On the afternoon of December twenty-fourth, Ty closed the stall door and double-checked the latch was secure. He peered through the bars, and a brown-eyed gaze met his. Gorgeous colt, far from full-grown. “Sorry, you’re going to be in the horse barn for a while before you can run in the pasture.”
The horse neighed.
Dusty barked.
“Don’t rub in your freedom,” Ty said to the dog. “You know what it’s like to be crated. No fun.”
The dog pawed at the stall.
“Nope, this is the best place for him.” Ty looked at the other stalls decorated with lights, garland and wreaths. Until fifteen minutes ago, this one had been empty, so the door had been left plain. “Next year you’ll have decorations for your stall. You’ll probably get your own themed wreath, too.”
Ty couldn’t believe the popularity of the wreaths themed by the horses’ names with guests and visitors alike. The Marietta Courier had done an article about the two Christmas barns at the Bar V5, prompting visits by people seeking unique holiday photo opportunities. Meg had found her own way to celebrate Christmas Montana style and used her ideas to gain the Bar V5 publicity.
The woman was amazing.
So was Brooklyn.
“That little girl is going to love her Christmas present.”
Dusty barked, as if agreeing. The dog had been Ralph Vaughn’s trusty companion, then Ty’s after Ralph passed. But the dog now spent time with Brooklyn, too, much to the delight of the six year old.
The dog ran around in a circle.
“Brooklyn’s not here.” Ty was meeting them at the church tonight. “She’ll be back later.”
Dusty lay on the ground.
“Don’t pout. It’s almost Christmas.”
The dog’s tail wagged.
“I got her a gift, and you’re getting two.”
Dusty panted.
“You’ll like them.” Ty scratched behind the dog’s ear. He’d bought the dog a toy and a bag of treats. Both would fit inside Dusty’s stocking, along with whatever the other wranglers got the pup. “But you have to wait until tomorrow. Like everyone else.”
The dog whined, as if he understood and wanted his presents now.
“Nope. Not going to happen.” Ty walked out of the horse barn whistling, “Deck the Halls.” Dusty trotted alongside him.
The air was cool and crisp. The brilliant blue sky defined the word big. Perfect flying weather for Santa and the reindeer pulling his sled. No one would guess snowfall was predicted for tomorrow, but most people around here liked having a white Christmas. Would Meg?
He couldn’t wait to see her and Brooklyn, who would be the cutest angel on stage. Maybe later he could sneak Meg under the mistletoe again. He missed her sweet kisses.
Ty looked at Dusty. “We’ve got Christmas Eve service, then we’ll read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ and check the NORAD Santa Tracker website.”
“Tracking Santa for Brooklyn, huh?” Dustin stood, holding a lead rope.
“Kids like knowing Santa’s on the way. Easier to get them to go to sleep.”
“I just remember wanting to tear open the presents at the crack of dawn.”
“That, too. When you heading to town?”
“Soon,” Dustin said. “Zack and I are going in early. We’ll grab a bite somewhere, then save seats for everybody.”
“Good idea. Thanks,” Ty said. “Rachel and Nate are staying here. They have a Christmas Eve dinner and a few other things planned for the guests. It’ll just be us wranglers and Meg.”
“Any seating requests?”
“As long as one seat has a clear shot so we can videotape Brooklyn, we’ll be good.”
Dustin eyed him warily. “Videotape, huh?”
“Meg will want a copy.”
“What about you?”
“Me?”
Dustin folded the lead rope, then coiled the rest around the two pieces. “You seem pretty close to Meg and Brooklyn.”
“I’ve been showing them around the area during my down time.”
His gaze met Ty’s. “Thought you said you’d never date a mom with kids.”
“I did. I won’t.”
“Yeah, right.”
Ty didn’t appreciate Dustin’s tone. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How much did Brooklyn’s Christmas present set you back?”
“The cost wasn’t an issue.” Ty had more money in his savings account than he had time to spend it. “Nate thought it was a good idea. Zack, too. You agreed, along with Eli.”
“Sure, Brooklyn’s a cute kid,” Dustin admitted. “She’s got a way with animals. Like you and Charlie.”
“Exactly. This gift was a no-brainer.”
“An expensive one.”
“Worth every penny to see if she’s as good with horses as I think she’ll be. We’ve got ourselves a future cowgirl on our hands.”
“So that’s why you spearheaded the present?” Dustin asked.
“Damn straight.”
“Nothing to do with you liking the mom?”
