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After directing more sappy holiday romances than I can count, I finally get
to star in my own love story. Unfortunately, everyone in this small town thinks
they’re the director.

Between endless Southern celebrations, surprise “pre-pre-wedding” parties,
and two extremely enthusiastic mothers, all I want is to marry my sweet
boyfriend in peace. Is that really too much to ask?

Apparently so.

Little did I know that
filming a documentary at a casino in Mississippi would spark the idea of
eloping. Earl Ed’s cousin tied the knot there, and so did another couple
from his hometown, so how hard could it be… right?

Wrong.

It’s not so easy when you
decide to elope on Christmas Eve. Add in our meddling family and a whole
county wanting nothing more than to see us exchange vows, and suddenly it’s like Apple Cart County has come to town.

I’ve seen a lot working in
the entertainment industry. And even more since moving to Alabama. But none of
that could’ve prepared me for…

What happens in Tunica!

Chapter One

Earl Ed

I’ve never had so much trouble oiling a butt.

But I’ve also never proposed with a romantic candlelit dinner of smoked pork and Southern fixings. My mouth goes dry when I place the pig in the smoker and think about what I need to get ready while it cooks.

I want everything set by the time Mackenzie arrives so I can act casual as usual. I often like to surprise her with upscale home cooking, but I want tonight to be extra memorable. Even though she isn’t flashy for a city transplant who’s seen it all, I want to go the extra mile to show her how special she is to me.

While the potatoes soak in water, I head outside to finish the golf course. It’s almost time to open my Christmas lights display to the public. Everyone thinks I’ve been decorating for that, even though I’ve only used white lights this year.

The good thing about people in Apple Cart County is if I throw in a few blowups and oddball decorations, they won’t care what color lights I use. But that will all come into play after tonight.

Hopefully after I’m engaged.

If you’d told me two years ago that I’d be preparing to ask the woman of my dreams to marry me today—or even be out of jail—I’d have laughed in your face.

“Boss man, where you want this?” Skeeder calls from across the property. He’s holding the pieces to a large lighted archway.

“At the front of the last hole. And you don’t have to call me boss man.”

“I call all my bosses boss man, boss man.”

I shake my head. It’s hard to find good holiday help, so I settled for the least feeble person available this time of year. But I’m beginning to think Ms. Ethel could move lights better. She could transport them using the little basket on her walker.

My plan is to take a romantic stroll with Mackenzie through the lit-up course, then end under the archway and propose. At each stop, I will tell her one of the many reasons why I love her.

I make my way toward Skeeder, relieved I hired him only as a seasonal employee. He’s had a ton of random jobs in the community, some well-paying, but never stuck with any of them. I’m beginning to see why.

Skeeder drops the pieces of the arch where I told him, a little harder than I prefer.

“Can you bring an extra-long extension cord this way? I want to make sure it works before we get too far into constructing it.”

“Sure thing, boss man.”

I choose to ignore the moniker. He struts in the opposite direction, his lanky legs and patch of facial hair making him look like the doppelgänger for Shaggy from Scooby Doo. JoJo warned me to not let him near a chainsaw. After watching him goofily saunter through the mini-golf course, I can see why.

My hands shake with nerves as I spread apart the pieces of the arch. I know Mackenzie would be happy regardless
of how I propose, but when you date a girl who’s directed a ton of Christmas romances, it sets the bar pretty high.

In this case, the bar will be about twelve feet at the top of the arch. Plenty tall enough to hang some ornaments and mistletoe from the top.

Skeeder returns with a long extension cord. A bright orange one. Never mind that I have plenty of green ones near it to blend with the putting green. I’ll use it to check the lights, then get one that makes better sense myself.

He slinks it down beside the pile of lighted arches. “Here you go, boss man.”

I inhale deeply to calm the nerve he’s riding right now. “Hey, can you go out to the edge of the woods and shoot some mistletoe down for decoration?”

“Sure thing, bo—”

A low growl unwillingly leaves my throat. He straightens and nods, then hurries off. I’m pretty good about keeping my cool in aggravating situations, but every now and again, my stint in the county jail shines through.

All the archway pieces light up, giving me the green light to assemble them. I could’ve borrowed some Christmas decorations from my mom, but that would get her involved. The last thing I want
is to make a big deal out of this proposal.

On my way to the storage shed for a better extension cord, I mumble to myself. “Mackenzie, we’ve been together now for two years . . . I’ve never met anyone like you before . . . We are . . .”

I sigh as I roll up the best green cord. No amount of preparation can calm my anxious thoughts, even though I’m ninety-nine percent certain she will say yes, or I wouldn’t be asking.