Sleigh Belles. Beth Albright

business and storefront was decked out for a Victorian Christmas. People were showing up in droves in period costumes. Long, velvet, cranberry-colored dresses, huge brimmed hats, tuxes with tails, white spats over black shiny shoes. Men wore tall top hats, offering their arm to the ladies. Costumed carolers strolled along the downtown streets.

      The streetlights were wrapped in garland and topped with deep red velvet bows. Stands for hot cider and warm cocoa were set up along the sidewalks and down near the river. Tiny white lights were strung across the main street with huge wreaths draped right in the middle. Downtown historic sites would be open for candlelight tours as soon as dusk fell.

      And at the end of the street, Father Christmas awaited the children who would anxiously stand in line for a chance to whisper their sugarplum wishes in his ear.

      All of the romance of the Victorian period was alive and made Dallas feel better just being at the event. Even she was excited, if a tad nervous. It was the big story in town that day, and she knew Cal and the entire gang would be milling around somewhere.

      “Let’s set up near the downtown Christmas tree first,” Dallas said.

      “Perfect. I was thinking the same thing,” Daniel agreed as he began to unload the van and set up the camera. “People won’t start to arrive till the afternoon, and the lights won’t come on till dusk.”

      “I was thinking I might like to do my stand-up tonight in front of the bagpipe parade. It’ll have great visuals and natural sound and they’ll be just far enough away” Dallas said. She was always a pro. Born to do the job she was doing. And she was a natural on camera, too.

      The mood was light as she made her way around the area, taking a few notes and watching the shops set out their stands and put their candles in the windows. Her ankle was still a bit swollen but feeling much better. She’d decided to wear her three-inch heels today to play it safe. And she didn’t have to worry about a rehearsal tonight because the children from the choir were actually downtown marching in the evening parade.

      The mayor would also be here making the rounds tonight. Kitty, Dallas’s former stepmother and Blake’s mother, was practically engaged to him, so she’d likely be at his side. They had been fused at the hip since late June and that made Dallas cringe a little.

      Her relationship with Kitty wasn’t so bad. She had been married to Dallas’s dad for about ten years, starting just before Dallas had been sent to live with them. During that time, Kitty had tried to be a mother or at least a friend to Dallas, but she hadn’t actually spoken to Kitty since Vivi’s wedding back in September. It wasn’t really Kitty who was making her so nervous, though—it was her daughter, Blake, who would also be at the festival tonight.

      Dallas worked hard that day, talking to many different merchants and making sure she was covering the event as thoroughly as she could. Late afternoon came, and she and Daniel sat in the satellite van to package the story, editing all the interviews and extra footage into the video that would run just before Dallas did the live stand-up to close the segment. She’d be the lead story tonight on the six o’clock news, and that was in just a couple of hours.

      “I’m heading out for some hot chocolate. Want anything?” she asked Daniel.

      “Yeah, I’ll take a hot cider.”

      “Okay, be back in a few.” Dallas slipped out of the news van and into the cold night air.

      Dusk was falling, and the clear cold winter air helped create a magnificent sunset over the Warrior River. Vibrant orange and turquoise illuminated the evening sky like a painting, casting a warm glow over downtown Tuscaloosa, now awash in the evening’s blush. In moments, the twinkling lights appeared, sprinkled over downtown like decorations on a cake.

      Dallas walked over to the hot chocolate house and got in line. The closed-off streets were starting to fill up with families.

      “Hey, aren’t you Dallas Dubois? I recognize you from TV,” said the young woman at the window.

      “Oh,” Dallas said with a practiced smile. “Yep, it’s me, in person.” She loved being recognized. “I’ll take a hot chocolate and an apple cider, please.”

      “Comin’ right up.” The girl disappeared to the side and returned with the warm drinks. “That’ll be two dollars.”

      “Thanks so much,” Dallas said as she handed the money to the girl.

      “Would you mind if I have your autograph?” she asked Dallas. “My momma will just die when she sees it.”

      “Sure,” Dallas replied, basking in the attention. She set the cups down on the counter and took a pen from the girl and signed her order pad.

      “Oh, thank you, Ms. Dubois. This is so awesome.”

      “No problem,” she said, picking up her drinks again and turning around.

      “Yes, Ms. Dubois, I’d love to get your autograph, too.”

      Cal was standing right behind her, a look of sarcastic admiration on his face, and the surprise had her stumbling back, her warm drinks sloshing onto her winter-white Calvin Klein coat.

      “Oh, no! Look at this mess,” she cried. “And I have a live shot in an hour.”

      “Oh, crap. I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to scare you like that.” Cal did look genuinely sorry as he grabbed handfuls of napkins from the stand to help her clean up. He had a young man with him, his oldest nephew, Justin, there for the night. Justin was a freshman at Alabama. He looked enthralled to meet the star news reporter, even though she was currently splattered with a little hot chocolate.

      “This is my nephew, Justin,” Cal said, offering her the napkins once she’d put down her cups. “He’s a freshman at Alabama. Justin, this is Dallas Dubois.”

      “Wow. Nice to meet you, ma’am. I love watching you on TV,” the boy said, looking a little starstruck. She knew it wasn’t typical for the younger crowed to be familiar with local TV reporters, aside from maybe the anchors since they appeared on air nightly, but her Barbie-doll looks had garnered her more than a few male fans from the around town.

      Dallas was busy trying to dab herself off before the stains set in, but she stuck her hand out to give Justin’s a shake.

      “Yes, uhm... Hi, Justin, nice to meet you, too.” She gave a tight smile and then went back to the mess on her coat.

      “Let me help you,” Cal said. And before she could say no, he was trying to wipe off the hot chocolate, too, patting the collar of her coat, his face in that dangerous place again, much too close to her own.

      “Don’t worry, Cal, it’s fine. I’ve gotta go. These are gettin’ cold and Daniel is waiting.”

      She grabbed the drinks and headed back to the news van in a hurry.

      * * *

      “So, Uncle Cal. Your friend is pretty hot,” Justin said as they walked back to Vivi and Lewis. “Why don’t you ask her out?”

      “No way, kiddo. I’ve known that woman my whole life and she is nothing but bad news.” Then he laughed. “No pun intended.”

      “I think I’d sacrifice the headline for her,” Justin teased. “She’s easily the hottest reporter Tuscaloosa has ever had.”

      “Yeah, but she’s also incredibly full of herself. No room for me and all that hairspray in my little car.”

      They laughed and rejoined the others curbside, waiting for the parade to begin.

      10

      Dallas positioned herself on the street corner where the bagpipe parade would march right behind her as she did her live stand-up. Everything was in place and ready to go. For a quick fix, she’d taken her scarf out of her coat and let it hang over the chocolate spatters so no one could see her little accident. Dallas was nothing if not resourceful.