They all seemed so normal.
Was it possible that she couldn’t see it because she was infatuated with Jack?
Yeah, it was possible.
She liked him.
She liked him so much that he was the last thing she thought about at night before she fell asleep and dreamed of him all night long. Those sleigh rides while she snoozed were some of the best dreams of her life.
In the morning, she hopped out of bed because she knew he was out on the ranch, and she wanted to be near him. She’d scooped reindeer poop just to have some alone time with the guy. If that wasn’t a crush—at the least—then she didn’t know what was.
Jack was sitting on the porch with Raelynn when she pulled up to the house. The heater was going. A smudge pot was what they called it. However, this one was much smaller than they’d used in the orchards back home to ward off the frost.
Ashley was nowhere to be seen. Thank goodness. That woman had her eye on Jack and didn’t take no for an answer.
As she parked her car, Anna Nicholas came outside with a tray of hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. She settled next to Raelynn on the swing, and they sipped, ate, and chatted. The little girl had come out in Raelynn since being on the ranch.
Some of Natasha’s stress evaporated. A pastor back home once said that you’d know people by their fruits. If they made others feel good about themselves, they were good people. They were not good people if they tore you down and sewed doubt. She’d carried that yardstick with her ever since—though she hadn’t brought it out in quite a while.
Maybe she should.
Jack’s eyes smoldered as she approached, chasing away the chill that had hit her when she stepped out of the heated vehicle. She climbed the steps, fighting the urge to land on his lap and claim a kiss.
Where was that mistletoe when you needed it?
“Hello there!” Anna said as Nat climbed the steps. The porch wrapped all the way around the house. Out front, they had a swing and a rocker, a small table that would be perfect for a drink on a hot summer day, and a small Christmas tree decorated, of course.
“Good afternoon.” She glanced over her shoulder. The crew was filming at the barn site today. They’d booked it from five am to five am—planning to film the entire night through if necessary. Because of child labor laws, Raelynn was on set for four hours today. They’d scheduled her for this afternoon. “Where’s Ashley?” she asked.
“Taking a nap,” Raelynn replied. “I wasn’t tired, so we’re going to color.”
Anna patted her knee. “That’s right. In fact,” she glanced at her son, who was making shooing motions at her.
Nat pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “You’re not very subtle, are you?” she teased him.
Anna pointed at her. “You’re direct. I like that.” She stood up, pulling the plaid blanket off her and Raelynn’s laps. “Come on; we’re moving this coloring party in by the fire.”
Raelynn hopped to her feet, making the swing sway precariously. Jack reached out and steadied it. “Did you get your letter done?” he asked Raelynn.
She nodded. “I left it in the trailer, though.”
“No problem. North Pole mail works right up until Christmas Eve. There’s still time to get it to Santa.”
Natasha stiffened even as she analyzed the easy way he talked about the letters getting to Santa. He had an authoritative way of speaking, like he knew it to be true instead of just believing it.
“Here, keep this. There’s a nip in the air today.” Anna handed her the blanket. It was warm to the touch, and she hugged it closer.
“A nip, huh?” she replied. The temps were in the teens. Funny how that didn’t seem to bother her as much as it had the first couple of days they were here. Of course, she’d taken to wearing several layers of clothing under her outerwear. When she got back to California, she’d shed them like a horse losing its winter coat.
Jack moved over to the swing and motioned for her to join him. His arm was across the back of it, and he was so darn handsome in his black cowboy hat she thought she’d burst. Settling in, she tucked the blanket around her legs.
“Okay,” he started, “Now that you got me here, what are you going to do with me?”
She giggled. “Interrogate you.”
He leaned over and nuzzled her cheek. “You have strange tactics, but I like them.”
Laughing, she shoved him away. “Be serious for a moment, will you?”
