Page 84 of A Heart Falls Cowboy Christmas

Jake grinned as if he’d won the lottery.

Rose squealed and launched herself off the couch, wrapping Tansy up in a huge hug before anyone else had time to say a word. “Yes?”

“Yes.” Tansy nodded, tears in her eyes for no good reason as she peered over Rose’s shoulder at the rest of the family. “It’s official. We’re expecting.”

Cody clapped his hands together. “Woohoo. Another one.” He looked around for Jeffrey. “He know?”

“Oh yeah. We’re shocked he didn’t march in here and announce it before we could.” Jake leaned over and called to their son. “Jeffster. Ready to share your big news?”

The seven-year-old popped to his feet and raced to Tansy’s side. He caught her hand and tugged. “I can say?”

“You betcha, bud.”

Jeffrey stood up straight and nearly shouted the house down. “I’m gonna be a big brother.”

“Awesome.”

“You’ll be great.”

The round of congrats for Jeffrey were as sincere as the ones offered to Tansy and Jake.

Somehow when the hugs and back pats were done, Tansy was seated next to Jake, baby Lily in her arms, Jeffrey playing with trucks at their feet.

She met Jake’s eyes. “You good?”

“Never better,” he returned. “Spontaneity is fun now, but I love that there are also a ton of good things on my to-do list, and every one of them involves you and the family we’re building.”

“Together,” Tansy whispered, breathing deep and soaking in the addictive scent of baby.

“Together,” Jake agreed. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Lily’s cheek. “Always.”

18

“Line up for the final event of the evening. The gaudy sweater competition is about to begin.” Mack lowered the microphone and stepped out of the way of the crowd that rushed forward.

Turnout at the annual firefighter Christmas party was unusually high, considering it was the first week of December and the rest of the month was overfilled with school pageants, family events, and of course, the official first event at the new community hall.

To his right, Brad moved the final of the judges into position. He knelt beside the wheelchair and shook the elderly man’s hand. “Good to go?”

His silver-white hair neatly combed to one side, Jenson Radway looked as if Santa himself had shown up. He rubbed his hands together eagerly. “My voting pencil is ready and willing.”

“Have fun.” But Brad’s lips twitched in amusement as he stood and rejoined Mack at the side of the room.

“You’re thinking dirty thoughts,” Mack accused his friend.

Brad held out his hands in surrender. “I mean, come on. What else can possibly jump to mind?”

This year, the guest judges were all from the Heart Falls Seniors’ Lodge, and from the looks on their faces, this event was the highlight of their year so far.

Festive music piped through the upper room of the fire hall, the scent of ginger and cinnamon on the air. The line of laughing firefighters and their families entering the contest snaked around the edge of the room. Bright colours flashed everywhere, like a box of neon crayons had been tossed skyward and attached themselves to every surface possible.

“It’s become quite the annual event,” Mack said.

“The gaudy sweater contest?” Brad nodded, pointing a finger across the room at where Ryan danced with Madison, their two youngest holding hands and twirling at their side. “The originators for the chaos seem to have no regrets.”

Their entire family—including their teenage daughter on the opposite side of the room with the other teens—wore red and white this year. Not only red, but reddish-orange red, pinkish-red, blood-red with white polka dots. And all the white bits somehow…glowed.

Mack blinked and lifted a hand to shield his eyes. “They’re a menace, but I’m glad they’re ours.”