“We all like Meg.”
“Yeah, but none of us have been kissing her.”
“A kiss under mistletoe.”
“Looked like more to me.”
Ty’s gut clenched. “Maybe you should have your eyes examined.”
Dustin raised his hands as if surrendering. “Just wondering. You’ve been sayin’ no to a wife and kid for as long as I’ve known you, yet the last few weeks you’ve become Mr. Family Man.”
“I . . . ” Ty was about to disagree, until he realized Dustin was correct. “I guess I sort of have.”
“Not sort of.” Dustin pointed to Ty’s pocket. “You’re using a key chain a six year old made for you out of rubber bands and videotaping other people’s kids wearing halos, bathrobes and towels. You’ve gone all in, man. Big time.”
Damn. Ty scratched his head. He had, even if he had no clue what cards he was holding. Not a winning hand. Except getting wrapped up in the family unit scenario with Meg and Brooklyn had been easy to do and fun.
“You didn’t know?” Dustin sounded surprised.
“Nope.” Ty didn’t regret spending time with them. Doing so hadn’t required much thought. What had Meg said? Never say never. He didn’t know if he was ready to go that far. “Just sort of happened.”
“Have you told Meg how you feel about having a family?”
“Yes. A while back.”
“Dude . . . ”
“She knows.” Ty had told her he didn’t want to have a family, and she understood. “She’s not interested in getting serious.”
Dustin’s forehead wrinkled. “Sure about that?”
Yes. No. Maybe? Ty rubbed the back of his neck.
He hoped he wasn’t sending the wrong message. Nah, Meg wasn’t naïve. She’d admitted she had baggage from her failed marriage and she wasn’t looking for a relationship. They had gotten closer, especially over the past week. Kissing her was great, so was spending time together. That didn’t mean they had to get serious. Being friends, as they’d been doing, was fine, wasn’t it?
Maybe he should find out.
Anticipation swelled inside Meg. She couldn’t wait to see her little girl in the church’s Nativity play, part of tonight’s Christmas Eve service. Meg had enjoyed everything about the holidays. The barn decorating would go better next year. She was also excited to see how tonight and tomorrow turned out. As lovely as the wedding last weekend? She hoped so.
Holding Brooklyn’s hand, Meg crossed the street to reach the church. “Are you ready?”
“I can’t wait to put on my wings.”
Meg squeezed her daughter’s hand. Her little girl was growing up so fast. She’d grown taller since they’d arrived in Montana. Spending time with Ty and the horses seemed to have made Brooklyn more independent, too. “You’ll be a beautiful angel.”
“All angels are beautiful, Mommy. So are you.”
“Thanks, honey. That means a lot.” Meg kicked up her foot to show off her red ankle boots. “What do you think?”
Brooklyn gasped. “They’re like my pink ones.”
“That’s why I bought them.” The days of Brooklyn wanting to match Meg wouldn’t last forever. She hoped Ty liked them and her dress she found at a local thrift store. “I thought the red looks Christmassy.”
“It does. It does.”
Brooklyn’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Excited?”
Her daughter nodded, then pointed at the church’s life-sized Nativity set. “Look, Mommy. The angel has wings and a halo like I’m going to wear. But our baby Jesus is cuter than that one.”
“It’s hard to carve a baby out of wood.”
Brooklyn tilted her head and studied the baby in the manger. “They should have used a doll like us.”
A walkway leading to the steps had been shoveled for churchgoers attending services tonight. Two gorgeous wreaths with holly, pinecones and bows hung on the church’s double red doors.
Meg loved how Caitlin and Noah’s wedding had turned out, romantic with a warm, down-home feel. Perfect for the couple and little Mistletoe. But a church like this, traditional gray stone, red doors and a bell steeple, was where Meg wanted to get married. She imagined walking up the steps in a white dress holding a bouquet of white roses and stephanotis and finding Ty waiting at the altar for her.
Her heart lodged in her throat. She struggled to breathe.
What was she thinking?
Getting married again was not on her To Do list. Not now, or in the near future. The long term was out, too. She shook the image from her head.
Brooklyn tugged on her arm. “Come on, Mommy. I don’t want to be late.”
Meg walked her daughter up the stairs and into the church. Inside her head, she heard Bach, a lovely tune for bridesmaids to walk down the aisle.
What was wrong with her?
On the left-hand side of the vestibule was a check-in table. A gray-haired woman sat on the opposite side and smiled. “If it isn’t one of our angels. Five minutes early even.”
