Page 12 of The Mountain that Saved Christmas

“You know what? That's not a bad idea. I wonder if he's got some Christmas gnomes,” Dottie ponders, rubbing her chin.

“That man has a gnome for everyone,” Star calls out from the other end of the table.

“So are we doin' a gnome-themed Christmas for the main street of town then?” Cora says, looking around the group. “Because I can work with that. We can stock up on all the gnomes yourfriend George has in the gnomery, then turn it into a tourist attraction of sorts.”

“Wait, like a gnome treasure hunt? Find them all and win a prize, or somethin'?” Charlie asks.

“Nowthatwould be cool,” Toby adds. “But maybe Georgie doesn't want gnomes. He would've said that otherwise, right? That letter made it sound like he wants a Christmas like we had back home.”

“So wedon'thave a theme for the Rainbow Springs Christmas Surprise?” Lee asks.

Landry groans. “How many names do wehavefor this thing? I can't keep track.”

“I liked Operation Rainbow Christmas,” I reply. “It had a nice ring to it.”

Cora nods. “We also said Operation Give a Gnome a Holiday, remember?”

“How about we just focus on gettin' there?” Rhett says.

“Here, here,” everyone replies.

“To the spirit of givin',” Red says, looking around the group of our family—blood, found, and otherwise. “And to many more adventures to come.” He raises his glass, and we all clink ours together in unison.

“Nowcan we get on to this singin' competition?” Toby asks, looking at the stage like a kid in a candy shop.

After another round of drinks and a huge—now demolished—spread of food ranging from tasting platters of bar food to Christmas treats, the bar manager walks up onto the stage and looks out across the room.

Just as the last time we were here a few months ago, there are two low-set screens for the lyrics with two microphones on stands in front of them.

“Welcome to karaoke night at the Canary,” the manager announces to rapturous cheers and applause—mostly from our table. “Who's ready to sing their heart out tonight?” he continues, encouraging the crowd to get involved. “Before we open it up to everyone, we've got a bit of a treat for y'all tonight. This big group of ranchers in front are here from Spring Haven and they've decided to challenge each other to a Christmas sing-off.”

The crowd erupts into cheers and applause as the manager scans our group, searching for someone brave enough to go first.

Red and I exchange a look, a silent agreement passing between us as we both rise from our seats, excitement bubbling within me as our loved ones start chanting our names.

My husband gives my hand a reassuring squeeze before we each take a microphone, his soft warm expression a reminder of that night months ago when we were on this same stage singing Dolly and Kenny to each other. It was the moment it hit me that I not only loved him, I wasinlove with him too.

That same familiar thrill washes over me as Red shoots me a wink and selects a song for us. Moments later, 'Baby, it's cold outside,' starts to play and I can't help but laugh at his choice.

Our voices blend harmoniously as we sing, carrying the spirit of the season to every corner of the bar. I catch glimpses of our friends and family cheering us on but the only person—the only man—I see is my handsome husband as we lose ourselves in the song.

When the backing track ends, there's a moment of hushed silence before the room erupts into thunderous applause. Red and I share a smile as the manager returns to the stage.

“Wow, that was somethin’ else! How about a round of applause for these two lovebirds giving us all some Christmas magic tonight?” he calls out, prompting another cascade of cheers and claps from the audience.

Following our performance, the karaoke night continues with lively performances from our group, each act more entertaining than the last.

Ruthie and the Sallys belt out a hilarious rendition of “Santa Baby” complete with dance moves. Landry surprises everyone with a pitch-perfect singing voice on “Blue Christmas” with Star on backup vocals. Lee and Colt sing “Let it Snow.” Charlie and Austin give alivelyperformance of “Frosty the Snowman” while Rhett and Cora attempt “Oh Christmas Tree.”

Then there's Toby and Dee who finish off the challenge with “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” filled with actions and prancing—Toby, not Dee.

After a night filled with laughter, joy, and a lot of good-natured ribbing, the manager can't go past Landry's smooth performance and announces him as the winner.

As the evening draws to a close and the last notes of “Feliz Navidad” fade away, I look around at my family's smiling faces, feeling grateful beyond words.

Beyond that though, I realize I'm fully in the moment. I'm not preoccupied about the diner or whatever might be going on back home, or about Christmas being just around the corner—our first together since getting married. My focus is on enjoying this night with our ranch family and knowing that tomorrow, we'll be sharing the blessings with George and the rest of Rainbow Springs, spreading festive cheer and hopefully giving them a holiday they won't ever forget.

And as someone who's usually too busy to dedicate a lot of time to Christmas in the past, I can't wait.

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