Holding Out for Christmas (The Christmas Tree Ranch #3)(12)

Megan sighed. “All right. But if I make a fool of myself—”

“I can’t believe you could ever make a fool of yourself.”

“Then you don’t know me very well,” Megan said. “At social dinners, I’ve been known to say stupid things, spill my soup, smile with spinach on my front teeth, use the wrong fork—you name it. If I embarrass you to death, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Conner laughed. “Don’t worry about it. If you embarrass me, I’ll just embarrass you right back—like maybe belch at the table. Hey, relax. It’ll be fun. Dinner’s set for seven. I’ll pick you up at quarter to. And don’t forget to give me your phone number in case anything changes.”

“I’ll write the number down for you.” Megan had business cards in her purse, but they had Lacy’s name on them. And Megan had learned the hard way that Lacy was best kept in the closet until showtime. Men who found out about Lacy soon forgot that Megan existed. Like, who cared about poor, mousy Diana Prince when Wonder Woman showed up in that sexy, armored bra?

“So, what does one wear to dinner with a mayor and a judge?” she asked. “Will it be black tie and evening dress?”

“You’re kidding, I hope. This is Branding Iron. What you’re wearing now will be just fine. The mayor and the judge will most likely be in jeans and sneakers. They might even let you help get the meal on the table.”

“I get the idea.” Megan surveyed the breakfast platter Francine had just set in front of her. Airy-looking scrambled eggs nestled alongside bacon, sausage, crisp hash browns, and a short stack of blueberry pancakes, served with a pitcher of warm maple syrup.

“Wow, Francine,” she said, “that looks absolutely decadent. I just hope I’ll have room for it all.”

Francine chuckled. “That’s what most folks say. But the plates that go back to the kitchen tend to be empty. Eat hearty, honey.” She bustled back to the kitchen.

Conner grinned at her. “Go ahead and dig in. You haven’t been to Branding Iron until you’ve eaten one of Francine’s breakfasts—every bite.”

Accepting the challenge, Megan picked up her fork. The food tasted as delicious as it looked and smelled; the eggs and pancakes were so light that they didn’t make her feel stuffed, as she’d expected they might.

Conner was making good progress on his own breakfast when Megan remembered something Francine had said. She’d resolved to ignore the remark, but she hadn’t forgotten it. As long as it was on her mind, she decided, she had nothing to lose by clearing the air.

“I’m curious about something,” she said. “I hope you won’t mind my asking you a personal question.”

If he was worried, he didn’t show it. “Ask away,” he said. “I’m a man with no secrets.”

“All right.” Megan rested her fork on the edge of the plate. “When we first came in here, Francine referred to me as your ‘lady of the day.’ What was that supposed to mean?”

Conner’s eyebrows twitched. He exhaled. “Boy, you play hardball, don’t you?”

“If that’s the way you want to put it.” Megan smiled as she said it. “So, are you going to answer me, or are you going to take the Fifth?”

“You’re entitled to an honest answer,” he said. “This is a small town. As a single man with no commitments, I’ve dated a lot of women, mostly as friends. In a big city like Nashville, I could do that without word getting around. But this is Branding Iron, a place where everybody knows everybody else—and everybody talks.”

“So I take it you’ve acquired a reputation as a heart-breaker.” Megan raised an eyebrow. She was enjoying this.

“I’ve never broken anybody’s heart on purpose—and I’ve never made promises I couldn’t keep.” He was actually blushing. “All I’ve ever wanted was a good time. But, yes, a few of the women have gotten other ideas.”

“So I’m your lady of the day.”

He looked like an adorable little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Megan, that doesn’t mean—”

“No—it’s all right,” she said. “I’m only here for the holiday break. I even have a sort of boyfriend in Nashville, so everything you’ve told me is A-OK. If we can enjoy a few laughs and part as friends, that’s fine with me.”

A breath of relief whooshed out of him. “Thanks,” he said.

Megan gave him a smile. “So let’s finish this delicious meal before it gets cold. Then you can take me back to my car.”

As Megan focused on her breakfast, she could sense Conner’s gaze on her. She’d done the right thing, she told herself, setting boundaries and letting him know she had no romantic expectations. She’d even mentioned Derek, who would be more than her “sort of” boyfriend if she chose to let him.

She’d set up a safe barrier between herself and the handsome cowboy sitting across the table. But she had to admit that he was an appealing man—honest, funny, vulnerable, and sexy as all get-out.

Glancing up at him, Megan couldn’t help wondering. What if she’d been too quick to draw the lines?

What if she could be missing out on something wonderful?

*