“I’m Brooklyn.” She beamed. “I’m angel number three.”
The woman checked Brooklyn’s name off the list, then looked at Meg. “The children will come sit with you after the Nativity portion of the service finishes.”
“Thanks. I’ll look for her.” Meg hugged her daughter. “Break a leg.”
“I don’t want to be on crutches or have a cast on Christmas.”
“It’s an expression that means ‘go out there and do your best.’”
“Oh, okay. Bye, Mommy.” With that, Brooklyn went around the side of the table where a teenaged volunteer waited.
“The choir will start singing carols in thirty minutes,” the woman behind the table said. “Plenty of time to grab a coffee or a snack if you’d like.”
“Thanks.” Meg peered into the church. Zack and Dustin sat in the second row. She walked up the aisle, telling herself not to feel like a bride. “You guys know how to save seats.”
“We’ve had practice.” Dustin took a mock bow. The guy was sweet and acknowledged Dusty had come before him, so he had to go by his full name, not his nickname on the rodeo circuit. He’d said sharing his name with such an amazing dog was humbling. “You’ll be able to videotape to your heart’s delight.”
She wiggled her toes. “Thank you. There’s a little angel who will want to see herself on TV.”
“Things don’t start for awhile,” Zack said. “We don’t plan on going anywhere. You have time to do some last minute shopping or grab a coffee.”
“Or get us a salted caramel from Sage’s store,” Dustin added.
Zack wet his lips. “Oh, man, one of those sounds good.”
The two cowboys were nothing but a couple of overgrown kids. Still they had a point.
“Sure,” she said. “Be right back.”
Dustin winked. “You’re the best.”
She smiled. “Keep that up and you may get an extra piece.”
“We can sweet talk with the best of them,” Zack said.
“Used to be the case, but you save all your words for Charlie,” Dustin countered. “Now me . . . ”
Meg shook her head. “I’ll leave that for you to decide while I head over to Copper Mountain Chocolates.”
Outside, the sky was clear and blue. The temperature seemed to have dropped since they arrived in town. Tonight would be colder if no clouds moved in.
“Look at those fancy red boots.”
Smiling, she turned toward the sound of Ty’s voice and struck a pose. “Like them?”
“Very much. The dress, too.”
She’d thought of him when she purchased it, hoping he would like the style. She adjusted the hem of her jacket, then smoothed the skirt.
“You’re going to get cold without a heavier coat,” he added.
Typical Ty. Looking out for everyone whether they needed watching or not. “Thank you. I’m wearing tights and a couple layers. I’m fine.”
“You look better than fine.”
The approval in his voice made her straighten. “So do you.”
Ty looked handsome in the blue plaid shirt he wore underneath a leather jacket, tan corduroy pants and brown boots.
“I’m off to get your wranglers salted caramels. Want to come?”
“I could be bribed.”
Just like his crew. “Chocolate?”
“That’s a start.”
Interesting. “What else do you want?”
“Oh, I could think of a few things.”
So could Meg, starting with a kiss. If he was thinking the same thing as her . . . Excitement flashed through her. “Give me a hint.”
“Having you guess might be more fun.”
“Possibly, or that might get me into trouble.”
He flashed her a lopsided smile. “Going to take the safe route?”
“This time.”
Uh-oh. What was she saying? Her answer should be every time. She had taken the safe route since getting pregnant with Brooklyn. Nothing had changed, had it?
“I need to get to Sage’s,” she said, feeling off-kilter around him.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Great.” She walked in the direction of the chocolate shop, and he fell in step with her. “Your piece is on me.”
Wicked laughter lit his eyes. “If you mean literally . . . ”
“Ha. Ha.” Except the playful, sexy images filling her mind were no joking matter. She wet her lips, then realized where her thoughts were leading her. First daydreaming about a wedding, now fantasizing about the honeymoon.
She glanced at Ty.
Her heart thudded. Sighed.
No. No. No.
She stared at the sidewalk, but her gaze kept straying back to the man walking next to her.
And she knew with pulse-pounding certainty.
All the rationalizations of why romantic feelings didn’t matter and why she was better off alone than in a relationship disappeared like a snowflake being caught on a tongue. They mattered, and she wanted those things badly.
With Ty.
She hadn’t meant to fall for him, but she had. Hard.
A shiver raced down her spine. The realization was unexpected, scary.
