Holding Out for Christmas (The Christmas Tree Ranch 3)

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When Conner woke up the next morning, Travis’s coat was on the rack, and his boots were by the stove. The muted sound of snoring came from under his bedroom door.

Conner let Bucket out and went to the barn to feed and water the horses. He returned to the house to find Travis seated at the table in his robe, drinking coffee.

“Hey, I was going to let you sleep,” Conner said. “But as long as you’re up, how did things go with Maggie last night?”

Travis gave him a crooked smile. His hair was mussed, his eyes bloodshot. “About

how you’d expect. The wedding’s set for December twenty-second, two days after the Christmas Ball, in the Community Church, with as many folks as the place will hold. There’ll be a reception afterward in the social hall. We agreed to cancel the live band, but there’ll be a cake cutting and a bouquet toss, and, yes, you and I will be renting tuxes. Maggie will need your measurements so she can call in the order. She’s not trusting me to do it.”

Conner chuckled. “Told you.”

“I know.” Travis sighed and refilled his coffee mug. “Whatever Maggie wants is fine, as long as it makes her happy.”

“What about the honeymoon?”

“That’s going to be my big surprise. Maggie doesn’t know it, but I’ve already bought the tickets. We’ll be spending Christmas in Hawaii.”

“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?