Page 8 of Between a Rock and a Hard Cowboy

“The annual Wilder family Christmas challenge,” Ethan supplied, looking happy to be informing her and Poppy of what sounded like something she was going to hate. A whole lot. Even if it did have her favorite word,challenge,in it.

ChapterFour

Eva put her cup down on the cafe’s well used table before saying, “I hate to even ask this, but what exactly is this competition and what does it have to do with Poppy and me? We’re not Wilders.”

“You’re close enough.” Ethan shook his head. “Doesn’t matter if you’re a Wilder by blood or marriage or just by association. If you hang with us during the holidays, you’re a part of the challenge.”

Eva raised one red brow and Linc had no doubt that the introvert was deciding if it would be smart to avoid hanging with the Wilders for the month of December. If he hadn’t been born into this family he might consider the same.

Finally, Eva said, “All right. Go on. Tell us what it’s about.”

Poppy held up one hand. “Wait. Should we get Livvie on video chat so she doesn’t miss anything?”

“I’ll give her a private tutorial later,” Wyatt told her.

“Yeah, you will, you dog.” Ethan waggled his eyebrows suggestively, earning him a deep scowl from Wyatt and an indulgent glance from their father before he began his explanation.

“Christmas Eve the year John T. Wilder was building the Wilder Inn on Roan Mountain, back in the nineteenth century, there was a bad storm. So bad, the construction crew couldn’t get back down the mountain to town that night.”

Poppy reached out and grasped Eva’s hand. “You know getting stranded and freezing to death is my worst fear.”

Eva cocked up a brow. “I know, which is why I’m baffled by why you chose to go to school in Ithaca but anyway, it’s just a story. There’s no blizzard outside. You’re not going to freeze.”

“Don’t you worry. I’ll keep you warm, darlin’,” Ethan assured with a suggestive wink.

“See. There you go.” After placating her friend, Eva turned her attention back to Linc’s father. “Go on. How did this nineteenth century blizzard turn into me having to play reindeer games with the Wilders?”

His father turned his gaze to the two women. “They were working on the interiors. The hotel had walls and a roof at this point. And operational fireplaces, so they weren’t going to freeze to death. But still, it became clear they were going to be stuck there for Christmas Day. So they decided to make the best of it. They went outside and gathered up whatever they could to decorate and make the place festive.”

“And firewood for heat?” Poppy asked.

“Yes. Lots of firewood. Then they put all their names in a hat and everyone drew one. That was the person they were tasked with getting a gift for.”

“Like a Secret Santa,” Eva said.

“Yes. Except all the gifts had to be handmade,” Linc’s father clarified.

Poppy nodded, still looking scarred by the tale. “Because they were trapped.”

“And there was no Amazon Prime delivery. Which I’m quite convinced Olivia couldn’t survive without,” Wyatt commented, earning him a small laugh and a nod from Poppy.

Eva drew in a breath. “I’m starting to see where this story is going.”

“Do you now? Where do you think it’s going?” Linc’s father asked.

“We’re going to draw names. And we’re going to have to make that person a gift, instead of buying it,” Eva guessed.

“God, no. Thank goodness it’s not that hard,” Ethan explained.

“Ethan is correct. You don’t have to make the gift by hand. But it does have to be special. And secret.”

“But then how do we win the competition for best gift if the giver is kept secret?” Eva frowned.

Linc couldn’t help but laugh at how Eva was all about being the best.

“That’s not the competition part,” Linc’s father clarified.

Eva let out a soft groan, which his father ignored as he continued.

---