Chapter 1
Dakota
IgruntedasIlifted my side of the sofa, my friend Robbie on the other end helping me haul it into the house I was newly renting. We carefully navigated down the ramp of the moving truck and maneuvered the couch through the front door to place it in the living room. As soon as we made it to the right spot, Robbie put his end down with a heavy thud.
Once the couch was in place, I surveyed the room with pride. “This is going to be great.”
Robbie gave me a sincere smile. “I’m proud of you, man.” We’d been roommates in college and best friends since, through thick and thin. I’d had a few rocky years as of late—an ex-wife with a spending problem that put us way into debt, for starters, which she rounded out by cheating on me—but it was good to be out on my own again and back on my feet.
“Now, which room is Caroline’s?” Robbie asked.
I gestured down the hall. “First door on the left.”
Robbie nodded and lifted a box labeled “princess clothes” and headed to the room I’d designated for my five-year-old daughter.“When does she get to see the new place?” he called from her room.
I followed his voice into the spacious bedroom. “Next week. Beth has her until then.” One thing I was grateful for was the house being in the right school district, so Beth and I could continue our every-other-week custody schedule. “I’m hoping to paint and set it all up before then. It’s going to be pink.”
He grinned. “Of course. What other colors are there for a five-year-old princess?” After a moment’s consideration, he continued. “Well, we might as well get back at it.”
“Lots to unload still,” I agreed. I led the way back toward the moving truck and as we stepped outside, I spotted a guy hanging around the truck, his focus on his phone. The guy was about my height, and had a mess of dusty brown hair, several days of facial hair growth, and dark eyes. He was wearing a blue button-down sweater and had a blue and white scarf loosely wrapped around his neck. I had to admit, the look was doing it for me.
“Can I help you?” I asked as I approached him.
He looked up from his phone. “Oh, hey there. You must be the new renter? Mr. Samuels mentioned he’d found someone. I’m Colin. Welcome to Pinehaven.”
I nodded slowly. Jeffrey Samuels was the ninety-something-year-old homeowner I was renting from. “Hi there. I’m Dakota.”
He gave me a bright smile as he tucked his phone into the back pocket of his snug jeans. “I told Jeff to have you call me if you need anything at all. I’m right next door.” He gestured to an unassuming rancher with pale yellow siding. “I’ve been helping out around here since Annie passed away two summers ago, and Jeff moved into the retirement home up the road. You know… cutting the grass, raking leaves, that sort of thing.”
I nodded again. “Thanks.” Not sure what else to say, I shifted from one foot to the other and waited for him to keep speaking.
“Well,” he said eventually, “I guess I’d better get going. Christmas lights won’t hang themselves, you know.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Christmas lights? It’s November first.”
Colin grinned at me and my stomach flipped in a weird way.Stop it,I chastised myself.He’s cute but I don’t need any complications right now.
He shrugged. “Never too early to start. Spooky season is over. Time for Christmas. Besides, it’ll take at least a week to set up the village.”
“Village?”
“Here, let me show you.” He pulled his phone out and scrolled for a moment before holding it out for me to see. It was a photo of the house next door, but it was almost unrecognizable, decorated from roof to foundation in Christmas lighting, figurines in the yard, and candy canes lining the street and driveway.
“That’s… something.”
Robbie peered over my shoulder and let out a low whistle. “That’s impressive.”
Colin beamed and put his phone back in his pocket. “Thanks. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. Kids love it, you know? Besides, there’s always the prize money.”
“Prize money?” I was starting to sound like I didn’t know how to carry on a conversation, but this guy moved so quickly I doubt he noticed.
“Yeah,” he said. “There’s a competition every winter and the house with the most votes wins a thousand bucks.”
“Seriously?”
“We love Christmas here in Port Grandlin,” he assured me.
Robbie chuckled and cleared his throat. “I bet Caroline will love it, too.”
