Page 21 of Cowboy Friend Zone for Christmas

He shrugged. “What’s the harm in meeting your parents for dinner?”

“You mean, you’ll go?” She felt a little guilty asking. He had no idea what he was agreeing to.

“Who else were you planning on taking?” He reached out to tweak one of her braids. “Last time I checked, I was still your plus one.”

Noelle gave him a pained look. “I think this is the part where I tell you that my Mom is under the impression we’re a couple.”

“So does everyone else, apparently.” He didn’t sound too bothered by that fact.

It took more than an hour to get the horses unloaded at the stables located beneath Castellano’s. Only then did the Carson brothers and Noelle make their way to their complimentary suites above Santa’s Toy Factory with their suitcases in hand.

On the elevator ride up, Ames and Flint cracked nonstop jokes about the residents of Pinetop.

Ames flicked a finger against the candy cane trim on the wall. “I’ve always enjoyed the holidays, but give me a break! There are more Santa lookalikes in this town than there are Elvis impersonators in Vegas.”

Flint twisted his mouth into a comical look of distaste. “Yeah, and way too many people around here jingle when they walk.” He reached up to rattle a fingertip in one ear. “Thought something was wrong with my eardrums until I caught sight of the bells sewn onto one guy’s socks.”

Nash smirked at his youngest brother. “Believe me, there are lots of things wrong with you, bro.” He leaned back against the elevator wall and dipped his head closer to Noelle’s. “Told you this was a bad idea,” he reminded against her ear.

She had to quell a shiver as his warm breath grazed her earlobe. “We don’t know that for sure,” she murmured, fearing he was right. They were about to have the topic cleared up once and for all.

When the elevator stopped, Ames and Flint made an exaggerated show of holding open the door for Noelle and ushering her ahead of them into the hallway.

“Thank you.” She smiled when they noticed the credenza resting on the wall opposite the elevator. It held a festively arranged hot beverage bar and a tray of homemade cookies.

They raced each other like small boys to grab cookies. While they wrestled each other for the privilege of going first, she moved down the hallway toward The Music Box. Because Ames and Flint were still bickering over the cookies, she took her time getting out her ancient looking scan key.

Nash shot her a knowing look as she bent to fiddle with the cuff of her jeans. He’d probably guessed she was purposefully loitering in the hallway so as not to miss his brothers’ initial reaction to the Jack Frost suite.

Ames and Flint swaggered down the hallway in their direction, bickering in more muffled tones now that their mouths were full of cookies.

“You didn’t mind the way the elves were jingling on the first floor,” Ames was pointing out.

“It wasn’t their jingling that caught my attention,” Flint assured with a wicked look.

“Aw,” Noelle snickered. “Was it their candy cane tights?”

“Something like that.” Flint snorted. Reaching his oldest brother, he nudged him with his elbow. “Bet you wish you could see Noelle in a pair of those.”

Nash hurriedly pushed open the door leading inside the Jack Frost suite. Stepping across the threshold, he glanced over his shoulder at his brothers and waited.

They fell silent.

It seemed to Noelle that Flint was having trouble swallowing his last bite of cookie. The muscles in his neck contracted a few times. Then he coughed. A cookie crumb flew out of his mouth, which he somehow caught and tossed back into his mouth.

He and Ames exchanged a horrified look, then exploded into laughter.

Ames bent over double, nearly knocking off his hat. “No,” he howled, trying to straighten. “Just…no!”

Flint shook his head and backed away from the doorway. “How about we leave Snow Globe Boy here to drool in peace over his girl while we go find us a proper ski lodge?”

Ames reached for the handles of his suitcases, looking like he was in full agreement with his youngest brother’s assessment of the place. “Preferably one that doesn’t require forfeiting our man cards.”

Nash stepped back out in the hallway to watch their exodus. He waited until the elevator door rolled open before calling to them, “You wanna borrow my truck keys?”

To Noelle’s amusement, both brothers paused in their tracks. “Not a bad idea.” Ames sounded a bit sheepish about having to be reminded. He slapped a hand against the side of the elevator door to hold it open.

“No can do.” Flint shook his head fiercely. “Not gonna leave you without a set of wheels, bro. We’ll hike down to that satellite rental car spot near Town Square and see what they have available.” He snatched another handful of cookies before stepping inside the elevator.

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