Page 25 of Merry Christmas, Cowboy (Home to Texas #2)

Funny, she didn’t take Garrett for a flower-bearing sort of guy. “They are beautiful,” she said. “But it’s not my birthday or anything and I should be giving you flowers for helping so much at the ranch when you have your own work to do. Plus, you’re a pretty good hunter of tumbleweeds.”

He chuckled and scratched his head. It was sort of a humble move that she found really adorable. “Thanks, but I have a confession to make. May I come in?”

Her eyes rounded. “Oh, uh…”

“If you’re busy—”

“Let him in, Nic,” her mother called out. She’d probably overheard the entire conversation from the living room. “Don’t let us stop you.”

“Uh, sure,” she said to him, cringing inside. She had no idea why he was here, but having her folks get in the middle of this couldn’t be good. “Please come in. My folks are here.”

Garrett pursed his lips. “Oh, that’s right. They’re visiting for the holidays.”

“You got it.”

“I should go,” he said.

“Don’t be silly.” Her mother poked her head into the doorway, slightly nudging Nicole to the side. “You come right in. We love meeting Nicole’s friends.”

“Well, thank you.” Garrett stepped inside.

“I’m Bess Russell. And don’t you have good taste. These flowers are just perfect.” She put them up to her nose and took a whiff. “Devine.”

“Mom, this is Garrett Brown.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” He took her hand for a moment.

“Same here, young man.”

“Remember, I told you about his nephew Cody being in my class.”

“Yes, you did. And if I recall, he owns Cottonwood Ranch, the place where you’re holding the charity event.”

“Yes, just like every year since we started it.”

Her dad strode over to introduce himself, extending his hand. “Hello, I’m George Russell, Nicole’s father.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.” The two men shook hands.

“I understand you’re quite good at fixing up houses.”

Garrett smiled at Nicole and she felt a blush heat up her cheeks. Her parents weren’t good with the nuances of subtlety.

“Well, I do make a living at it.”

“Dad’s hobby is woodworking,” Nicole explained. “Would you like to sit down, Garrett?”

She still had no clue why he was here giving her flowers.

“You kids sit down and talk,” her mother said, taking the flowers out of her hand. “I’ll put these in water.”

“I think I’ll help your mother and we’ll put on a pot of coffee, is that okay, hon?” her father asked.

“Sure Dad. But I can do it.”

“No, no.” He waved her off. “We’ll be in the kitchen. You two go have a seat.”

Nicole shrugged, giving Garrett a glance. He nodded and she led him into the living room and they both sat on the sofa. “My folks are—”

“Nice,” he said, “and they care about you.”

“Maybe sometimes too much? They tend to worry.”

“I get that. I’m always worrying about Cody in one way or another.”

They stared at each other for a second, the gleam in Garrett’s eyes absolutely irresistible. “Thanks again for the flowers.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I don’t know why…”

“I guess I need to confess something to you. Thought the flowers might help.”

“Confess? What?” Again, she had no idea where Garrett was coming from. He was being cryptic and it was making her crazy.

“Before I tell you, I’d like to ask you to the Christmas ball. Would you like to go with me?”

“This is about the Christmas ball?” Now, that was a surprise.

He nodded.

“You know it’s for adults only and it’s a formal affair. So, if you want to go because of the pact we made, you don’t have to—”

“I know all about it. I’m asking you to go with me, for no other reason than I would like to take you.”

She smiled. “You mean like a date?”

“Yeah, a date.” His grin sent her soaring.

She chuckled and felt so much joy, she almost couldn’t contain herself.

Forget about all the reasons why she shouldn’t be dating Garrett.

One good reason loomed why she should. She wanted to go with him.

She could give herself one night of glitz and glamour.

She could be on Garrett’s arm and have a night to remember.

With him. And this time, she wouldn’t second-guess herself.

She would go and have a fantastic time. “Yes.”

Garrett smiled wide. “Yes?”

She bobbed her head up and down. “Yes. I’d love to. But you said you had something to confess.”

“I do. I, uh. There’s no way to sugarcoat this, Nicole. When someone mentioned they were going to ask you to the Christmas ball, I told him you already had a date. Me.”

“You told some guy I was going with you to the ball, before you asked me? Who was he?”

He shook his head. “Can’t tell you that. That would go way beyond my code of honor.”

She couldn’t hold back a grin. Had he been jealous? And why did his confession warm her heart and make her feel special? “Awfully presumptive of you, isn’t it?”

“I was hoping, is all.” He took a big breath of air, and sighed. “Okay, maybe it was.”

She could melt on the spot with the way Garrett was looking at her.

She was falling for him, and though it scared her silly, it also felt amazingly good and so right.

She’d never been a true fighter, but perhaps Garrett was worth the fight.

Perhaps he was worth more than she thought possible after the Johnny fiasco.

Her mom walked in with a tray of sweets they’d picked up from Char-Pie and her father brought in the coffee.

He’d gotten pretty domestic in his retirement and they sat around the living room, conversing.

Garrett and her dad had a lot to talk about, her father picking his brain about power tools and lumber and the latest gadgets.

All the while, her mother was giving Nicole the eye, as if to say, she approved of the handsome carpenter.

Garrett stayed for an hour and then excused himself, saying farewell to her folks.

He explained about Cody and the need to relieve Paulette of babysitting duties.

Nicole walked him to the door and then some.

She didn’t want her folks to eavesdrop. “Thanks for the beautiful flowers and for the invitation. But, I’m curious.

What would you have done if I didn’t accept your invitation to the Christmas ball? ”

He scratched his head again, separating those dark thick strands of hair. “I guess, I would’ve told the guy the truth.”

“You guess?”

“It would be the right thing to do, I suppose.” Then he looked her in the eye and shook his head. “Then again, maybe I wouldn’t.”

She chuckled. She liked this flirty Garrett. “At least you’re honest.”

His gaze dipped to her mouth and sensations swept over her immediately. She couldn’t hide that she wanted him to kiss her again. But then she remembered her parents could walk outside any second.

She sighed. “I can’t believe the fundraiser is only two days away.”

The moment was lost, but the warmth threading its way through her insides, was not.

“Are you all set for Saturday?”

“I think I am. Are you?”

“Me? Yeah. Cody’s really excited about it too. All of his school friends will be coming and that’ll be fun for him.”

“I hope we get a good turnout. The volunteers have put so much work into it.”

“So, have you, Nic. No one’s worked harder than you.”

“Thanks for saying that. I only want to raise enough money for the families in need and if I can make it fun for everyone, it’ll be a bonus.”

“I think you’ve got it.”

She heard a crash, like glass breaking, coming from her kitchen. “Uh-oh. I think I’d better see what mischief my folks are getting into.”

“Yeah, I think you’d better. Good-bye.”

He smiled, a killer, and it was almost as good as a kiss.

Almost.