Page 85 of A Heart Falls Cowboy Christmas

“Maddy especially keeps things interesting around here.” Brad waved back at one of the volunteers. “It’s hard to believe that the Tacky Threads Throwdown is in its final days of ugly glory.”

“It raised enough money for the new playground and to top up the newcomers fund.” Mack nudged Brad in the side as he handed over the microphone. “Time to work.”

A moment later they were ready.

“Welcome, all. When the music starts, it’ll be time for you to shine in your most gaudy way possible,” Brad announced. “Our esteemed judges will take notes on the best, the loudest, and the most themed entries, so dance, walk, or hop past them slowly so they get a chance to truly appreciate every twinkling bit of the wonder that is you.”

The background music flipped to something from the nutcracker, and a cheer went up. The circle of shuffling people was built of every colour in the rainbow. Furry vests and jingle bells. Artificial Christmas tree limbs and a truly dizzying mix of patterns.

Mack couldn’t keep his eyes off the most important part, though.

Above the chaos of what they were wearing, the faces of the people he’d worked with all year shone with happiness.

It was partly about the fun of coming up with the wild outfits, but it was more about the coming together. A time to celebrate all they’d accomplished and the lives they’d helped along the way.

The team they’d built.

Hours later, when the last of the partiers had headed out the door, Mack took the stairs two at a time back up to where their core group was still gathered. Cleaning up the ribbons and wrapping paper, wiping down tables, chatting with the volunteers who’d drawn the short straw and were on duty for the night.

Mack pulled out the chair next to Brooke and leaned in close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he kissed her cheek. “Have fun tonight?”

“Yup.” She smiled back at him. “My dad texted to say he got the kids home and into bed no problem. Leia didn’t even wake up when he transferred her from the car seat to her crib.”

“Good.”

Across the table, Maddy held Ryan’s hand as she talked to Yvette. Alex on the other side was chatting with Ashton, the two of them leaning over a stack of what looked like duty rosters.

A cup of something hot and steamy landed on the table in front of Mack.

Sonora leaned over farther and put one down for Brooke, as well. “A hot toddy for a job well done,” she told them. “It was a great evening, but you both worked too hard.”

“Having fun,” Mack pointed out. “That’s not really work.”

Sonora shrugged. “You also took the time to really talk to the volunteers. It wasn’t only about tonight—it never really is—so good for you. Give yourself a pat on the back.”

Mack dipped his chin. It was true. Like he’d been thinking earlier, it was about more than filling slots on a volunteer chart. They were a team, starting with the crew in front of him.

Maddy clapped her hands together. “So.”

Brooke raised a brow. “So…what?”

“I was thinking⁠—”

“You were told not to do that anymore,” Yvette teased.

Maddy pressed both hands to her face and pretended to scream.

Mack snorted, and he wasn’t the only one. “Nice Home Alone moment. Now spill… What terrifyingly wonderful idea have you come up with now?”

She shrugged. “We spend a lot of time together over the year. I thought maybe we could finish up with something a little more formal and yet fun.” She glanced around the table at the ten of them gathered there. “As long as no one is dying to go home right this minute.”

As Brad had said earlier, Maddy kept things rolling.

Mack gestured his approval. “We’re good to stay.”

“Curiosity at your latest mischief would keep me up all night if we left now,” Alex teased.

“Good. I figured you’d say that.” Maddy laid a small cloth bag on the table. “Pull out a rock and share something with the group based on your prompt. Don’t think too hard—it’ll all make sense as soon as we start.”