little while.”

“Okay, honey. You done good,” her mom said. “We’re proud of you.”

“Same goes for me too,” her dad said, giving her a kiss on the forehead, like when she was a little girl.

“Drive safely, Mom and Dad. Love you.”

“Love you too,” her mom said and then she walked over to Garrett and gave him a hug. “Good night, handsome.”

Goodness, her mom had no shame.

Garrett grinned and gave Bess a kiss on the cheek. It was so out of character for him, that her mouth literally dropped open.

Cody got hugs too from her folks and then they took off.

Garrett turned to face her and, luckily, she’d gotten her composure back. “Come here,” he told her.

And her heart starting doing somersaults. “What? Why?”

He crooked his finger at her and apparently that was all that was necessary to get her feet moving quickly. She came within a foot of him and stopped.

“You’ve got some chocolate, right here.” He placed his index finger on the corner of her mouth and gave it a gentle swipe, all the while keeping his baby blues locked on her.

His touch and the sweet way he looked at her, made her heart sing. “Evidence of my indulging,” she whispered, out of earshot of Cody.

“Evidence of you enjoying yourself.”

That was the problem, whenever she was around him, she enjoyed herself too much.