Page 26 of Cowboy Friend Zone for Christmas

Another chuckle pealed out of her. “We’re starting to sound like Ames and Flint.”

“Not even,” he growled. “You’re much nicer and way prettier.” The way her lips parted and cheeks turned rosy told him that their friendship pact hadn’t rendered her entirely immune to him as a potential boyfriend. It gave him hope they might stand a chance of turning their friendship into something more once she was finally past her fears of being sidelined by a rebound relationship.

Around the next corner, Peppermint Palace rose in front of them.

Nash dubiously eyed the cylindrical structure. “Only in Pinetop,” he muttered.

The building had been painted to look like a gigantic stack of pancakes with a few additional palatial details, like its peppermint drawbridge.

Noelle smiled in empathy. “The entire town looks like it belongs in a theme park, doesn’t it?”

“That’s one way of putting it.” Nash didn’t have anything against the holidays, so he wasn’t sure why the place rubbed him the wrong way. It just did.

“It’s extra beautiful when it snows here,” Noelle mused. “It’s like walking through a postcard.” She sent him a dreamy smile, which abruptly faded. “I shouldn’t have said that.” She placed a hand on his forearm. “I’m so sorry!”

He glanced down at her hand, liking how it looked on his arm. In that moment, he could think of no reason whatsoever for her to be apologizing.

She dug her fingers in a little. “I can only imagine how the sight of snowcapped mountains might make you feel. How many bad memories they might stir after, um…” Her voice dwindled uncertainly.

Ah. “The accident.”

“Yes.” She whispered the word.

He replayed the details leading up to his near-fatal skid off the highway, but all he felt was grateful. Grateful to be alive. Grateful to be reunited with his brothers. Grateful to have Noelle in his life.

“Talk to me,” she pleaded softly. “Tell me you forgive me.”

“For what?” He gave her an incredulous look. “The accident gave me you!”

She looked stunned. Then her eyes slowly filled with tears. “You lost a lot that day, Nash. I’m not insensitive to that.”

“I gained a lot, too.” Ignoring their surroundings, he laid his flesh and blood hand over hers, the one that was capable of feeling every rapid beat of her pulse. “Given the choice, I wouldn’t undo one thing that has happened to me. Not since it got us to where we are now.”

He glanced away from her brimming gaze before he blurted out something she probably wasn’t ready to hear, like how fast and how hard he was falling for her. He stared into space for a moment. Then the world came back into focus — all the couples walking hand in hand, the happy chatter of children, and the occasional yip of a dog.

Out of nowhere, the truth hit him about what disturbed him so deeply about the idyllic little Christmas town.

Noelle tipped her face up to his. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong per se. It’s just that everybody here in Pinetop belongs to somebody. Everybody except me and my brothers.” He waved a hand irritably at all the chattering families crowding the sidewalks. Though they had every right to be happy, their happiness inevitably underscored all the things he was missing in his life.

It wasn’t something he’d thought much about while performing on the rodeo circuit, surrounded by friends, sponsors, and groupies. It wasn’t something he’d thought much about at Canyon Creek Ranch, either. When he was home, he was surrounded by his brothers and their ever-growing ranch staff, many of whom had become like family to him. He had no family ties in Pinetop, though. He was nothing more than a visitor here. A stranger. Just a guy passing through a place that practically reeked of family and home. It made him miss his parents all over again, so much that his heart ached.

“I can see how Pinetop gives off that vibe.” Noelle’s smile was sad. She spun away from him in a slow circle, walking backwards for a few steps. “It’s what appeals so much to tourists. A place where people can relive their favorite childhood memories, like smelling grandma’s fresh-baked cookies again.” She made a rueful sound as she pivoted back in his direction. “But you’re not the only one who feels alone here. If anything, having my parents in town makes me feel even more alone since we’re not close. That’s why it wasn’t hard for me to leave.”

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, wishing he hadn’t brought up the subject. Unlike her, he’d been close with his parents. He would give anything to spend one more day with them.

“It’s not all bad, I guess.” She frowned thoughtfully. “I think my strained relationship with them has made me more careful who I choose to bring into my inner circle.” Her smile returned, chasing away her momentary jaunt into melancholy. “Just for the record, I chose you, cowboy. As my friend, my accountability partner, and my plus one.”

Her words touched him deeply, settling into the darkest, loneliest crevices of his heart. “I chose you back,” he assured huskily. Then he swept an arm out gallantly to usher her ahead of him. “We should probably cross the peppermint bridge together before they send out a search party for us.” He snorted as soon as the words left his mouth. “Can’t believe I just said that out loud.”

“It’s very Pinetoppy, isn’t it?” Her gaze sparkled with mischief as she swept past him onto the bridge. Garlands were draped from the railings on either side of them. “Don’t worry. Your man card is very much still intact, cowboy.”

The way she was looking at him made him want to yank her back into his arms, right there in the middle of tinsel town, and kiss her silly.

Instead, he got the pleasure of following the most beautiful cowgirl in the west into the most ridiculously painted eating establishment he’d ever laid eyes on.

The interior of the restaurant was just as over-the-top as the exterior. It was drenched in pink and teal paint, chrome furnishings, and throwback black-and-white tile. The wait staff was zipping around on roller skates with 1980s style hair and clothing.

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