Holding Out for Christmas (The Christmas Tree Ranch #3)(65)

Bucket thumped his tail and trotted to the front door to be let out. Conner stood, slipped on his coat, and waited on the porch while the dog did his business. Beyond the overhang of the roof, there was nothing but darkness and swirling, blowing snow. According to the weather forecasters, the storm would be massive, with heavy snow falling through the night and into tomorrow.

Bucket’s needs didn’t take long. He was back on the porch in minutes, shaking the snow off his shaggy fur, ready to be let back into the warm house.

As Conner was hanging up his coat, his cell phone rang. He grabbed it off the coffee table, where he’d left it. Maybe Megan had had a change of heart.

The caller wasn’t Megan. It was Travis. Conner was happy to hear his voice. “Hey, partner, I’ve been wondering about you,” he said. “Is Maggie treating you all right?”

Travis chuckled. “She’s got me spoiled. But it must be what the doc ordered, because I’m doing a lot better. I should be home in a couple of days, when I’m able to take care of myself. I won’t be able to work much till these ribs mend, but at least I’ll make it to the wedding—maybe even to the Christmas Ball.”

“Don’t worry about the work,” Conner said. “Rush and I are managing fine. And nothing’s going to happen until this storm blows over. Have you looked outside? It’s a blizzard.”

“That it is. I’m hoping you’re snuggled up with your sweetie, keeping cozy.”

Conner sighed. “About that. The only snuggling I’ll be doing is with Bucket. Megan broke up with me today.”

“Oh, don’t tell me.” Travis groaned. “You and Megan seemed perfect for each other. What happened?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. Mostly, it was just me and my big mouth.”

“Well,” Travis said. “At least you’ll be free for the Christmas Ball. Maybe you’ll hit it off with your dream woman.”

So Travis didn’t know the truth. And this was no time to tell him. “You bet me a hundred bucks that I wouldn’t get to meet her,” Conner said.

“I know. But it would be worth losing the money to see you happy.”

After the call ended, Conner walked to the window and gazed out at the storm. He was still holding out for the Christmas Ball, but for a different reason than before. This time, he could only hope that Megan would be singing—and that he’d have one last chance to win her back.

*

Megan waited until Daniel had gone to his room for the night. Then, bracing herself for an argument, she walked into the living room, where her parents had just finished watching a history program on PBS. They were sitting together on the couch, with her mother’s wheelchair pushed to one side.

“We need to talk,” she said, moving the rocker to face them before she sat down.

“What about?” Her father was instantly alert. “Have you decided to stay and take the teaching job—or maybe not?”

“I’m still working things out. But this isn’t about me. It’s about Daniel.”

“Not the driving thing again!” Her mother leaned forward, worry shadowing her thin face. “I’ve seen him studying that driver’s handbook. But there’s no way he could pass the test. And I’d never trust him to handle a car.”

“But what if he could?” Megan persisted. “What if he could learn to pass the test and to drive safely, maybe with restrictions, but at least well enough to get to work and run errands around town?”

“I don’t know that he ever could,” her mother said. “But the last thing I want is for you to get his hopes up and then have him hurt when it doesn’t happen. Don’t you see? It would be cruel.”

“And how cruel would it be to treat him like a child all his life, to never let him be a man?”

Her mother’s shocked expression told Megan that she might have pushed too hard. “He’s twenty-four, Mom,” she said. “He wants to be an adult. He’s in love with a wonderful young woman, and they want to get married. He’s already got a job, but to be independent, he needs to be able to drive.”

“That’s enough, Megan.” Her mother folded her arms across her chest, a gesture that meant the subject was closed. “Not another word. I won’t have your brother hurt.”

“Wait a minute.” Ed, always the peacemaker, spoke up. “If Megan has something in mind, it won’t hurt for us to listen. We can always say no.” He glanced at Dorcas. “All right?”

She sighed. “All right. Go ahead, Megan.”

Megan told her parents about the driving school. “He’d be taught by a specialist, a person trained to teach people with disabilities,” she said. “He’d get help with the test and with learning to drive safely. The course would last until Daniel got his license, however long that might take.”

“You say the driving school’s in Cottonwood Springs,” her father said. “How would he get there? I’m too busy working and helping your mother to drive him to classes.”

“That’s where I come in,” Megan said. “If you’ll agree to this, I’ll stay in Branding Iron and be available to take him wherever and whenever he needs to go. When I’m not with him, I can help around here.”