by Amanda Renee
Nola had enjoyed the time she’d shared with Chase over the past few days, but they’d spent the majority of it working. They’d never actually been out on a date or spent any time alone other than that first night, although she assumed that was what Chase had been attempting to do today.
“Should I get him anything?” Nola mentally ran through what she knew about Chase, and his only hobby seemed to be his truck. Anything rodeo related was a sore subject right now.
“Nope.” Lexi shook her head. “Just bring yourself.”
“Hopefully I won’t let anything slip today. I had planned to discuss some ideas with Chase about honoring your mother-in-law at the Mistletoe Rodeo. If you have any thoughts on the ceremony, please let me know.”
“We love how you came up with that idea, but don’t overdo it.” Tess stopped herself and winced. “That probably wasn’t the best choice of words. I just mean Kay doesn’t like attention drawn to her, so where a mention would be fine, an outright ceremony would probably embarrass her.”
“Tess is right,” Lexi added. “I think anything that detracts from the event and what she’s trying to do with the food bank awareness campaign might actually upset her. We know you mean well, and it doesn’t surprise me that Chase wants to put Kay in the spotlight to acknowledge all she’s done for Ramblewood. I personally feel this is one of those things that would probably be better if it was held among her family and friends. Not a public event.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” There were people out there who’d probably accuse the Langtrys of organizing the fund-raiser just for the recognition. Namely Scott David, who had increased his online ranting. Nola had yet to discover the basis of his resentment toward them, but his cutting remarks became more personal with every post. “I’ll talk to Chase about making it a private affair. You’re absolutely right.”
“Thank you for understanding,” Lexi said. “And don’t worry about it tonight—you’ll have the entire weekend with Chase at the Winter Festival to discuss the Mistletoe Rodeo.”
“I will?” Chase had asked her to go, but she’d put it out of her mind and had no formal plans to attend. Plus she was on standby for the station, so it wasn’t as if she could promise anyone she’d be anywhere.
“Kay asked us to invite you to our tree-trimming party tomorrow night.” Miranda shifted, nearly causing an avalanche of files to tumble off the credenza behind her. “It’s tradition. We begin at the town square and watch the Ramblewood tree lighting together, then we head back to the ranch and decorate the inside of the house from top to bottom. It will be so much fun. Please say you’ll join us.”
“Um, I don’t know about that.” Chase had mentioned her covering the festival and tree lighting, but he’d never so much as hinted about going back to the ranch. “That’s your thing with your family. I appreciate you asking me, though.” Nola could envision what the Langtrys’ house must look like with everyone decorating together. “If a story breaks—”
“If a story breaks, you’ll leave. At least give us a chance.”
Nola almost laughed aloud at Lexi’s words. Here she thought they were giving her a chance when they thought it was the other way around.
“I’ll talk to Chase tonight and see if he wants me there.” Nola tried to figure out how she’d weave that into the conversation.
“I’m positive he’ll ask you before you even have the opportunity.” Tess smiled confidently. “And if he doesn’t, we’ll leave the decision up to you.”
“Nola, I—” George hesitated in the doorway. “Hey, ladies. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
George’s timing was perfect. “No, it’s fine,” Nola assured him before turning her attention back to her visitors. “I promise to be there tonight, and the rest we’ll play by ear. I hate to run off, but George and I have a meeting to attend. I’ll catch up with all of you later.”
Nola stood, suddenly realizing how tightly packed her office was with four additional people in it. She’d never considered herself claustrophobic before, but the Langtry presence could be a bit overwhelming at times.
After the women left, Nola flopped into her chair. “It’s not even eight o’clock and I’m already exhausted.”
“Do you ever feel as if you’re a fly caught in a web?” George chuckled.
“They mean well and I’m probably more sensitive to it because I’m not used to having family around. To them it’s normal—to me it can be a little stifling. The Langtrys are good people and I enjoy spending time with them.” Nola hoped it continued after the Mistletoe Rodeo was over and they had their news coverage. They’d never given her any reason to doubt their feelings were genuine, but Nola’s insecurities drove her to mistrust the people closest to her. Except for her aunt, uncle and cousin, and that was only because they didn’t know the truth.
Nola was relieved when the end of the workday rolled around. She had had to wrap up her interviews and editing early for Chase’s party, and they had covered an emergency town council meeting on the other side of the county about the excessive numbers of Santa Clauses roaming the streets. One even had a deer on a leash.
It seemed to Nola that the more people tried to celebrate the holiday, the more people wanted to squash it. She’d thought the hospital’s ban on all things Christmas was bad enough; now some wanted to make it illegal to dress as Santa. Honestly, she was surprised they hadn’t added an elf clause to their new law. They could stand to learn a thing or two from Ramblewood’s festive spirit.
With not enough time to run home and change before the party, Nola dug through the spare clothing options she kept on hand in her office. A person could never be too prepared. Nola never knew from one minute to the next what story she might have to cover, so whether it was a turkey pardon on Thanksgiving or a black-tie affair at the art museum, she had a standby outfit ready to go. She’d never been to Slater’s Mill before, but from what she could find online about the honky-tonk, jeans and a flowing bohemian top with a pair of strappy sandals should work nicely. She pinned the top sections of her hair back loosely and double-checked her reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of her office door.
