Holding Out for Christmas (The Christmas Tree Ranch #3)(36)

“Wow!” Conner said.

“You’ll be alone here—unless you can find somebody besides Bucket to keep your bed warm. Speaking of that, will you be seeing Megan again?”

“We’ve got a dinner date this evening. So far, so good.”

“Megan’s a sharp gal,” Travis said. “But I know . . . she’s not your dream woman.”

Conner almost choked to keep from blurting out the truth. For now, it was best kept a secret.

“I haven’t forgotten our bet,” Travis said. “Fifty bucks to you if she shows up, another fifty if you get to meet her.”

“Want to raise the stakes?” Conner teased.

But Travis shook his head. “Did I hear earlier that Megan wouldn’t be going?”

“That’s right. She said she had other plans.”

“Maybe Megan just doesn’t want to compete with your gypsy-eyed dream goddess.”

“Maybe not. But I’m not worried.” Conner was enjoying this.

“Well, you should be. It would serve you right if Megan showed you the gate. You’re a damn fool to risk losing her for some female you’ve never even met. Hell, for all you know, that sexy singer could be some guy in drag. If that turns out to be the case, I’ll laugh myself sick.”

“It’ll be fine,” Conner said, masking a grin. “You’ll see.”

“You’re an idiot.” Travis rose and put his empty cup in the sink. “Since you won’t listen to reason, I’m going to clean up and go back to Maggie’s. She has this checklist she wants me to go over—stuff that needs to be done before the wedding. I still wish we could just elope, but you know Maggie.”

“I do, and you’re a smart man to go along with her plans,” Conner said. “You’re a lucky man, too. Maggie’s one in a million.”

“Don’t I know it?” Travis lumbered down the hall and into the bathroom. Moments later, Conner heard the shower running. He didn’t look forward to living here alone after the wedding. His partners would be here during work hours. But he’d miss watching late-night sports and movies, hearing about their love lives, sharing meals and cold beer, and the horseplay that made them all laugh, even when times were tough.

Maybe he could fix the place up in his spare time. A few gallons of paint, some updated plumbing, and central heating would do wonders. The three partners owned the house together, but surely Travis and Rush wouldn’t mind, especially if he put up most of the money and did the work.

Maybe if he got the house livable, it would be easier asking a woman to share it. Maybe even a woman like Megan.

But he was getting ahead of himself now. He liked Megan, more than a lot. But it was far too soon to make her part of his plans. Besides, she’d told him she had a boyfriend—although she sure as blazes didn’t kiss like it. And there was the little matter of the secret she was keeping from him, and the one he was keeping from her.

Secrets were poison in a relationship. They tended to fester like splinters. And lies were even worse. Sooner or later, if he wanted to continue seeing Megan, he would have to come clean and insist that she do the same. But what if it was already too late? What if the truth would only drive them apart?

*

Megan’s hand quivered as she laid the phone on the bed. She had done it. She had broken up with Derek.

She’d known it would be hard, and it had been—like slapping a faithful dog. He had been so surprised, so stunned, refusing to believe her at first, then demanding answers.

“Why? What have I done wrong?”

“You’ve done nothing wrong,” she’d answered as calmly as she could. “I’ve just come to realize that you and I don’t want the same things.”

“But I love you, Megan.”

“I know. But it takes two people in love to make that work. And I don’t love you. Not enough, at least.”

She’d almost ended the call right then, but he’d had one more question. “What about school? How can we continue to work together?”

“I can manage it if you can. If not, I’ll look for another job. Good-bye, Derek. I wish you well. Please don’t call me again.”

At that point, she’d ended the call. But as the phone lay on her bed, it began to ring again. Derek. Before the call could go to voicemail, she switched the phone off. She was being cruel, she knew. But niceness would only encourage him.

If Derek was going to be difficult, it might be a good idea to resign from her teaching job and look for something else—maybe something right here in Branding Iron. Her family would like that. But if she left Nashville, she’d be giving up all hope of a big-time singing career.

“She wasn’t bad. Maybe not Grand Ole Opry material, but I think everybody enjoyed her.”

Rush’s innocent words, spoken over the dinner table at Maggie’s, echoed in her memory. What if he was right? What if she wasn’t good enough—and never would be?

Only one thing was certain. She had a lot of thinking to do—thinking that demanded a cool, clear head. And right now, she was too emotional for decision making.

She glanced at her bedside clock. Conner wouldn’t be coming to pick her up for a couple of hours. Her mother was working. Daniel and her father were watching football on TV. She had some rare time to herself.