A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe

by Jessica Clare

  Damn, but he was tired of being afraid.

  He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “I don’t think I’m the best man for you, Sage,” he told her, because he thought she deserved honesty if nothing else. “But I’m going to try to be that man anyhow.”

  And the smile she beamed at him was one of pure and utter joy.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Sage woke up early the next morning, curled against Jason. Her heart flooded with happiness as she listened to him breathe. She’d never felt so content. Last night had been a dream. They’d made love, curled up by the fire and munched on cookies, made love again, and she’d fallen asleep in his arms. For someone who imagined growing old alone, the sheer joy she felt right now was staggering. She kept worrying that she’d wake up and it would all be a dream. That she’d imagined everything. That this was happening to someone else, not lonely Sage Cooper.

  She eased out of bed after a few minutes and pulled on a robe. It was before dawn, but she was used to waking up early. Coffee was needed, and then she’d start making breakfast, and when Jason woke up, they’d take care of the animals together. She stroked Achilles’s head as she left the bedroom, but the dog didn’t follow her out. He remained at Jason’s side, as if he knew his master needed him nearby at all times.

  She puttered around in the kitchen, still daydreaming about Jason’s mouth and all the places he’d kissed her last night. Oh mercy, but he’d kissed her in places she’d only dreamed of a man touching her, and she’d come so hard that she’d thought her body would explode into a thousand pieces. But he’d held her tightly as she’d come, speaking words of love, and that was almost better than the orgasm. Almost.

  Over on the counter, her phone buzzed with an incoming text.

  Sage’s stomach clenched. She was starting to dread her phone. Who texted on Christmas morning before dawn? The only person she wanted to hear from was upstairs in bed sleeping. Reluctantly, she picked up her phone.

  GREG: Merry Christmas.

  That seemed . . . benign enough. She didn’t respond, though. That would just be encouraging him to text her again. She set the phone back down and returned to making bacon and pancakes. Jason would have to leave soon to go start the morning chores over at the Price Ranch, and she wanted him to have a full belly when he went. Lost in her thoughts, she almost missed when her phone chimed with another unfamiliar sound a few minutes later.

  Frowning, she turned back to it. The screen was lit up, and when she picked it up, she recognized the name of the app that had sent her a notification.

  It was one of the dating apps.

  Ugh.

  She’d been so wrapped up in Jason and their developing relationship that she’d forgotten all about the apps. Her profiles had never gotten hits in the past, and it seemed ironic that she’d get attention now, when she didn’t want it. She opened the app to disable her profile and frowned at the message on her screen.

  DATES4DAYS: You have matched with GREG!

  Was . . . that a coincidence? It had to be a coincidence. Her stomach churning, Sage clicked on his profile.

  It was Greg all right. The picture was of him in the bathroom mirror, holding up a sign: GO OUT WITH ME, SAGE. Definitely targeting her and only her. Instead of finding it charming, she was annoyed as hell. How many times had he laughed that she could never get a hit? How many times had she complained to her friend that her profile was gathering dust and he’d just teased her about it? Since she’d been avoiding his texts, he’d obviously decided to push things a little further.

  He wasn’t going to go away quietly. She needed to do something. With a scowl, she deactivated her profile and then deleted the app, and all the other dating apps she had on her phone, just in case. She would talk to Greg about things, explain to him that she was happy. That she was in love with Jason, and that he needed to get over this fixation he had on Sage and get back together with Becca, who truly loved him.

  “That’s an angry look,” Jason murmured, stepping into the kitchen. “Everything all right?” He moved to her side and pulled her close even as she set her phone down on the counter and went back to her bacon.

  “Just Greg being his usual annoying self,” she admitted as Jason stole a piece of bacon and then caressed her butt through the robe. It was hard to stay mad at Greg when Jason put his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

  Heck, it was hard to think of Greg at all.

  “You want me to handle it?”

  “No. I need to talk to him and make him realize it’s not going to happen. I don’t know if he’ll believe it if it comes from you.”

  Jason leaned in and nuzzled her neck. “I don’t know if he’ll believe it if it comes from you, either. He doesn’t seem to be good with reality.”

  He had a point. “We’ve been friends for a long time, and I think he’s just struggling with figuring out who he is. I really do think it’s cold feet to do with the wedding and not about me, but maybe I’m wrong. But I’ll tell him to meet me in town so we can talk it out.” She almost felt sorry for Greg. Almost. It was clear he was having a crisis, and she’d been his friend for so long that it was hard to not jump in to try to help . . . except that he was trying to ruin the best thing that had ever happened to her. So, no, she was going to put her foot down and that was final.

  “You tell me if he gives you any grief or makes you uncomfortable,” Jason said, holding her closer. “Some men think it’s just playing hard to get, and I don’t want you thinking you have to handle this on your own. I’ll put him in his place if it needs doing.”

  She tilted her head back and smiled at him. “I know you would. I’m sure it’s nothing, though. I’ll just chat with him the next time I’m in the office.” When he leaned down to kiss her, she slid away, laughing. “If we start making out, I’m going to burn the bacon.”

