She playfully smacked his chest. “Jack Nicholas, you are a tease.” She folded her arms and glared.
He ran a finger down her firmly set jaw. “You’re adorable when you’re angry.”
She huffed, softening slightly. After a moment, she leaned into his touch. “I’m not ready to get married,” she admitted.
Jack’s grin widened. “I know. Me neither.”
She fell back on the seat. “So what do we do?”
Jack shifted closer. “Well, I’m ready to do this.” He kissed her softly. Her stomach swooped out from under her. “And I’m ready to date—exclusively.”
“Me too,” she whispered, unsure where this list would end up, but knowing it was where she wanted to go.
“And…” He kissed her again. “When we’re both ready, we’ll pull the ring out again. Deal?”
“Deal.” She surged toward him and kissed him for all she was worth. Ginger had said she was a keeper, but she knew a good thing when she saw one. Jack was the real deal, the man who would love her for the rest of her life. If that was the case, he was part cowboy, mostly wrangler, a smidge poet, and a drop of joy. Why would she wait if she had all those things sitting right next to her? What could be a better time to get engaged? It was Christmas. And she loved him with all of her heart.
“Jack?” she started slowly, giving herself time to back out. Instead of fear or even nervousness, all she felt was excitement.
“Yeah?”
“I’m ready.”
He paused, his hand on her side, and looked deep into her eyes. “Are you sure? Because once I put a ring on that finger, I never want it to come off again.”
She put both her hands on either side of his face. “I already know I want to be with you. I just, is it crazy? To know already?”
He nudged her nose with his. “No. I mean, I do.”
“You do what?”
“I know. I want you. Forever.”
Her heart lifted. “Are we doing this?”
“We’re doing it.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. “Natasha Newberry, will you be my best friend, my partner in stall cleaning, my lake-side date, my love, and my wife?”
“Yes!” She giggled as he slipped the ring on her finger. She buzzed all over—Christmas Magic and true love swirled inside her. “I’m so happy.”
“Me too.” He kissed her and kissed her until the Christmas Magic surrounded the two of them, sparkling and tingling. She didn’t know it when she came to Reindeer Wrangler Ranch, but she’d found everything she’d ever wanted right here. A home. A family—including reindeer. And a love that would only grow stronger with time.
So this was Christmas on Reindeer Ranch? She couldn’t wait for next year.
* * *
February
“Clove, come look at this.”
Clove put down the knife and wiped her hands on her apron as she entered the living room, where Grandma was scanning YouTube from her recliner. Though she was in her eighties, she could outwork most 20-year-olds. Clove sat on the arm of her chair.
On the screen was a pretty woman in a beanie with a furry pompom on top. She smiled at the camera. “We have over 300 reindeer on the property. As you can see, they enjoy wide open spaces.” The image changed to an aerial view of the land. There were forests and fields. They used some fields for crops, as evidenced by rows of irrigation sprinklers.
The woman was back, holding a lead rope. “One of our stars is Sparkle. She played the part of Santa’s lost reindeer in a recent holiday movie filmed here on the ranch.”
Grandma hit the pause button. “Clove,” she gave her granddaughter a level look. “You have to take him there.”
Clove hopped to her feet and paced. “No. Felix belongs with us.” She and Grandma were the only ones who knew about the reindeer and his talents. He lived on the mountain, free to roam. However, he’d claimed Grandma as his family a few years ago when he wandered into her yard during a blizzard and she fed him. “He’d hate it there.”