Nola arrived at the bar only moments before Chase and huddled in the dark with the Langtrys and half the town. A sliver of light appeared as Chase opened the door.
“Why is it so dark in here?”
“Surprise!” everyone shouted as the lights came on.
Nola saw Chase stumble backward, almost knocking Jesse over. When he recovered from the shock, he punched each of his brothers in the arm.
The entire Langtry family, children and all, pushed their way toward the front of the room, ushering Nola along with them. Seeing her in the crowd, Chase smiled and reached for her. Grabbing his hand, Nola was surprised when he tugged her into his arms and kissed her in front of his family and friends.
“Wow,” Nola breathlessly said. “Happy birthday.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me, too.” This time it was her turn to kiss Chase, and she did, long and hard, not caring who was watching. The sound of laughter and applause around them intensified as Chase drew her tighter to him.
Throughout the remainder of the evening, Nola stood at Chase’s side, his arm firmly wrapped around her waist and his fingers locked into one of her belt loops. Nola watched people’s expressions as he introduced her to them. No one seemed surprised or off-put that she was with Chase. They hadn’t defined their relationship, but if this didn’t feel like dating, she didn’t know what did.
Tucked against him, she reveled in the way he casually glanced at her and the soft kisses he periodically placed on her cheek for no reason whatsoever. She was actually Prince Charming’s date for the evening. After watching him from afar for so long, the moment felt surreal. And when Kay invited her along with the rest of the family to come back to the ranch for coffee, it felt natural to say yes...as if she actually belonged.
Back at the ranch, Kay brought out stacks
of photo albums showing Chase throughout the years. He seemed a tad embarrassed, but Nola thought it was sweet. She was fairly certain her parents didn’t have any photo albums of her. She had a few loose snapshots taken over the years, but none of them contained her entire family together.
“I can sense a kindred spirit from a mile away.” Miranda settled in beside her on the couch. “You don’t have much family, either, do you?”
From the little Nola knew about Miranda Archer-Langtry, she had zero family to speak of.
“My parents are stationed in Europe, and so is my brother. We were never one of those close families. Certainly not like this.”
“It’s a lot to get used to, but you’d be surprised how easy it becomes.” Miranda acknowledged her husband across the room with a slight raise of her chin. “Joe Langtry died shortly after I came to town. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet him. And even in the midst of this family’s grief, they welcomed me in as if I’d been one of their own all along.”
While Nola listened to Miranda, she noticed a man she’d never seen before walking into the room.
“Who’s that?” Nola asked.
“That depends on who you ask. Jon Reese is the family’s personal attorney, but he’s also my best friend from Washington, DC.” Miranda waved to him but she didn’t catch his attention. “Jon grew up here in Ramblewood. He’s actually the one who pointed me in this direction. Long story short, I took a gamble by moving here and won an amazing family. I’m surprised Jon wasn’t at Slater’s Mill earlier.”
“He looks so serious...as if someone died,” Nola whispered. She noted the grim expressions the four brothers exchanged with their mother.
“I’m going to see what’s going on.” Miranda stood and walked across the room toward her husband. After a brief conversation, the Langtry men and Kay left the room.
Miranda returned and sat down on the couch again. “Jesse says it’s just a work thing. Nothing to worry about.”
Nola had been in the business of reading people for years. You learned how to defend yourself in the Army and always watch your enemy. Once she was stateside again, enrolled in college and majoring in telecommunications with a minor in journalism, she had honed that skill. She could usually tell by the slightest gesture or body language when somebody wasn’t telling the truth. The fact that Jesse hadn’t looked Miranda in the eyes during their conversation told her this was much more than just business.
After an hour of waiting for Chase to return and three more cups of coffee, Nola wound her way down the hallway to the bathroom. Pumped full of caffeine, she didn’t think she’d ever get to sleep that night. She’d stopped to admire the many black-and-white photographs that lined the wall when she heard Chase’s voice coming from a partially opened door further down the hall. She peeked through the crack, unobserved by those inside.
“What’s he asking for, then?”
“He wants the mineral rights he claims Joe stole from him in addition to a public apology from all of you,” Jon said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he adds a dollar figure come tomorrow morning.”
“And if we don’t comply?” Cole asked.
“Then he goes public,” Jon replied.
“Daddy didn’t steal anything.” Shane slammed his fist down on the mahogany desk. “I’ve never even heard of this guy before.”
“Scott David is a well-known cattle baron just north of Dallas.” Jon raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t like this any more than you do, and whether you give him what he wants or not, I don’t trust that he’s going to stay quiet.”
Nola knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, but the mention of Scott David’s name glued her to the floor. Now his very public attacks began to make sense.
“Excuse me.” Nola pushed the door open further. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation on my way to the bathroom.”
“Aren’t you...you’re that reporter from Channel 9. What the heck are you doing here?” Jon may have directed the question at Nola, but his eyes were on Shane, looking for confirmation. Shane nodded and everyone looked at her suspiciously.
