hair. “Looks like you must have fallen.”
Meg’s cheeks burned. “I, uh, did. You’re, um, brother helped me up.”
Understanding filled Rachel’s hazel eyes, the same color and shape as her brother’s. “I like you, Meg. You fit in perfectly at the Bar V5, and guests have high praise for your work.”
“I hear a ‘but’ coming.”
“Ty isn’t a settling down kind of guy,” Rachel said. “I’m sorry for being so blunt when this is none of my business, but I’m worried.”
“Worried?”
“About you.” Rachel touched Meg’s arm. “Don’t get me wrong. My brother is a great guy. The best. He put his life on hold for over eight years because of me. I can never repay him for all he’s done and gave up for me, not that he would want that. But Ty’s not interested in having a family. I’m not sure he’s all that keen on marriage. He mentioned something about our parents, but I was too young or oblivious to know anything.”
Meg was touched. She could only imagine how hard bringing this up must be for Rachel. “It’s okay. He told me about not wanting a family.”
“He did?”
“Been there done that. Not about to repeat.”
Relief washed over Rachel’s expression. She lowered her arm. Smiled. “I’m so glad he told you.”
“Everything’s fine.”
“Thank goodness, because the last thing I want is for my brother to break your heart and make you quit your job here.”
Whoa. Rachel’s words made Meg’s head spin. Not literally, but she felt dizzy. “Thanks for the concern. Ty and I are just friends. No hearts are going to be breaking, and I promise you I won’t be quitting. I love being at the Bar V5. So does Brooklyn.”
“This makes me so happy.” Rachel hugged Meg. “And if you ever want to cook with me, just say the word. We’ll have you whipping up dishes like a chef in no time.”
“I burnt soup from a can.”
“Okay, it might take a few more lessons,” Rachel joked. “But nothing is impossible.”
Meg was realizing what Rachel said was true. Nothing was impossible, especially at the Bar V5.
O n Saturday, Ty carried a Christmas tree from his truck to Meg’s cabin. He’d first carried in Brooklyn, who had fallen asleep on the drive home. Running around in the snow and going on a sleigh ride had worn her out. She slept on the couch.
“A good thing I was at the tree farm today,” he said.
Meg held open the front door. “I’m glad, too.”
He hadn’t seen her since their kiss, and the way he kept staring at her, he wondered if today was too soon.
Friends, he told himself. Just friends.
Except he’d never kissed any woman, friend or not, whose kiss had affected him like Meg’s. Must have been the moment, having fun in a beautiful setting.
He focused on the tree. “This would have never fit in your hatchback.”
“I know. I appreciate your help.” She looked cute in a lime green parka and black snow pants. “The tree didn’t look that big surrounded by all the others.”
“Hard to get a sense of scale in a forest.”
“I’m realizing that now.” She sounded more amused than concerned. “I think the tree will fit in the cabin.”
Ty smiled, thinking about Brooklyn proclaiming this the “best tree ever.” He pushed the tree through the door. “No worries. We’ll make it fit somehow.”
“Thanks. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there.”
“Happy to help.” And he was. Wanting more kisses had nothing to do with it.
Ty entered the cabin. Dusty lay on the ground next to the couch. Meg had placed a small plastic tarp covered by a beach towel underneath the tree stand by the front window.
Was there anything this woman wasn’t prepared for?
Ty heard the door close. He placed the tree into the holder. “How does that look?”
“Crooked,” she said. “The tree is leaning to the left.”
“Your left or mine.”
“Yours.”
He adjusted the tree, then turned one of the four knobs that would screw into the
Meg’s cheeks burned. “I, uh, did. You’re, um, brother helped me up.”
Understanding filled Rachel’s hazel eyes, the same color and shape as her brother’s. “I like you, Meg. You fit in perfectly at the Bar V5, and guests have high praise for your work.”
“I hear a ‘but’ coming.”
“Ty isn’t a settling down kind of guy,” Rachel said. “I’m sorry for being so blunt when this is none of my business, but I’m worried.”
“Worried?”
“About you.” Rachel touched Meg’s arm. “Don’t get me wrong. My brother is a great guy. The best. He put his life on hold for over eight years because of me. I can never repay him for all he’s done and gave up for me, not that he would want that. But Ty’s not interested in having a family. I’m not sure he’s all that keen on marriage. He mentioned something about our parents, but I was too young or oblivious to know anything.”
Meg was touched. She could only imagine how hard bringing this up must be for Rachel. “It’s okay. He told me about not wanting a family.”
“He did?”
“Been there done that. Not about to repeat.”
Relief washed over Rachel’s expression. She lowered her arm. Smiled. “I’m so glad he told you.”
“Everything’s fine.”
“Thank goodness, because the last thing I want is for my brother to break your heart and make you quit your job here.”
Whoa. Rachel’s words made Meg’s head spin. Not literally, but she felt dizzy. “Thanks for the concern. Ty and I are just friends. No hearts are going to be breaking, and I promise you I won’t be quitting. I love being at the Bar V5. So does Brooklyn.”
“This makes me so happy.” Rachel hugged Meg. “And if you ever want to cook with me, just say the word. We’ll have you whipping up dishes like a chef in no time.”
“I burnt soup from a can.”
“Okay, it might take a few more lessons,” Rachel joked. “But nothing is impossible.”
Meg was realizing what Rachel said was true. Nothing was impossible, especially at the Bar V5.
O n Saturday, Ty carried a Christmas tree from his truck to Meg’s cabin. He’d first carried in Brooklyn, who had fallen asleep on the drive home. Running around in the snow and going on a sleigh ride had worn her out. She slept on the couch.
“A good thing I was at the tree farm today,” he said.
Meg held open the front door. “I’m glad, too.”
He hadn’t seen her since their kiss, and the way he kept staring at her, he wondered if today was too soon.
Friends, he told himself. Just friends.
Except he’d never kissed any woman, friend or not, whose kiss had affected him like Meg’s. Must have been the moment, having fun in a beautiful setting.
He focused on the tree. “This would have never fit in your hatchback.”
“I know. I appreciate your help.” She looked cute in a lime green parka and black snow pants. “The tree didn’t look that big surrounded by all the others.”
“Hard to get a sense of scale in a forest.”
“I’m realizing that now.” She sounded more amused than concerned. “I think the tree will fit in the cabin.”
Ty smiled, thinking about Brooklyn proclaiming this the “best tree ever.” He pushed the tree through the door. “No worries. We’ll make it fit somehow.”
“Thanks. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there.”
“Happy to help.” And he was. Wanting more kisses had nothing to do with it.
Ty entered the cabin. Dusty lay on the ground next to the couch. Meg had placed a small plastic tarp covered by a beach towel underneath the tree stand by the front window.
Was there anything this woman wasn’t prepared for?
Ty heard the door close. He placed the tree into the holder. “How does that look?”
“Crooked,” she said. “The tree is leaning to the left.”
“Your left or mine.”
“Yours.”
He adjusted the tree, then turned one of the four knobs that would screw into the
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