He shot her a sideways glance, which she knew because she couldn’t drag her attention off him. “You, okay?”
“Just thinking.” Of course, he would sense something was up. That was part of his appeal. He got her. The way he understood her daughter, too. If there was one man out there who was what she needed and Brooklyn needed, that was Ty Murphy.
Feelings and desires long buried rose to the surface. She was ready to stop saying she didn’t want more, want him.
“Know what you want?” he asked.
Meg swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Excuse me.”
“What chocolates you’re going to get?”
She sighed with relief. She thought he’d read her mind. “Salted caramels for the guys. I’ll have to see what Sage has in the display case before I decide what I want.”
Besides him.
“You can have more than one,” Ty said.
“I might want only one.”
“It’s Christmas. Don’t be so cautious. Live it up.”
If only she knew where he stood . . . Dare she ask?
“Maybe I will,” she said.
Hope danced with fear, both trying to lead and stepping on each others’ toes. He seemed interested. A man wouldn’t spend so much time with her if he wasn’t enjoying himself, would he?
She could have read his signals—his interest—wrong. She’d married her second boyfriend when she’d been nineteen. Divorced him at twenty-three. She’d avoided relationships and flings and everything in between because of her daughter. Meg didn’t know how dating worked these days or any relationship rules.
Ty said he didn’t want to be a dad again—Rachel had warned Meg about that—but the way he acted told another story. He’d embraced both her and Brooklyn, spending time and going out of his way for them. Actions spoke louder than words, right? Especially for men. At least she remembered hearing or reading that.
What if she were wrong?
Maybe being cautious was prudent in this situation. Sure, her heart would recover. She’d survived Trace leaving and having a baby on her own. She could survive anything for her daughter’s sake. Meg had no other choice. But she couldn’t be rash or stupid.
If she was wrong and things at the ranch got awkward, that might jeopardize her job. She couldn’t put her job that came with a place to live at risk. Or do something that would affect Brooklyn.
No, Meg needed more signs from Ty, before she said or did anything.
Maybe Santa would put a sign in her stocking and another one under the tree so she’d know for certain and could start working to make all her dreams come true. Maybe by this time next year, they will have.
The Christmas Eve service opened with a procession of children singing “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.” Ty filmed with his smartphone, so that Meg could enjoy the show without trying to capture each moment on video.
The shepherds came first. Boys and girls dressed in bathrobes. Some carried sheep. Others carried staffs. Two fought lightsaber-style until separated and had their sticks taken away by a white-haired woman in a red reindeer sweater, who must have been a ninja in a former life.
The wise men followed with crowns on their heads. They carried small treasure chests and foiled wrapped gifts. One dragged a large stuffed camel.
Mary and Joseph walked hand-in-hand after the kings, drawing oohs and ahs from the audience. Children dressed like sheep and cows added their own sound affects—baaing and mooing—to the procession.
The angels brought up the rear, floating down the aisle like ballerinas in white. Gold halos bounced on their heads and their wings left a trail of glitter on the carpet. Brooklyn’s bright smile couldn’t be missed. She glowed with excitement.
Seeing her filled Ty with pride. He shifted positions to get a better shot of her.
“There she is,” Meg whispered, her hand on his shoulder.
Ty zoomed in to get a close up of Brooklyn. The little girl saw him, jumped up and down, waved, then blew him a kiss.
A ball of warmth settled at the center of his chest.
Cutest angel ever.
The last child in the procession was a girl dressed in white with big feathery wings. She carried baby Jesus. Upside down. Two doll feet stuck out the top of the blanket instead of the baby’s head. She had no idea and smiled for the camera. Amused family and friends snapped pictures. More memorable than if everything had gone perfect.
A few forgotten lines and botched cues later, the play ended and Brooklyn sat in between him and Meg. The rest of the service took place—songs, readings and a special sermon on the true meaning of Christmas. The words resonated in Ty’s head, but most especially his heart. His gaze travelled from Brooklyn to Meg. A part of him wanted to wrap his arms around the two and never let go.
If he wanted to settle down with a woman, Meg would be the one. She possessed the right qualities—minus cooking skills—that he would want in a partner. He kept tossing the idea around, especially after speaking with Dustin earlier. Ty hadn’t been looking for a girlfriend or wanting anything serious. Yet Meg was ultra responsible, putting her role as a mom above everything else.
Was hanging out like they’d been doing going to be enough for her? He wasn’t ready for more. He didn’t know if he could give her enough in return.
