Noelle laughed. “That sounds like her. Don’t worry. I’m happy to be the attendant friend. Really.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

They returned to the main room of the salon just as Dellina, their wedding planner, arrived with both arms full of flowers. She put down the bouquets, looked at all of them, then put her hands on her hips.

“What?” she demanded. “You’ve been crying. Don’t try to tell me you haven’t been. And I’d better not hear someone is breaking up.”

“They were trying on dresses and looked so beautiful, we lost it,” Noelle said.

Patience grinned. “No, Felicia looked so beautiful they started crying. I didn’t inspire any great emotion.”

“You were stunning,” Felicia told her. “Lovely and delicate. L-like those flowers.” Tears filled her eyes.

Dellina shook her head. “Was there wine involved?”

“No,” Isabel said cheerfully. “We did all this completely sober.”

“A frightening thought,” Dellina murmured. “Are we back together now? I can move on to flowers without anyone getting hysterical?”

The three brides nodded. “I was never hysterical,” Noelle pointed out.

“Good. Then we have work to do, ladies. These are some flower samples. I was thinking we’d pick a color scheme for the flowers and then each of you would have a variation of that color. That way you can have your favorites without clashing.”

Noelle listened as Dellina explained which flowers would work best in a bouquet, then showed them different groupings.

Less than two years ago she’d been planning her own wedding, she thought wistfully. She and Jeremy had wanted a summer wedding on the beach. Their biggest disagreement had been about the wedding gown. She’d wanted to wear her grandmother’s. She’d had the overlay of lace removed, leaving the fitted heart-shaped bodice in place. The seamstress she’d worked with had carefully reapplied the lace flowers and had added some draping. But when Noelle had tried it on for Jeremy, he’d said it was too old-fashioned.

In the end, it hadn’t mattered because then she’d gotten sick and eventually he’d left her. He’d told her she wasn’t enough of a sure thing for him.

She shook off the memories and returned her attention to the flower discussion.

“While you’re mulling,” Dellina said, pulling a tablet out of her large tote and touching the screen, “I’ll mention some other details. Evie Jefferson and I talked. After the Dance of the Winter King, the girls will start a new dance she taught them. The music will change and then Mayor Marsha will take the stage to explain what’s happening.”

She went through the events of the evening. How the three grooms would take their places, and Noelle would be the first down the aisle.

“I have a list of prewedding march music,” Dellina said, digging for a sheet of paper. “I’m also open to suggestions. Then the traditional wedding march, then you three appear. Ceremony, ring, kiss and we invite everyone to a late supper before we all head to church for midnight services.”

“You’re doing the supper?” Noelle asked.

“I’m organizing it.” Dellina grinned. “Trust me, I didn’t get the cooking gene. Ana Raquel and Greg are handling the food. It’s going to be delicious.”

Felicia pulled her own tablet out of her bag. “I have a list of what’s been ordered,” she said. “Including the champagne.”

Noelle glanced at the clock on the wall. “If you guys don’t need me, I’m going to head back to my store. We’re swamped and I left Gabriel in charge.”

“Thanks for everything,” Isabel told her. “You’ve been great.”

“I’m happy to help. Let me know the details.”

She waved at her friends, then left the store. As she hurried toward The Christmas Attic, she told herself to revel in their happiness and not think about the fact that the day after Christmas, everything would be different. Her friends would leave on their honeymoons, Gabriel would go back to Germany and her store would get quiet again. While her friends would return, they would be married and she had a feeling that could change things.

As for Gabriel, well, she doubted she would ever see him again. Not unless he started visiting his brother more regularly. And what were the odds of that? So not getting involved really made sense. Only she wasn’t sure she was in a place where she wanted to be sensible.

She was about to turn the corner when Patience caught up with her. “I have to get back, too,” she said. “And I completely trust Dellina with the menu.” She pointed to the window for da bump Maternity. “Oh, look. She’s added an animated Santa.”

Noelle glanced at the window and saw a dancing Santa. There were elves, too. Cute elves she didn’t remember from a couple of days ago.

“She’s getting to her decorating late,” she said. “It’s a tough time of year.”

“She’s not late,” Patience said. “It’s the competition. I thought about trying, but with the wedding and all, there’s no way. Maybe next year. Although Josh usually wins. I think he brings in people from outside to decorate. He’s a professional competitor. The rest of us don’t take it that seriously.”

Noelle stopped to face her. “What are you talking about?”

“The competition for best holiday window display,” Patience told her. “It’s silly, really. The prize is some little statue. It’s just for fun.”

“Why didn’t I know about this?” Noelle asked, gazing at the window display. “I have a Christmas store. I should be a contender.”

“Uh-oh.” Patience held up both hands. “I see that look of determination. I’m so staying out of your way.”

Chapter 8

Gabriel closed the cash register and handed over the bag. “Thanks for stopping by,” he said. “Merry Christmas.”

Unexpectedly, he enjoyed working in the store. People were really happy when they found what they were looking for and he liked the idea of seeing the transaction through. In his day job, he patched his patients up as best he could and then they were gone. Even in Germany, when his patients left the hospital, they still had healing to do. But here, he could sell a Christmas CD and feel a sense of accomplishment.

The front door opened and Noelle burst in. She was flushed and wide-eyed, her scarf falling off her shoulder.

“What happened?” he demanded, already moving toward her. Adrenaline pumped through him as he wondered if there’d been a car accident or some other tragedy he would have to deal with. He didn’t have a medical bag with him, which would limit what he could do but—

“There’s a window competition,” she announced. “How did I not know about this? There are prizes and everything. We have to win.”

