My Kind of Christmas (The Christmas Tree Ranch #1)(72)

From where she stood, she could see Katy and Daniel on the dance floor, lost in each other’s eyes. Katy looked adorable, wearing a dress that matched her blue eyes and a dreamy smile that seemed to light up the whole gym. The little friendship ring sparkled like a diamond on her finger. Daniel made a handsome and gallant cowboy in jeans, boots, and a leather vest.

Connie and Silas stood nearby, as if keeping a protective eye on their daughter. Maggie moved to their side. “Can I take it that your supper went all right?” she asked.

Connie gave her a tentative smile. “He’s a nice boy. And his family is nice, too. They’re as concerned as we are. But what can we do?”

“I haven’t met Daniel’s family,” Maggie said. “Are they here?”

“No,” Connie said. “His mother is in a wheelchair from a car accident years ago. It’s hard for her to get out, and her husband doesn’t like leaving her except for work. They have an older daughter, too, who’s grown up and lives in California.”

Maggie watched Katy and Daniel a moment longer. “They really do make a lovely couple,” she said.

Connie nodded. “I know. But in this big, uncertain world, I can’t help being scared for them.”

Maggie squeezed her hand in a gesture of understanding before she moved on to greet other people she knew. She moved from one friend to another, feeling the warmth of community around her. Her people. Her little town.

And now the man she loved was coming through the crowd to claim her again.





Epilogue


New Year’s Eve, the same year . . .



Maggie hadn’t put up a tree in her house in years. Either she’d been too tired, too busy, or both.

But this year was different.

Travis had come with the tree on Christmas Eve and insisted they decorate it together. He had even climbed up into the cobweb-infested crawlspace under the roof to find her mother’s old box of Christmas decorations. What kind of man would do that for his woman?

Now, on New Year’s Eve, the tree stood in front of the window, glowing with the lights and ornaments she remembered from her childhood. Snuggled with Travis on the sofa, she watched the old-fashioned lights twinkle on and off. It was almost midnight. Tomorrow, sadly, she would be taking the lights down, boxing the decorations, and putting the tree outside before going back to work the next day.

“I’d forgotten how lovely it could be, having a Christmas tree at home,” she said. “Thank you again for bringing it to me and helping decorate. I wish I could leave it up forever—in fact, I wish this whole crazy holiday could last longer.”

“It’s been crazy all right.” His arm tightened around her shoulders. “But we made some good memories. I almost lost it when you took off your coat and walked into the Christmas ball in that gorgeous green western gown. It was like having a queen on my arm. I knew every man in the room must be envious of me.”

Maggie laughed. “And I loved the reaction of the single women when Conner and Rush walked in. I guarantee you, those two aren’t going to be lonely for long. It’s going to be an interesting year.”

“And a busy year for both of us.” Travis brushed a kiss across her nose. “How are we going to manage this, Mayor Maggie, with me building a ranch and you running a town? I’m already jealous of every minute I can’t spend with you.”

“We’ll find time. We’ll find time because we matter, and because what we have is too good to let go.” Maggie knew better than to rush things. They both needed time to get to know each other and work out the details of their busy lives. Right now, she only knew that she was head over heels in love with this man, and that wasn’t about to change.

“That works for me,” he said. “But only for now. This is wonderful, but damn it, it isn’t enough.”

She lifted her face for his kiss. As their lips met, they could hear the sound of bells, horns, and exploding fireworks outside. It was midnight.

“Happy New Year,” she whispered.





Read on for an excerpt from Janet Dailey’s next Tylers of Texas novel, coming soon.





TEXAS FREE


She’s a woman with a burning need to break free from her past . . .



Rose Landro is on the run. Seeking refuge at the Rimrock Ranch, she is finally ready to claim the land her granddaddy left her and make a fresh start. But her return is rife with controversy when cattle begin disappearing—and a handsome menace named Tanner McCade starts watching Rose a little too closely. Could the new cowhand be connected to the men she’s hiding from? Or is there another reason the rugged stranger is shadowing her every move?




He’s a man ready to fight boldly for his future . . .



There’s a secret in Rose Landro’s eyes, a mystery that Special Ranger Tanner McCade is determined to uncover. Even if the beauty isn’t behind the cattle rustling he’s investigating, she’s way too skittish, and all too exquisite for Tanner to just let slide past his piercing gaze. Then he discovers a vulnerability in Rose that has him aching to protect her—and longing to possess her....



Río Seco, Mexico

April 1985



The Mexican village slumbered under the light of a waning crescent moon. In the empty plaza, windblown shadows flickered over the cobblestones. The cantina was closed for the night, its outdoor tables and chairs locked away behind corrugated metal doors. A bat fluttered from the tower of the old adobe church and melted into darkness. A skinny dog foraged for leavings in the deserted marketplace.