  “You’re making me choose? Cruel woman.” But he moved the pan off the burner quickly and then approached her again, pinning her against the wall and kissing her until they were both breathless.

  It seemed Sage won out over bacon, which was gratifying.

  * * *

  • • •

  The next day, she headed into town, determined to have her talk with Greg. She went into the office, greeted the mailman and mayor, sent out a few customer emails, checked in library books, and kept herself busy until midmorning. Then she sent a text to Greg.

  SAGE: You wanted to talk to me?

  The answer came immediately.

  GREG: Yes! Can we do lunch?

  SAGE: Do you promise not to make it weird?

  GREG: Oh, come on. We’ve been friends for forever. You know I won’t make it weird.

  She didn’t know that. And because she’d known him since childhood, she knew how he tended to act when he didn’t get something he wanted. Still, she had to put this to bed. She didn’t want it hanging over her head like a cloud, marring her happiness with Jason. Greg needed to realize that she’d moved on from her silly crush, and he needed to move on from her.

  SAGE: All right. I’ll meet you at the pub. Noon?

  GREG: You don’t want to go somewhere else?

  SAGE: Nope. It’s there or nowhere. I have to be back at work this afternoon. There’s lots of paperwork that has to be filed for the end of the month.

  GREG: All right, pub it is.

  GREG: See you soon.

  Even though she did have a fair amount of billing work to do, Sage couldn’t concentrate. It wasn’t just the upcoming confrontation with Greg, but Jason, too. He’d come over late last night and they’d made love, practically devouring one another the moment he stepped through the door. Then he’d had to leave again, but not before thoroughly kissing the heck out of her and promising to come back again tonight. She knew he was running himself ragged between his job ranching and spending time with
her. All the driving back and forth cut into his sleep, but he said he didn’t mind. Something would have to give at some point. Maybe she needed to look at selling off her poor old cattle—or her ranch—sooner, that way she and Jason could figure out better sleeping arrangements. If she was in town instead of on a ranch a half hour in the opposite direction, he’d save a lot of driving time. Of course, it was early to plan that sort of thing yet but . . . she still thought about it.

  And she doodled his name linked with hers in a notebook like a teenager, just because.

  Jason’s texts were less frequent this morning, but he’d started with an apology. There was a lot to do without Dustin on hand to help out, and Cass had a cold, so Eli was playing nursemaid and supervising Jason, which meant everyone was short on time. So she sent him happy messages and pictures to take up the slack, since she knew that even if he didn’t have time to respond, he’d like the entertainment.

  Then it was noon, and she closed the office for lunch, put on her jacket, and headed down Main Street toward the pub. She tried not to look over at Hannah’s window at the inn, where the woman was sure to be watching people come and go and speculating on everything. She also avoided looking at Becca’s salon, as if that would somehow assuage her guilt at meeting with Greg. Greg and Sage had been friends for ten years, though. Friends could have lunch with friends and have it not be anything weird, right?

  Of course, every other time they’d had lunch together, Greg hadn’t just dumped his fiancée without explanation. But Sage wanted to have lunch in the middle of town deliberately—because she knew it was public and people would talk, and she wanted them to realize there was nothing to see.

  Greg was waiting inside the pub as she entered, and she gave him a bright smile of greeting. “Hey, stranger.”

  “Here,” he said, rushing forward to meet her. “Let me take your coat for you.”

  “I’ve got it,” she told him quickly, shrugging it off before he could help. “Where are we sitting, the bar?”

  “I got a table in the corner,” he told her, and tried to put a hand on her back. She immediately sidestepped and headed toward the table in question. Ugh, it was the dating table. It was the table everyone joked that people sat at when they wanted privacy. Not that there was any privacy in this town . . .

  She sat down with a thump and dumped her coat and purse onto the chair next to her so he couldn’t sit at her side. “How was your Christmas?” Sage kept her voice bright and cheery.

  “Sad,” Greg said, sitting across from her and wearing his most hangdog expression. “Lonely.”

  Sage fought the urge to roll her eyes at his drama. “You didn’t spend time with your parents? Didn’t call Becca?”

  “Becca won’t talk to me, and I didn’t want her anyhow.” He gave Sage a morose look. “The person I wanted to talk to most wouldn’t text me back.”

  She wasn’t falling for the guilt dogpile. She knew that trick. “If you’re talking about me, I had plans. And my Christmas was lovely, thank you for asking.” And because she was thinking about Jason, she couldn’t help but smile.

  “Well, hello, you two,” Wade said, coming up to the table. “How are we doing today?”

  Sage beamed up at him. “Hey, Wade. How was your Christmas? How are Gloria and the kids?”

  Wade chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder. “They’re great. Kids got a couple of mini piglets for Christmas. Cutest little buggers, but I heard they don’t stay small. It’s a good thing we know a lot of people with farms.” He shook his head. “You’re positively glowing, though. Your holiday must have been delightful.”

  “It really was.” She blushed, but she wasn’t embarrassed. Rather, she was thrilled that someone else realized how happy she was. “Jason got me the most wonderful gift, a picture of my father I’d never seen before.”

