Chapter 22

Multi-colored lights began to light up the night as they drove to the church. Jocelyn loved spending time with Caden. After spending the day with him and his parents, she knew she could never be just friends with him. He had ruined her for all other men at a very young age. And now that he was back, it was solidified.
Soon, Caden pulled the car to a stop in front of the church and turned off the engine. "We're here."
Jocelyn looked over at him and grinned. "So, are you ready for this?"
Caden laughed. "As ready as I'll ever be."
"Let's go." Jocelyn smiled, enjoying his discomfort a bit too much. She was glad that he had agreed to go caroling with her, not quite ready for the day to end. After the pageant and parade, Mallory would have more time to spend with Caden and Jocelyn's time with him would end. But she intended to enjoy spending time with him while she could.
When they walked into the church, people were wearing their hats and scarves, ready to go. Red ribbons adorned the ends of the pews and several small Christmas trees set on the landing, near the altar. It really was beautiful. At that moment, Jocelyn realized that it was things like this that she loved the most. The closeness of a small town, with all the trimmings. She just wondered if Caden could come to love the town as she did. But she quickly pushed the thought aside, knowing that he would only be there until after Christmas and then he would soon be gone. But he was here now.
"Jocelyn! I didn't think you were going to make it!" Mrs. Oberon was handing out choir folders when they walked in the door. Then she noticed Caden. "Well, as I live and breathe! Caden Scott! It's been years since I've seen you! Welcome home! I hear you're a war hero now! You'll have to come back and tell us all about it!"
"Well, I don't know about a hero-."
"Hey, everyone!" Mrs. Oberon ignored his response. "Look who's back! Our resident war hero!" Then her eyes opened so wide they nearly bugged out of her head. "I heard you became a Navy SEAL! Is it true?"
Caden smiled. "Yes, it is, but-."
Everyone surrounded him, giving him pats on the pack with a chorus of "Welcome Home!" "A war hero!" "Thank you for your service!"
"Thanks, everyone!" Caden held up his hands, barely visible in the crowd. "But we're here to go caroling--"
"Oh! Caroling!" Mrs. Oberon looked frantically around. "Where's Pastor Crane?"
"We can't go caroling without him!" Mrs. Miller added, panicked.
"Calm down ladies. I'm here." Everyone turned around and Pastor Crane had just walked in. "Are you ready to go?" Then he spotted Caden. "Well, as I live and breathe! Welcome home, son."
He held his hand out and Caden shook it, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Thank you, sir. Glad to be home."
"Are you here for good, or just visiting?" The pastor raised his eyebrows expectantly.
Caden shrugged. "Not sure yet, but I'll be here throughout the holidays."
The pastor clasped his hand on his arm. "Well, we're glad to have you here. Thank you for your service."
"It's an honor, sir." Caden stood a bit straighter.
Then the pastor turned to everyone. "Well, let's get this show on the road! Shall we? But let's warm up first. Altos, over here- sopranos, stand over there-."
He proceeded to move everyone around, but Jocelyn noticed that Caden stayed near her in the soprano section. When they started singing, he just sang the soprano melody an octave lower, but no one seemed to mind. Jocelyn listened to him as he sang and he had a wonderful voice.
Then Caden leaned over her, causing her heart to pound. "Why didn't you ever tell me you could sing?" Caden asked, placing a hand on the small of her back as they walked out of the church with the choir. "It's not too late to become a professional, you know. You could always go to Nashville or New York and become a singer."
Jocelyn smiled as she shook her head, wondering where that had come from. "No, I love it here in Christmas Cove too much."
"What do you love about it so much?" He adjusted the choir folder he was holding. It was comical, seeing him like this.
Jocelyn thought for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully. "Well, I love the camaraderie of the people, the small-town feel. People come from all over the world to celebrate Christmas here, and the townspeople go out of their way to make them feel at home."
"So, you love the people here?"
She nodded. "Yes, I guess you could say I do- as well as the town. But isn't it the people that make the town?"
"Yes, I guess you're right."
Walking beside him in the encroaching darkness seemed right. She had never really thought of it before, but it was the people who made the town. At that moment, she wished he never had to leave. But that wasn't going to happen. After all, he had said that he wasn't sure if he was going to stay or not. It was just her luck. He would stay long enough to wrap her heart around his finger and then he'd leave and take it with her.
A moment later, they stopped in front of the first house and rushed to get into position. Then Mrs. Miller knocked on the door and stepped back to her place. When a man opened the door, the choir broke into a chorus of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."
"Honey!" the man yelled into the house. "Come here! You have to see this!" A moment later, the man's wife joined him, along with their two small children, a boy and a girl. They smiled as they listened to the choir sing in harmony. It wasn't perfect, but it was fun. When the song came to an end, the family clapped, and the man held out his hand to the preacher. "It's not much, but consider this a donation to the church. Thank you so much for stopping by."
The preacher took the money. "You really didn't have to do this, but thank you so much. I'll make sure this goes in the offering plate on Sunday."
The man nodded, smiling. "Thank you. And have a very Merry Christmas."
Caden leaned over Jocelyn's head and whispered, "That was fun."
She looked up, a devilish smile on her lips. "See? I told you it'd be fun."
"And you were right."
"As usual," she teased.
"Hey, now! I wouldn't go that far."
She laughed as a blush colored her cheeks.
The choir continued to the next house and then another, singing all of the classic Christmas songs in the folder and even ones that weren't. Of course, they didn't expect anything in return, but one family gave them hot chocolate, and a few others gave donations to the church. In all, they had a wonderful time.