“I— Yes—I am, but—”
“She’s also my girlfriend.” Chase narrowed his eyes at Jon before ushering Nola out of the room. He pulled the door behind him, making sure it closed tightly. “I’m sorry to have abandoned you out there. This is just some crazy business stuff we need to deal with and I’m probably going to be in there for a while. I think we should just call it a night.”
“I could look into Scott David for you,” Nola offered. “Investigating is part of my job.”
“Yeah, about that.” Chase glanced back at the closed door. “Thank you, but this is just a misunderstanding. Can I trust you not to repeat what you heard?”
Nola opened her mouth, then quickly closed it, only nodding her response. The feeling of acceptance she’d had earlier was gone. Chase may have referred to her as his girlfriend, but the actions of everyone in that room spoke louder than his words. They thought of her as the ruthless reporter looking for a juicy lead. And if it was true that Joe had stolen someone’s land, it certainly would be just the type of story that would propel her toward the coveted co-anchor position.
“Please thank your mom for having me.” Nola gave Chase a quick peck goodbye, already sensing the distance between them. That was okay. Based on the little she’d overheard, Nola didn’t think they knew of Scott David’s online ramblings. She was wide-awake and itching to get home to uncover more information about him and the story behind the accusations.
Chapter Seven
It was the last day of class for Chase’s resident students. He knew he should focus on their performance in the indoor arena, but he hated the way he’d left things with Nola the night before and couldn’t get it out of his head. He had all but accused her of being underhanded. Why hadn’t he acknowledged her willingness to help his family?
Earlier that morning he’d ordered three dozen pink and red roses, intending to have them delivered to her office. He decided, though, that nothing screamed “weak apology” like the faceless delivery of flowers, and he’d arranged to pick them up instead. After a little wrangling at the studio, he’d managed to track down George’s phone number and confirm that Nola was free that night.
Jon’s news had put a damper on an otherwise great birthday. Scott David had made it clear through their attorneys that he was out for blood. Even though everyone had dismissed the idea that Joe Langtry would outright steal, the way Chase’s mother had retreated into herself after Jon left had caused Chase to wonder if she knew more than she was letting on. He’d planned to discuss it with her over breakfast, but she had already left the house by the time he’d made it downstairs.
Chase regarded Shane on the other side of the arena, cheering on their best student as he rode a full eight seconds atop one of their toughest bucking broncs. The tension between the two brothers had grown over the past twenty-four hours, and Chase attributed it to Jon’s remark about Nola.
Shane wasn’t the most trusting of people, not that Chase could blame him. None of them really knew Nola outside of her job. The personal side of her was still new to the Langtrys, and up until last night, they’d all enjoyed having her around as much as he did.
By midafternoon, Chase had said goodbye to the last of the students. The Ramblewood tree lighting would begin in a few hours, and he intended to have Nola there by his side. George had promised to text him when they were on their way back to the studio. Seeing his mother’s car parked alongside the house, Chase decided it was best he reconfirmed whether Nola would still be welcome.
Downstairs in the family wine cellar, Kay removed bottles of Christmas muscadine wine from their racks and placed them in multisectioned canvas totes.
“Where have you been all day?” Chase asked.
“At the winery checking our holiday inventory. I’ve decided to serve our wine at the Mistletoe Rodeo dinner and I threw together som
e gift baskets to raffle off in the tricky tray.” Kay pointed to a full tote. “Would you take that upstairs for me, then come back and get this one? I want to get things ready for tonight.”
“Speaking of tonight, is Nola still invited?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?” Kay asked, perplexed.
“Well, the way Jon accused her of listening at the door for a news story, I wasn’t sure.”
Kay shook her head. “Jon did no such thing. I think you’re reading too much into it. Besides, there’s no story to report. This is all a misunderstanding. I’m sure Jon and the rest of our attorneys will sort it out. That’s what we pay them for.”
The harshness in his mother’s tone unsettled Chase. He didn’t think he’d ever heard her use the phrase, “That’s what we pay them for” before. It was very unlike her to throw their power around.
“Mom, is there something you’re not telling us?”
Kay stopped and stared at him. “What I’m telling you is to forget this nonsense and help me carry these upstairs. Call your brothers and tell them to get their patooties over here because I want all the Christmas decorations out of the attic before we leave for the tree lighting. I lost track of time today and I’m behind schedule. Now chop-chop.” She clapped her hands for emphasis.
After numerous dusty trips to the attic, Chase needed another shower before catching up with Nola, and now he was running low on time. He’d just finished dressing when he received George’s text. After stopping at the florist along the way, he arrived at the television station with only half an hour to convince Nola to accompany him to the tree lighting—preferably alone. He wanted to spend the evening with her, not with her and George.
Her office door was open and he knocked lightly, hiding his face behind the roses. Not hearing the laughter he had hoped for, he slowly lowered the flowers. Nola sat at her desk, her back rigid, face frozen. By no means did she appear amused or in a forgiving mood. In fact, he wasn’t quite sure what her mood was. She looked like a statue.
“I’ll begin with ‘I’m sorry,’ but I know that probably doesn’t mean much.” Chase took a step forward and set the roses on the corner of her desk.