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That was the kids’ group, though. He was assuming this was the night the adults caroled.
“What time does it start?” he asked.
His dad shrugged. “Beats me.”
“Probably soon.” His mom glanced at the clock. “You’d better hurry up and finish eating or you’ll miss it.”
He shouldn’t do it. He should stay here and get caught up on work. Spending more time around charity would only make this harder. What he needed to be doing was distancing himself from her.
But instead, he found himself typing,What time?Then he rushed to finish his salad. Yeah, his willpower was shot.
15
It was the perfect night for Christmas caroling. The weather had warmed up a little, as it sometimes did in late November, but there was just enough of a breeze to make the weather fall-like.
“Nic Winters!”
Charity was trying not to stare eagerly at the cars entering the parking lot when Trevor Hargis’s voice cut into her thoughts. She’d been basically pretending that Mrs. Apple’s description of her turkey casserole was the most interesting thing she’d ever heard. In truth, though, she hadn’t processed a single word the woman had said.
“I haven’t seen you in years,” Trevor said to the new arrival. “Where have you been hiding yourself?”
Trevor’s voice carried over to Charity, who started nodding even more vigorously. “I should try that,” Charity told Mrs. Apple, not sure what she was suggesting she’d try. “I’m sure my parents still have plenty of leftovers. They’ve been looking for a way to serve them so we don’t have to throw it all away.”
Despite her resolve not to look, Charity found her head turning just slightly. Just enough for her to take in Trevor and Nic. They were standing several feet away, on the outskirts of the crowd, and Nic was looking in this direction.
A surge of excitement passed through Charity. This was the feeling she’d missed with her ex. This was why they’d broken up. Even in the beginning, she hadn’t gotten this rush of adrenaline, the rapid heartbeat that came when you were really,reallyinto someone.
But she couldn’t be into this particular someone. No, that was wrong. How did she turn it off?
“Okay everyone,” Pastor Murray said. He was standing on the steps behind her, addressing the crowd of a couple dozen people. “My lovely wife Alison is handing out the songbooks. I see a couple of new faces this year. Welcome! Partner up with one of these old-timers, and they’ll tell you how it’s done.”
By then, Charity had stepped away from Mrs. Apple to look up at Pastor Murray. Technically, Charity should be the one to help Nic since she’d invited him. But they’d done this so many times as kids, he should know the drill. Did he really count as a newcomer?
Yeah, when she turned around, he’d no doubt be hanging out with Trevor, who’d done this event before. Like her, he did a lot of volunteer work because it was good for his business. And because he wanted to give back to the community that had given so much to him.
But when she turned, Trevor had grouped up with Lucky and his girlfriend, Jordan. No surprise. Lucky was a contractor, and Trevor was an electrician. They’d worked together before at some point, although Charity didn’t know the specifics. Charity had been talking to the three of them before Mrs. Apple started talking to her.
Meanwhile, Nic stood just behind her, looking like he was about to approach. “I guess you’re my buddy,” he said with a big smile.
Somehow, he managed to make those words go straight to her heart. Alison squeezed around him and handed both of them songbooks. She tossed Charity a big smile before heading back to her husband.
Pastor Murray and his wife had only lived in Misty Mountain a few years. He’d moved here from up north, replacing their longtime pastor when he retired. So Alison Murray would have no clue who this handsome man talking to one of their longtime church members was.
“Are these the same songs we sang growing up?” Nic asked, opening the book and looking down at it. “If it’s the classics, I know them anyway, I’m sure.”
“All the classics.” She opened the book, which was the same one they used every year. “We start with ‘Silent Night’ to bring people to the door. It’s less threatening. Then, once we have them listening, we switch to ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas,’ and if we haven’t been kicked off the lawn yet, we go into ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ and end with ‘Oh Holy Night.’”
“I’m not a very good singer,” he said.
“We have some strong singers.” She gestured to the people to her left. “Trust me. The concern tonight was getting the numbers.”
Wait, maybe she shouldn’t reveal the fact that she mostly reached out to him because they needed more people. Or maybe letting him think that was the right idea.
If she was truly honest, though, she’d admit she invited him because she wanted to see him again.
“I’ll do my best not to embarrass you,” he said.
He had a smile on his face as he said those words, but as his gaze connected with hers, she couldn’t seem to look away. She was filled with a longing so intense, it made her knees a little weak.
