“You’ll call her tonight,” Dolly corrected, her tone making it clear this wasn’t a suggestion. “After you show your face at the festival and let all these nice people see you’re not some mysterious hermit that’s shackin’ up in my apartment.”
I wanted to argue, to tell her I was perfectly content being a mysterious hermit, thank you very much. But the determined look in her eyes told me this was a battle I wouldn’t win.
“Fine,” I sighed. “But I’m not staying long.”
Dolly beamed, her earrings jingling as she clapped her hands together. “That’s the spirit! Now come on, they’re lightin’ the town tree in twenty minutes.”
The walk to the town square took less than five minutes. I trailed behind Dolly, who waved and called out to literally every person we passed. How one woman could know so many people by name was beyond me.
The square itself was... well, surprisingly nice. Strings of whitelights crisscrossed overhead, creating a canopy of twinkling stars. Market stalls lined the perimeter, selling everything from homemade fudge to hand-knitted scarves. In the center stood a massive pine tree, still unlit but covered in ornaments that sparkled in the fading twilight.
“Dolly!” A voice called out, and I turned to see a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair waving enthusiastically. He wore a Christmas sweater that looked like it had been attacked by a glitter factory.
“Frank!” Dolly squealed, rushing over to hug him. “Frank, this is my nephew, Hayden. Hayden, this is Frank McQuinn. He’s the foreman over at the Turner Ranch.”
“Former foreman,” Frank corrected with a wink. “Just retired last year. But I still help out a bit.”
I forced a smile and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“So, you’re the California model,” Frank said, looking me up and down. “Dolly’s been talkin’ about you non-stop.”
Great. Just what I needed. I’d always wanted to be the subject of small-town gossip.
“Ex-model,” I corrected, then immediately regretted it when I saw the curious look in his eyes. The last thing I wanted was to explain my failed career to a stranger.
Thankfully, Dolly jumped in. “Frank, is that hot chocolate I smell? Hayden here is freezin’ to death. California blood, you know.”
What the hell was she talking about? It was Texas. I didn’t even need a coat.
Frank pointed toward a booth nearby, beaming from ear to ear. “You’ll want to see my wife then. She’s giving out treats from the ranch, and she’s got nearly sixty years of practice making the best damn hot chocolate you’ve ever had.” He paused for a long moment. “Best damn woman I ever met.” Then he glanced down at Dolly. “No offense, darlin’. It was a close race though.”
“Oh Frank! You old flirt,” Dolly laughed, patting his chest. Then she glanced at me. “Go on,” she urged, pointing a red acrylic nailtoward the booth. “Get yourself somethin’ to drink and try to be sociable.”
I wanted to tell them both where they could shove their hot chocolate, but the expectant looks on their faces made it clear I didn’t have much choice in the matter. With a resigned sigh, I made my way toward the booth Frank had pointed out.
The woman behind the counter had to be Mrs. McQuinn. She was probably in her late sixties, with long gray hair braided down her back and the kind of face that managed to look both friendly and stern at the same time. She was ladling steaming hot chocolate into paper cups with the efficiency of someone who’d been doing it for decades.
“You must be Hayden,” she said before I could even introduce myself. Her voice was warm but no-nonsense. “I’m Mabel McQuinn. Frank’s told me all about you.”
“All good things, I hope,” I said, though honestly, I wasn’t sure what Frank could have possibly told her since we’d literally just met thirty seconds ago.
“Course they were, sugar. We don’t get many new faces around here, especially not handsome ones like yourself.” She handed me a cup of hot chocolate that smelled like heaven. “Now, you’re stayin’ with Dolly, right? How’re you likin’ Sagebrush so far?”
I took a sip of the hot chocolate to buy myself time to think of a diplomatic answer. The liquid was rich and creamy, with just a hint of cinnamon that warmed me from the inside out. Damn. It reallywasthe best hot chocolate I’d ever had.
“It’s... different from what I’m used to,” I said carefully. “But everyone’s been very welcoming.”
Mabel studied me with sharp eyes that seemed to see right through my polite bullshit. “I’m sure it’s quite an adjustment. California to Texas is a big change. What brought you out here, if you don’t mind me askin’?”
There it was. The inevitable question I’d been dreading all week.I could feel heat creeping up my neck as I scrambled for an answer that wouldn’t make me sound like a complete disaster.
“Just needed a change of scenery,” I said, the same line I’d been feeding everyone. “Thought it might be nice to spend the holidays somewhere new.”
“Mm-hmm.” She didn’t look convinced, but thankfully she didn’t push. “Well, you picked a good time to visit. Christmas in Sagebrush is somethin’ special. We might be small, but we know how to celebrate.”
As if on cue, someone started tapping on a microphone nearby, the feedback squealing through the square. I turned to see an older man in a cowboy hat standing near the tree.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention!” he called out. “It’s time for our annual tree lighting!”