He might be settled at the ranch and not planning to live anywhere except the Bar V5 until he died, but he liked his life. Living in the bunkhouse instead of the foreman’s house suited him fine. Yes, he got lonely sometimes. Who didn’t?
He thought about Brooklyn . . .
She was a great kid. He loved her missing teeth smile and non-stop questions. Her way with animals reminded him of Charlie.
He knew Brooklyn wanted her dad. Ty also knew she was happy having him around, too. She’d told him as much when they were window-shopping. But being a father, even a stand-in one, wasn’t easy. He liked Meg and Brooklyn, but going back to feeling over his head, out of control and in a constant state of worry, didn’t appeal to him.
Nor could he forget about his parents’ marriage. Rachel didn’t remember, and he didn’t feel the need to enlighten her about their mom and dad’s struggles. Money issues, no time spent together due to work shifts. So many things kept threatening to tear two people who loved each other apart. He looked at marriage the way Megan viewed climbing. Not worth the risks, especially with so many things out of his control.
So why was he acting like Brooklyn’s surrogate dad and Meg’s boyfriend? Time to draw a line and stay on his side. For his sake and theirs.
He had to face the facts. The last thing he wanted for Christmas was an instant family. The sooner Ty knew Meg and he were on the same page about this, the better.
Later that night, Ty sat on Meg’s couch in her cabin. The Christmas Eve festivities were over. Now came Santa time. “Is Brooklyn asleep?”
“Completely. Her eyes closed before her head hit the pillow.” Meg sat next to him, her thigh against his. “Visions of sugarplums are dancing in her dreams.”
Meg sitting so close was a distraction. He stood, wanting to put space between them. “Do you have everything ready?”
“In the garbage bag over there.” She patted the seat next to her. “There’s no rush.”
The longing in her eyes made him take a step back. “Let’s get this finished first.”
“Okay.”
Ty removed the presents from the bag and handed them to Meg, who placed them under the tree. “What about the stocking stuffers?”
“Rachel has those. Brooklyn wanted the stocking hanging in the lodge. She said Santa would know that was the one to fill.”
“Smart girl.”
“She was worried about the cabin not having a fireplace. I told her I’d leave the door unlocked, so he could bring in the presents.”
Putting out the gifts went quickly. Ty stood back and looked at the tree. “She’s going to be excited to see the presents.”
“I hope so.” Meg looked at him. “Is something wrong?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. You seem distant. Distracted.”
He’d hoped to put this off until after Christmas, but now . . . “We need to talk.”
“Sure.” She sat on the couch.
He took the chair.
Based on the expression on her face, where he sat wasn’t lost on her.
She narrowed her gage. “What’s going on?”
“Spending time with you this month has been great.”
“I agree. Thanks for giving us a taste of a Montana Christmas.”
“You’re welcome.” He rubbed his tight neck. “Christmas is only a couple hours away. And . . . ”
She leaned forward, a hint of worry in her eyes. “And?”
Saying the words was harder than he thought it would be. Might as well say them and be finished. “I like you a lot. Brooklyn, too. But we should stick to being friends. I’m not looking for an instant family. Sorry.”
“Oh.”
Her one word didn’t tell him much. Not like the Black Friday morning back at the barn.
“I hope I didn’t lead you on.”
“It’s fine.” Meg’s voice sounded hoarse, unnatural. She cleared her throat. “I’ll be honest. I may have gotten wrapped up in the romance of the holidays and the Christmas wedding. You’ve been clear from the beginning about what you wanted and didn’t want. No worries.”
He’d expected . . . Ty wasn’t sure what, but not a rational discussion. Meg was an amazing woman. “So we’re good being friends.”
Hurt flashed in her eyes. Tears gleamed.
Ty’s chest tightened. Maybe not. “I’m sorry.”
She blinked. Crossed her arms in front of her. Angled away from him. “I need some time, okay? This is nothing compared to some of the other things I’ve been through. I’ll be fine.”
Eventually.
The word was unspoken, but implied.
“You’re sure?” he asked.
“Yes.” She leaned back against the couch. “Your work is done here. Go. There’s time to celebrate with the boys.”
Meg’s hands trembled slightly. Her lower lip quivered, too.
He didn’t want to leave her if she was upset. “I—”
“Go,” she said sharply. “I’d like to be alone.”
Ty rose. He wiped his palms against his pants. He’d made the right choice. For both of them. So why did he feel so bad? “I’ll see myself out.”