Pax lead Bogart and the sleigh, with Sparkle sauntering behind them. Wait… neither wrangler held a lead rope. The reindeer were following the two of them.
Forest and Mitzi pulled into the parking lot, too. Billy bounded out of the truck the minute they turned it off and went to pull down the tailgate. He struggled, and Drake stepped forward to help him. Caleb and Faith climbed out. Baby Ryder was fast asleep in his car seat in the back.
“Do you think it will be Ginger?” Billy asked excitedly. “I want to see her again!”
Drake laughed. “She has that effect on guys.” He rubbed his nephew’s stocking cap, pushing it down over his eyes.
“All the Kringle sisters do,” added Pax. “It’s the Santa gene.”
Santa gene? Natasha sat up higher in her seat, wanting to hear more. She leaned forward and brushed the condensation off the windshield with her glove.
A tapping on her passenger window made her scream. All heads turned her way, and she turned toward the knock. Her chest heaved, and her heart pounded in her chest. Jack was bent over, looking inside. He crooked a finger for her to get out of the car.
She loved that move; it was so hot.
Mumbling to herself, she climbed out, unsure how to explain that she was here first, not spying on them all in a back parking lot. Come to think of it, why were they all gathering in a parking lot on Christmas Eve, anyway?
Jack shuffled over, his hands in his pockets. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she folded her arms. “Sorry about walking away earlier. I just… Jack, I—”
“Hold up.” He looked over his shoulder at his family, who were watching them intently. The Nicholases suddenly broke into movement, pretending to be too busy to eavesdrop. They started opening the animal crate, the locks squealing in protest.
Huffing, Jack turned back to her. “I’ve fallen in love with you, Nat.” He craned his neck around. “And I don’t care who knows it!” he shouted at his family.
His brothers whooped. Mitzi clapped excitedly, and Faith lifted a hand in the air.
Natasha blushed so deeply she could have melted the snow.
Jack took her hand in his. “I think we have something special, something worth fighting for, and I want to fight for you.”
Tears stung her eyes. “I love that—I love you too. I just… I don’t want to come into this relationship unevenly. I don’t have a career or even a job. I don’t have a goal. And I don’t want you to think I’m jumping into us because there’s no other option.”
Jack lifted one side of his mouth in a crooked, handsome, cocky smile. “I appreciate that you think so highly of me, but I gotta say, you bring much more to this than I do. Life here is simple—especially compared to Hollywood. What if you get bored with me?”
Nat threw herself into his arms. “Never!”
He grinned down at her. “You sure? Because it’s about to get weird around here.”
“Wh-what?” Natasha allowed him to pull her over to Caleb’s truck. All the Nicholases grinned at her like they knew something she didn’t. “What’s going on?” she asked, weary.
Jack turned her to face him and looked deep into her eyes. She met his gaze, wanting him to know that she’d meant it—she loved him with all her heart, and she wasn’t going to run from him again.
“Do you believe in Santa?” he asked.
Natasha laughed. She shoved his arm. “Stop it.”
Mitzi giggled.
“Answer the question,” Faith insisted with a wink.
Natalie’s laughter died off. Pax’s face had gone serious, solemn even. Drake nodded in encouragement. Caleb put his arms around Faith from behind and whispered something in her ear. Forest took Mitzi’s hand. Billy had his hands clasped in front of him, his eyes shining with hope.
“I-I guess so,” she replied.
Jack nodded to Caleb. He went over and opened the back of the animal carrier. A stunning reindeer looked out. He had a broad chest tufted with white and a little goatee. He sprang down the ramp as if it wasn’t even there.
Jack hooked his finger under her chin and turned her back to him. “You gotta believe it in your heart, Nat. Close your eyes.” He took off her glove and held her hand between his.
