“It does,” I agreed softly. “But I think he was ready for a change. Maybe we both were.”
Dolly smiled, returning to her mixing bowl. “Well, I for one am thrilled. Having you around these past weeks has been the best Christmas gift I could ask for. And having you stay...” She trailed off, blinking rapidly. “Well, that’s just the cherry on top.”
I felt my own eyes getting misty. “Thanks, Aunt Dolly. For everything.”
“Now don’t you go gettin’ all sentimental on me,” she warned, though her voice was thick with emotion. “We’ve got a Christmas Eve party to prepare for, and these cinnamon rolls won’t bake themselves.”
“Need help?” I offered.
“You can start by taking these to the dining room.” She handed me a tray of freshly baked muffins. “The early birds will be here any minute. If I closed this place on Christmas Eve, there would be a riot.”
I carried the tray to the front, inhaling the sweet aroma. Thediner was empty this early, but I knew it wouldn’t stay that way for long. The massive Christmas tree Diego and I had decorated stood proudly in the corner, colorful lights twinkling among the ornaments.
As I arranged the muffins on the counter, I found myself staring at the spot where we’d kissed yesterday, right under that silly mistletoe. The moment everything had changed for good. The moment I’d stopped running.
The bell above the door jingled, and I looked up to see Mabel McQuinn bustling in, wrapped in a festive red coat with a matching scarf.
“Mornin’, Hayden!” she called cheerfully, unwinding her scarf. “Thought I’d stop by for some coffee before heading back to help the boys with last-minute preparations.”
“Morning, Mabel,” I smiled, grabbing a mug. “Coffee’s fresh. Dolly’s got cinnamon rolls in the oven too.”
“Perfect.” She settled onto a stool at the counter, accepting the coffee with a grateful nod. “So, I hear congratulations are in order.”
I paused, coffee pot still in hand. “For what?”
“You and Diego,” she said, eyes twinkling. “News travels fast in Sagebrush, honey. Especially when it involves public displays of affection under mistletoe.”
I felt heat rush to my face. “Right. That.”
“Don’t be embarrassed,” she chuckled. “It’s about time that boy found someone worth staying put for. And between you and me, he’s been half in love with you since the moment you walked onto the ranch.”
“He has?”
“Oh, honey,” Mabel shook her head, smiling. “The way he looked at you that first day… I would’ve had to be blind to miss that.”
“Really?” I asked, feeling my cheeks warm further at the thought of Diego watching me when I wasn’t looking.
“Trust me, I know that boy better than most,” Mabel said, takinga sip of her coffee. “Been watching him mope around the ranch for months, never letting himself get too comfortable. Then you showed up, and something changed in him.”
I smiled down at the counter, tracing a pattern in the wood grain with my finger. “He’s pretty special.”
“So are you, honey,” Mabel said with such conviction that I looked up in surprise. “Don’t you forget that.”
The bell jingled again as another early customer walked in, and I busied myself pouring more coffee. By the time I returned to Mabel, she was nibbling on a muffin.
“So, you staying in Sagebrush then?” she asked casually.
“News really does travel fast,” I laughed. “I just decided this morning.”
“I have my sources,” she winked, glancing over my shoulder and waving at Dolly. “A veryreliablesource.”
I shook my head, amazed by the fact that Dolly could relay my life’s choices from fifteen feet away, without a sound, in less than thirty seconds. The woman was a menace. “Yes, I’m staying. I told Dolly I might look into that empty storefront down the street.”
“Miller’s old place? That’s been empty for years. What would you do with it?”
I hesitated, not having fully formed the idea myself. “I’m not sure yet. Nothing fancy, just something the town might need.”
Mabel’s eyes lit up. “Lord knows we could use more shops in this dusty old town. The tourists at the ranch would love it too. Most everyone has to drive all the way to Amarillo for anything that isn’t from the gas station.”
