Amanda Renee - Mistletoe Rodeo

Nola shook her head at George’s all-too-obvious matchmaking. “Don’t give me the puppy-dog look,” Nola said to Chase. “I would be happy to join you for dinner.”

As she reached into the van for her leather jacket and handbag, Nola leaned over George’s shoulder and whispered, “I’ll get you for this.”

“No, you won’t... You’ll thank me.”

* * *

NOLA HAD BEEN around the Langtry clan numerous times over the years but never in so intimate a setting as a family meal. Chase’s cousin Ella and husband, Nicolino, Bridle Dance’s general operations manager, and their five children also joined them. Including herself, there were nineteen of them around the massive cedar table. Since they all lived on the ranch, this was the norm for them. It was loud, and at first Nola felt completely out of her element, but that quickly changed with everyone’s welcoming manner.

In the background, though, Nola thought she noticed tension brewing between Chase and Shane. Almost as if Chase was avoiding his brother. She hoped her presence wasn’t the reason.

After dinner, Nola helped clear the table despite Kay’s protests that she was a guest. Later, she and Chase strolled through the pecan grove to work off an incredibly decadent chocolate cake Tess had made for dessert. Nola couldn’t help but smile when she saw the trees glistening with thousands of twinkling white lights.

“Your mom must have some grocery bill.” Nola hadn’t sat at a table with so many people since she had last eaten in the mess hall.

“Mom doesn’t know how to make small meals. It’s only she and I in the house, but cooking just for the two of us goes against every fiber of her being. If she didn’t have everyone around, believe me when I say she’d be cooking for all the ranch hands. There are some nights she does that, too. Half of what she cooks comes from the garden. She cans in the fall, and the cellar has its own section filled with every kind of preserve imaginable. She donates quite a bit to the food bank.”

Nola was aware Kay liked to give to the community, but there was more to the woman than most people realized, and her compassion needed to be celebrated.

“How would you feel about honoring your mom at the Mistletoe Rodeo to commemorate her hard work and commitment to the community?”

“I love the idea.” For a moment, Nola thought Chase was going to kiss her and was slightly disappointed when he didn’t. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before.”

The temperature had dropped a solid twenty degrees since the sun had gone down and Nola pulled her jacket tighter across her chest.

“Are you cold?” Chase asked.

“Actually, I find it invigorating. I learned to adapt after the excruciatingly hot days in the desert. The cool nights were welcome, although sometimes they were downright frigid.”

“I really do admire you for serving our country.” He nudged her arm with his, causing her to look up at him. Tall in her own right, she normally rivaled most men in height, especially when she wore heels. Chase still had her beat by a good four or five inches.

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