It doesn’t even occur to me to ask why he’s not the least bit upset.
“House number 220,” the MC announces the first-place winner, but I’m too busy in my feelings of outrage for Joel to even recognize the number.
It’s Joel that stirs me out of rant.
“You won, darlin’,” he says in that sexy ass drawl of his.
“What?” I startle.
“House 220 is this year’s winner. Ms. Ellyn Chamberland.”
Applause from the crowd and family around us is what truly brings me back to reality.
“You won,” Joel says as he hands me the paper with my house and name on it. “Congratulations!”
The only thing I can see is his beaming smile as he peers down at me.
“I won? My house?”
I shriek in surprise and then laugh like crazy. I throw my arms around Joel’s neck, and he picks me up, spinning me around.
Months ago I was dead set against even participating in any Christmas celebrations let alone a home decorating contest and now I’m the winner.
I pull back and look Joel in the eye and I have my answer.
“Thank you,” I say to him with tears streaming down my face. It’s silly to get this emotional over a little, friendly competition between neighbors. I know, but I’m also aware these tears have nothing to do with the competition itself.
“I love you,” I tell him.
He dips his head, and when his gaze meets mine again, there are tears in his eyes. “There’s one more present I have to give you.”
He takes me by the hand, and we start for the huge trucks that’ve pulled up. I watch as Joel’s ranchers unload a couple ofhorses. Children and their parents line up to wait their turn to ride the horses.
“Mommy, look!” a little girl shouts. “There’s a baby horse.”
Joel and I round one of the trailers to find Ol’ Girl and her foal beside her.
“Isn’t she too small for anyone to ride her?” I ask Joel, concerned over the baby horse I watched be born not too long ago.
He nods. “Yes. No one’s riding her anytime soon. And especially if you don’t say they can even when she’s ready.”
“Me?” I question. Why would I have a say in who gets to ride her?
“Because she’s yours,” he answers, because I spoke my thoughts out loud.
I turn to look at the foal, barely able to see her through the tears swimming in my eyes. “Mine?”
“My second Christmas present to you,” Joel says. “For making this year’s holiday twice as special.”
I turn to him and cup his face, plastering kisses all over it which makes him grumble with laughter.
I love the sound of it so much I can’t stop doing it.
“Mommy, Grandma’s kissing Mr. Townsend again,” I hear Randy say somewhere in the background.
A few more chuckles from the rest of our family.
“I feel so guilty that I only bought you a new cowboy hat,” I tell him. I’d gotten a custom-made hat for Joel to replace his favorite hat that I now keep at my place.
