Page 80 of Merry Christmas, Cowboy

He scoffed. “Hardly, I gave her grief for making me dance with her. I made her give me part of her allowance each week. And she would gladly pay up her dollar, telling me I would appreciate knowing how to dance one day. The truth is, I neverreallyminded it. It was sort of fun. We would laugh our heads off. Carrie made everything fun.”

“It’s a good memory, Garrett.”

“Yeah.”

“And I’m reaping the benefits.”

“How so?”

“You’re not stepping on my toes.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “True, true.”

The music slowed, the band playing a country ballad now, and he brought her closer in, drawing her up against his chest. She felt right there, her body brushing his. It was heaven being with her like this. And he shoved aside the demons in his head telling him he didn’t deserve this. Telling him Carrie was gone forever, and he shouldn’t have this much happiness. Telling him not to let anyone else in who might hurt him.

“This is nice,” Nicole said.

He ignored the demons in his head. Being with Nicole was better than nice.

The music ended too soon and Garrett led her back to the table, wishing he had a reason to hold her a little longer, but dinner was being served.

George and Bess joined them at the table, all eight of them seated as the salad was being served. “You two look good out there on the dance floor,” George said.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Looks like the Christmas ball committee has outdone themselves again, this year,” her mother said.

“I agree, Mom. They up their game every year.”

Garrett spoke with George about football and house-flipping and racecars, while they ate their meal. The group around the table had known each other a long time, but Garrett never once felt left out, he never once felt awkward.

“Garrett, what are your plans for Christmas?” Taylor asked. “Are you and Cody doing something special?”

Garrett blinked. Actually, his plan had always been not to make such a big fuss about the holiday. “We planned on staying home, having a quiet day.”

Taylor and Coop both shook their heads. “Nonsense,” she said. “You’ll have Christmas with us. We have more than enough room, and Cody and Cassie can play. Muffy will be there and you know Cody wouldn’t want to miss that.”

Garrett shook his head. “Thanks, it’s a generous offer, but, uh…”

Nicole put her hand on his arm and leaned into him, making his heart race. “You should go,” she whispered. “Remember our pact. To make this Christmas the best it can be. For Cody, but for you too.”

He thought about Cody’s happiness. The boy was bound to be crushed when there was no snowfall on Christmas eve. He’d been counting on it. Thinking it’d be a message from his mother. But the weather had been warming up lately and the only snow left on the ground now were small patches of white dotting the landscape. For that reason, and maybe because Nicole was asking it of him, he changed his mind. “Actually, I think we’d love to come. Thank you.”

Taylor was thrilled. “That’s wonderful.”

Coop nodded too. “Yep, we’ll have a good time. George and Bess and Nicole, you’re coming too. Right?”

The three Russells looked at each other. Nicole nibbled on her lip. “We, uh, hadn’t expected to. We usually do our own thing.”

“Now you can do your own thing, at our house,” Julie said. “Please.”

Nicole glanced at her mom and dad and they nodded their heads in agreement. “Well, I guess we’re in.”

“Great,” Taylor said.

Garrett couldn’t take his eyes off Nicole. She mesmerized him tonight and when the smile she’d had on her face all night immediately faded, he gave her a puzzled look.

“Oh no,” she said, putting down her fork, her hand shaking.

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