  “That boy’s very thoughtful. I’ve seen the way he looks at you,” Wade said, giving her a nod of approval. “Glad you finally found someone who realized what a gem you are.” He gave her shoulder a pat, and then she could have sworn he frowned at Greg like a disapproving father. “And you? How was your holiday?”

  “Fine.” Greg sounded like he was sulking. “Can I get a coffee and a burger?”

  “Of course.” Wade winked at Sage. “Your usual lunch sandwich, darlin’?”

  “Yes, please.” Oh, she’d miss the people in this town when she left. Why did she always think she was never seen when there were people like Wade who doted on her like a favorite uncle? Or the mayor, who staunchly defended her even when she messed up? Or Hannah, who loved to talk gossip about anyone and everyone in town, but would be the first one to open her doors if someone needed a place to stay? Her throat grew tight. Painted Barrel was a small, sometimes claustrophobic community, but it was a community . . . and she’d miss it.

  Greg just shot a sour look at Wade as he walked away. “You’d think I’d shot his dog with the way he’s acting. I’m allowed to have lunch with you.”

  “You wanted to talk about something?” Sage prompted. “What’s troubling you?”

  He reached across the table, waiting for her to put her hand in his.

  She deliberately ignored the gesture, keeping her hands in her lap.

  Greg sighed. “Sage . . . I feel like I’ve messed up.”

  “About Becca?”

  “No. I realized I should have never gotten engaged to Becca in the first place.” He looked woefully sad. “That there was someone else who had been waiting all along for me to notice them, and I was too blind to see it. Someone perfect, and giving, and kind, and right under my nose, and I want her to know that I finally see her.”

  Oh lord. “Are you talking about me? Because if you are, just come out and say it, Greg.”

  “I am. Sage, I can’t marry Becca, because I have feelings for you.”

  Ugh. Her stomach churned uncomfortably. “Greg, no.” She kept her voice gentle even though she wanted to smack him upside the head. “I did have a crush on you for a long time, that’s true. But when you got engaged to Becca, I realized that we were just friends. I was truly happy for you, that you found love, and I’m sad you’ve dumped Becca because you have cold feet.”

  “I don’t have cold feet, Sage. Even when we were engaged, I kept feeling like something was wrong.” He put his hand on the table again, as if he wanted to snatch hers up . . . except she wasn’t offering it. “Becca never looked at me like you do.”

  “Like we’re friends?”

  “No, like I’m amazing. And she never makes me cookies, or helps me out, and you’ve always been there for me in the past.” He shook his head, bewildered. “I don’t understand why you’re being so cruel now. I’m pouring my heart out to you.”

  “Greg, I’m not trying to be cruel. I’m trying to get you to wake up.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “It was wrong of me to keep letting you walk all over me. I shouldn’t have made you cookies or picked up your laundry from the dry cleaner. I definitely shouldn’t have paid your water bill for you. I realize now you were using me and I was too sad and lonely to realize it. Becca won’t do those things for you because you’re an adult, not a child. I shouldn’t have done them for you, either.” She shook her head. “And I’m not in love with you. I’m dating Jason.”

  He’d been frowning at her through the whole conversation, but when Jason’s name was brought up, he scowled. “That junkie cowboy? You’re serious about him?”

  “He’s not a junkie,” she snapped, growing defensive. She wanted to tell him the truth, desperately, but Jason would hate that. So she bit her lip and stewed on the secret. “And Jason is wonderful. He’s thoughtful and kind and he has always seen me.”

  “So you’re dating him to take revenge on me because my timing was off?” Greg sat back, shocked. “I had no idea you were so petty, Sage.”

  How was he turning this around to make it h
er fault? “You’re being a spoiled brat, Greg. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Go back to Becca and apologize, see if she’ll take you back.” She got to her feet. “I’m sorry that we were friends for so long, because obviously it’s painted a strange picture in your head of who I really am. I’m not going to be your girlfriend, so stop texting me when you want sympathy, and quit following me on dating apps. It’s not going to happen.”

  “It would have happened if—”

  “No,” she said, cutting him off before he could finish that statement. “Enjoy your lunch, but I think I’m going to take mine to go.”

  A moment later, Wade was there with her sandwich, brown-bagged and ready to go. “I heard the conversation and thought lunch might be ending early,” he murmured as he handed the meal over to her. “So I took the liberty of bagging things up for you.”

  At least one man in this pub had sense. She gave Greg another disappointed look and then paid her bill and left.

  Greg was just going to have to figure this out on his own.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Two Weeks Later

  No man had a right to be this happy in terrible weather, Jason figured, but he was. The wind was downright awful, the snow was melting to a sleety crust that was hell for the horses and cattle, and that meant extra work for Eli and Jason. It also meant Dustin’s return had been put off several days, as he didn’t want to risk driving through the icy mountains with his wife and baby in the car. Once, Jason might have griped about that, but he was surprisingly content. It made it feel like Christmas had been held over for a few more weeks, and there was nothing wrong with that.

  “You’re grinning to yourself again,” Eli told him. “Wasn’t aware you were having that much fun.”

  “Just thinking about Sage.”