“As Alice in Wonderland would say, this is getting ‘curiouser and curiouser.’” He glanced at Megan, hoping she’d return his smile. But she looked uneasy, as if she were about to confess to a crime.

“We’re using Rush’s old room as a spare these days,” he said. “At least it’s clean.” He carried the suitcase into the room and laid it on the patchwork coverlet. “Now what?”

“If you’ll step out for a minute, I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

As the door clicked shut, Megan opened the suitcase and laid the contents out on the bed: the wig, open makeup case, jeans, shirt, jacket, boots, and Stetson. She’d weighed the idea of putting everything on, but she didn’t want Conner to see her as Lacy. She wanted him to see the empty trappings of a woman who was only make-believe.

Hands shaking, she closed the suitcase and set it on the floor. Then, closing the door behind her, she went to get Conner. She found him in the kitchen, sipping a beer. “Liquid courage,” he said, putting the can on the counter. “You’ve got me worried. Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. Come on.” She led him back down the hall. “I’ve got a secret. It’s the reason I went to Nashville.”

“So, why did you go?” They had reached the door, which was still closed.

“I went to sing with the Badger Hollow Boys.” She opened the door, revealing the carefully arranged contents of the suitcase. “There’s your dream woman, Conner. Miss Lacy Leatherwood, or what there is of her.”

He stared at the things on the bed. Megan watched for his reaction. Would he be angry? Would he accuse her of playing him? But, no, what he did next took her completely by surprise.

He laughed.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “You think this is funny?”

“In a way, it is,” he said. “You see, I’ve got a secret, too. I’ve known who you were all along, almost from the beginning.”

“How . . .” She choked out the words. “Who told you? Maggie and Tracy?” Megan felt as if she’d been sucker punched. Had her so-called friends betrayed her?

“No way. Those two ladies would never rat on a friend. I figured it out by myself, when Daniel hurt his shoulder and I heard you in the backseat, singing to comfort him. ‘Walkin’ After Midnight.’ As soon as I heard that song, in that voice, I knew.”

She stared at him, feeling like a fool. “But why didn’t you tell me? What were you thinking?”

“I could ask you the same question.”

“I asked first.” She tried to read him. He seemed to be taking the whole situation as a joke. But to Megan, it wasn’t funny.