It’s the month of December and Mele Pitman is receiving little surprises at the oddest moments. Sweet, inexpensive gifts in her locker and in her car. It’s just like the Secret Santa at school, Aunty Mele, her twin nieces tell her. But Mele knows she hasn’t exchanged names with anyone. Especially not a certain handsome cowboy-because she never consorts with cowboys.

Ben Mendoza used to spend his summers visiting his great-uncle’s ranch. Now he finds himself the unexpected owner of the neglected ranch. He loves the old place, but he’s working himself into exhaustion. Except for Friday and Saturday nights, when he drives into Malino and eats at the small cafe. The food is great, but the waitress is out of this world.

Will Mele figure out who the mystery Santa is before Christmas? Old-fashioned courting is no doubt the perfect method to win Mele’s heart. But it eventually takes the whole town to pull it off.