“What have you got going on there?” Ethan asked, trying to see Linc’s cell phone screen.
He pressed the face of the cell against his chest and sent Ethan a glare. “None of your business.”
“Text from Eva?” Ethan guessed, waggling his eyebrows.
“No.” Thank goodness that was the truth.
Ethan was more perceptive than most folks gave him credit for. He’d been known to sniff out a lie. And since Linc had rolled out of bed with Eva this morning and come directly to the barn, he needed to keep Ethan off the topic of her and him.
“I’m researching my Secret Santa gift,” Linc continued.
That too was the truth. And since Ethan took Christmas the most seriously of all the Wilders, and it was a rule that the Secret Santa must remain a secret even after the gifts were bestowed upon the recipient, Linc knew this was the one thing that would make Ethan respect his privacy. He should remember to use that excuse more often for more things to get Ethan off his back. Too bad Christmas only came once a year.
The water bucket Linc had been filling reached the top as they’d been talking and he had to scramble to pocket his cell and bend the hose to stop the flow of water before it overflowed.
He’d found the info he was looking for anyway so as soon as they finished today, he could go home, hop on his computer and place the order.
“You putting a tree up in the cabin?” Ethan asked as he tossed a flake in front of the horse inside the stall Linc had just filled the water for.
Linc frowned at his brother. “I wasn’t going to. You saw the cabin. It’s decorated.” There was so much greenery, inside and out, did he really need a tree too? Especially since he’d spend Christmas in front of the tree in the main house.
Ethan shrugged. “Thought you’d want one. Poppy and I are putting a small tree in our bedroom.”
The word our caught Linc’s attention. Our bedroom…
So it was a done deal then. Ethan and Poppy were living together in the house, officially.
He’d already assumed there were a lot of overnight sleepovers but this seemed more permanent.
Interesting. His playboy brother was in a seriously committed relationship. Which left Linc as the last Wilder standing.
For now.
That thought hit him from out of the blue and he shoved it away. Two nights in bed with Eva did not a relationship make.
Relationship. Eva would hate he’d even thought that word.
But what did he know? For the past year he’d never thought she’d willingly give him the time of day and here they were working together more or less peacefully on the Christmas challenge… and sleeping together. Two nights in a row now.
Maybe he didn’t know her well enough to predict what she’d think. He certainly never expected her to attack him in her apartment that first night. Or suggest they head to his bed the second night.
He was definitely hoping for a third night and it wasn’t just because he’d noticed he didn’t have nightmares when he was in bed with her.
“We done here?” Ethan asked, glancing around at the horses, happily munching.
As Linc drained the last of the water out of the hose so it wouldn’t freeze tonight, he nodded. “Seems so.”
“Whatcha doing tonight?” Ethan asked.
“Pulling the trigger on that gift. Like you said, the clock’s ticking.”
“That going to take all night?” Ethan asked. Whatever he was dancing around, he hadn’t said it yet.
“No. Not at all. Why?” Linc asked, suspicious.
“Poppy’s having a girl’s night with Olivia.”
And Eva too? The question came unbidden to his mind and he swatted it away.
“So you’re going to be alone and bored so now I’m good enough.” Linc nodded, understanding.
Ethan frowned. “No. I just thought we could go out and grab a beer or two.”
“Where are you thinking we should go?” Linc asked.
Ethan shrugged. “The Wilder or the Last Call. Your choice.”
If they were at the Last Call, he’d be able to see if Eva was home or not. Ignoring that the answer put him in stalker territory, he said, “Last Call. That way we can grab something to eat at Rosie’s next door.” He added that last as a cover so Ethan wouldn’t guess his real motivation.
“Sounds good. Food is slim pickings in the house nowadays with Olivia laid up.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.” Liar.
“Want me to pick you up?” Ethan asked.
“No.” Because if Eva was home, he knew he was going to climb those stairs and knock on her door and stay awhile, which he couldn’t do if Ethan was his ride. “I uh, got some errands to run. So I’ll meet you in town.”
“All right. I’m going to pick up Poppy at the hotel then we’re heading out to cut that tree for the bedroom. Sure you don’t want me to cut you one too?” Ethan, still a kid at heart at this time of year, waited expectantly. “I found a couple of extra tree stands in the attic,” he dangled as incentive.
“Thanks. I’m good.”
“Scrooge,” Ethan mumbled as he walked away.
“Yup. That’s me. What does that make you? My rotting corpse of a partner Marley?”
“Nope. The Ghost of Christmas Future to show you how bleak your life is going to be with no tree in your house,” Ethan said as he swung open his truck’s door.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. See you later,” Linc called after him, as he secured the barn door.
By his truck, he fished in his pocket for his cell and glanced at the display. No texts. Not that he’d been expecting one. Certainly not one from Eva.
Liar.
As he fired up the engine, he considered that if he got a tree, Eva would have to come over to help decorate it, because she’d of course want it to match the rest of the decorations for the Yule log night.
Yup. Stalker territory.
He pushed the thought out of his mind and drove toward the cabin. He had a gift to buy. The perfect gift, even if no-one would ever know who it was from.
But maybe he’d ask Eva about that tree before he got online…