She giggled and pulled away from him. With a sigh, she tugged on the front of his coat. “What are we doing here, Jack?”
“We—,” he cut off, not exactly sure what to say. A glib remark about kissing in the barn would ruin the moment. Baring his soul wasn’t an option, either.
She pressed her hands flat against his chest. “I’d better go. But you know who to call if you need any help with stalls.” She ducked out the door before he had a chance to answer.
He stared at the closed door, amazed at the woman. She’d worked alongside him, made him laugh, and gave kisses he felt through his soul.
Her question was valid. What were they doing? Kissing? Hanging out? Dating? Not dating. Not even once. He needed to rectify that.
Sparkle floated down to his side and rubbed her head on his belly like a cat.
“What do you think, girl? Could a Christmas miracle convince her to stay on the ranch? Or even come back?”
Sparkle fluttered her lashes:I’m proof that miracles exist.
“That you are.” Jack rubbed her neck and then under her jaw. She leaned into his care. He reached for the hope in his heart and held on. If ever there was a time to fall in love, it was Christmas.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Natasha hurried around the tree lot like an elf on a mission. It wasn’t that she had anything to actually do—she just had to look busy because this scene was supposed to be on the day before Christmas.
Yikes! The real Christmas Eve was fast approaching. She’d received an email informing her that the gifts she had ordered online had arrived at Harvest Ranch. That was a relief. Mom would love the new set of mixing bowls, and her brothers would groan at the Christmas sweaters. She wished she could be there to see their faces.
If only things on set would calm down. The time crunch to finish this movie before the holiday took a toll on everyone, and tempers were short.
Sarah, in food services, had deep frown lines etched on her cheeks, and she constantly mumbled to herself as she set up tables, took down tables, made runs to the diner in town, and returned with paper bags full of greasy goodness. The doughnuts were to-die for! No one in California made doughnuts like they did in small-town diners. Not that they softened anyone’s disposition.
Chad, who oversaw the lighting, hovered near the bulbs, seeking warmth from any source. He’d exhausted his supply of hand warmers, and his heated vest had a short in it. He wasn’t placated when she pointed to her legs and told him to look on the bright side: at least he didn’t have to wear tights as thin as a tissue.
None of their Scroogy attitudes made a dent in her goodwill toward all men and women, though, not after Jack’s kiss in the barn. Few people would think cleaning stalls was romantic, but the experience was fun with Jack. She could fall into life here as easily as falling into her bed at night.
“Natasha!” Miguel bellowed. “Have you lost your ever-loving mind?”
Natasha blinked in surprise. She looked around and realized she was standing on the lead’s mark. “Sorry!” She jumped to the right, making the ornaments in the box she carried clink together. Was that the sound of cracking glass?
“Hey!” Jack motioned for everyone to calm down. “Easy mistake.”
“Not for a professional. She should know better.” Miguel threw his clipboard on the ground and stomped towards Natasha.
She looked around frantically for a place to put the box where it wouldn’t be a casualty. Then thought better of it and held it in front of her like a shield. Miguel wouldn’t knock over a box of glass ornaments, would he?
His forehead pinched, and he breathed through his nose like a dragon. Did someone spit in his coffee this morning—and then tell him after he drank it?
“From day one, you’ve only been half into this. I need an elf who cares about all things elfish.” Miguel’s face was red. Well, redder than usual.
“Excuse me?” Natasha went on the offensive. “I’ve been nothing but a jolly little elf for you—despite your lack of direction to the extras.” Oops. Maybe she shouldn’t have tossed out the last bit. She was a little sensitive about having to be an elf in the first place, so perhaps her performances lacked luster.
Several of the locals muttered their agreement. They watched the breakdown with fascination. As extras, none of them would dare talk to Miguel this way. She shouldn’t either, but he was taking his frustration with everything else out on her, and she would not stand here and take it. She deserved some respect.
“Maybe you should back off.” Jack stepped up beside Natasha.
Miguel glared back at him. As feared as Miguel was this morning, Jack was higher on the Christmas tree. Miguel wouldn’t risk being kicked off the ranch and having Jennifer after him.
A light bulb went off in her head. The only thing that made Miguel this angry was a scheduling issue. “What went wrong? What do I not know?” she asked.
Jennifer arrived, her grip on the script bible was white-knuckle. “Yes, something went wrong. I haven’t had a chance to talk to you about it.” She glared at Miguel, who had the good sense to appear chagrined.
“I thought she knew.” He swiped his clipboard off the ground and slunk away.
