Jack laughed easily. “Don’t tell them that.” He winked at her. McJingles pawed at the snow and lowered his head in greeting.
Raelynn placed a hand on her hip. “I already know there isn’t a Santa Claus, so you don’t have to pretend.”
Jack balked. Where had this perfectly dressed being come from? “Where are your parents?” he wanted to get a look at the people who had ruined their daughter’s childhood. Not to mention, she was standing in the middle of the road without supervision.
“My mom is back in L.A., and my dad is at a conference in Seattle. He’ll be here just before Christmas.”
Oh. She had to be part of the movie. An actress. That explained the clothes. Was it impossible for a child actress to have some wonder in her life?
“Raelynn,” a twenty-something woman ran over and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t wander off like that.”
“I didn’t wander off. You didn’t follow me.” Raelynn daintily sniffed. “A nanny should know the difference.”
The woman pressed her lips together as if trying to hold back a scolding. She glanced quickly at Jack.
Jack turned his back to them, pretending to check the harness, so they didn’t see the laughter that threatened to bubble up. Raelynn had a point. The child was far too grown up for her Mary Janes, and if he had his way, he’d take her sledding, finger painting, ice skating, and all the other activities that filled a kid with wonder and joy.
Something inside him deflated at the thought of this little girl growing up so fast. The magic of Christmas was real, and his parents had done all they could to ensure that Jack and his brothers not only grew up knowing about Christmas magic but also sharing it with others.
McJingles nudged him with his shoulder.Do something! She’s drowning in maturity.
“It’s not my job to make her believe.” He told the nosy reindeer.
McJingles huffed loudly to show his disapproval of Jack’s decision to stay out of Raelynn’s life. Jack scowled. “What?” McJingles shook, making the bells on his harness sing.
Raelynn laughed.
Jack flipped around at the sound.
She covered her mouth quickly. “Sorry. He looked so funny shaking like that.”
You mean like this?McJingles did it again.
Raelynn and her nanny giggled.
Jack felt the reindeer’s pointed look. Okay, maybe Raelynn wasn’t a lost cause. He patted McJingle’s shoulder. “You win. I’ll try.”
“Wow!” Natasha approached. She’d changed out of her elf costume and into the ranch coat and beanie she’d worn yesterday. His cowboy hat dangled from one hand. “What a setup!” Her eyes danced over the sleigh and reindeer.
McJingles preened.
“Did you put this together for Raelynn?” she asked in wonder as she approached McJingles with her hand held out. She allowed him to sniff her glove before rubbing his neck.
Jack’s mouth fell open at how comfortable she was with the reindeer.
“I saw this man talking to himself and wondered if he was mentally ill,” Raelynn said matter-of-factly.
Natasha bent at the waist to look Raelynn in the eye. “I didn’t see him talking to himself, and I’ve wondered the same thing,” she deadpanned.
The nanny snickered, her eyes raking over Jack. He wished he was wearing his hat so he could pull it over his face. Women had checked him out before, but the way her eyes flicked at his clothing made him feel naked in the snow.
Jack rolled his eyes. “If you two are done making fun of me, we have barns to scout.”
The laughter in Natasha’s eyes faded as she stared at the sleigh. “You did this for me?”
He lifted a shoulder. “This way, we can cut across the fields and save time.”
“If you don’t want to go, I will.” The nanny smiled easily. “A sleigh ride with a cowboy would be a nice change of pace.”