Gabriel drew in a breath and consciously relaxed his body. The chemical rush would take a while to fade, but at his least brain knew she was okay.

“A competition?” he asked. “For windows?”

“Window displays. I wish Melissa was here. I could ask her about it. There was a flyer, but I guess I didn’t get it.” She walked over to the computer and typed in the password to log on to the internet, then searched.

“Here it is,” she said triumphantly. “The judging is the eleventh. That’s next Wednesday and doesn’t give us much time.” She looked around the store. “I need to get organized.”

“You’re going to try to win?”

She gave him a pitying look. “Of course. This is important. Not only is this my first year in business, I’m the Christmas store. I need to at least be in the competition, even if I don’t win.”

An unexpected side of Noelle, he thought, liking her fierceness.

“How can I help?”

She smiled then and it was like getting kicked in the gut. Gabriel held in a groan as he wondered when wanting Noelle had shifted to liking her, as well. Desire was safe. It was biology and a lot about proximity. But liking was different. Liking was about personality and caring, which meant when he left he was going to miss her.

Too late now, he told himself. He was stuck.

“I’m going to walk around town and look at the other windows,” she said. “I’ll take notes. Then this afternoon we can strategize about what to do.” She glanced toward the display in the south window. “I know we’re going to need a bigger tree—that’s for sure. But a real one.”

“You’re going to put a real tree in your window?”

“Why not? It will add a nice scent to the store and look more authentic. I wonder if Heidi would let me have one of her goats.”

“No goats,” he said sternly. “You can’t keep a goat in the window.”

“I suppose you’re right. But if we made it looking like a stable and it was just for sleeping...” She shook her head. “There would be clean-up issues and I don’t know how many hours a day a goat sleeps.” She wrapped her scarf around her neck. “Okay, I’ll be back with intel and then we can brainstorm.”

Intel? Gabriel rubbed his right temple. He could already feel a headache coming on.

* * *

By eight that night Gabriel wondered if Noelle was willing to admit defeat.

“I want to believe,” she murmured, pulling up the hood on her coat. Snow fell around them and the temperature was plunging, but he knew the cold wasn’t the reason for her glum tone.

She stopped on the sidewalk and drew in a breath. “You can be done with this,” she added, although she didn’t sound very convincing.

“You don’t mean that,” he told her.

“Nobody wants to spend this long looking for a Christmas tree.”

“Why stop now?” he asked, not mentioning that they’d already been to all five lots in town. He would swear she’d examined every tree needle by needle but was still unsatisfied. “You can’t be giving up.”

“I’m not. I still think the perfect tree is out there. It has to be.”

“Then you’ll find it.”

She looked doubtful. “Are you saying you agree with me or are you humoring me because it’s the quickest way to get out of the snow?”

“Both,” he admitted.

She flashed him a smile that took care of any chills.

Her cheeks were red from the cold, as was her nose. Snow landed on the faux shearling edging her hood and dusted her shoulders. She looked adorable and sexy at the same time and he suspected she had no clue as to how she got to him.

“I can’t help it,” she admitted. “This is important to me.”

“I guessed that.” He stomped his feet.

“Go home,” she said. “You’re freezing. I’ll give up.”

His gaze settled on her face. “Why do I know you’re lying?”

“I’m not.”

She stared at him with what he would guess she thought was an open expression. But he knew what she was thinking. She wasn’t the type to give up.

“Sell it somewhere else. You’re going to keep at this until you have the perfect tree and what you think is a shot at winning some ribbon.”

“I heard it’s a trophy.”

“Well, then.”

“Are you mad?” she asked.

“No. Just wondering what you’d be like if you really wanted something. Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m walking you home. On the way, we’ll come up with a plan to find the perfect tree.”

She had fallen into step with him, but now she jumped in front of him and grinned. “Really? I was wondering if maybe we could drive up the mountain and cut down a tree.”

“Is that legal? Aren’t the mountains state or federal lands?”

“I don’t know. I could find out. Anyway, it’s just one tree.”

“Great. An obsessed lawbreaker.”

They were standing by the park, across from Morgan’s Books. The sky was dark, the snow falling gently, and there were dozens of people on the sidewalks. Music was piped in from somewhere, tinny Christmas carols that reminded him of his childhood. He couldn’t feel the lower half of his body. Probably a good thing considering she was staring at him as if he’d just saved puppies from a fire.

“So you’ll really help me?” she asked.

“I’ve come too far to turn back now.”

“That is so great.” She bounced in place. “I’ll check to see if it’s legal before we head up the mountain. How’s that? We can take my car.”

“You’re going to drive?”

“It’ll be hard to walk back, dragging a tree.”

“You’re not ready for mountain driving.”

She waved away his concern. “I’ll be fine. I have righteousness on my side. What could go wrong?”

“Don’t tempt fate. I’m coming with you and I’m driving. We’ll take Gideon’s truck.”

She stared into his eyes, her expression innocent. “That would be very nice. Thank you.”

He touched his gloved fingers to her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You’re welcome.”

She grinned and grabbed his hands in hers. “It’ll be fun. We’ll find a huge tree and cut it down. Like we’re pioneers or something. Then bring it back and put it in the window. I’ll win for sure.”

He wasn’t convinced. “You’ll have to measure the window. We don’t want to bring back something that’s too big.” He drew her against him and they started walking.