Did he mean anything by those smiles? Was he flirting, or just being Conner? She’d be a fool to read anything into his actions. Conner was a player. Charming every woman he met—including her—was second nature to him.

Daniel and Clara stood at the corner of the house, smiling and welcoming the visitors. Bucket, wearing his own doggy-style Santa hat, stood at Clara’s side, enjoying his share of pats and attention.

The ranch seemed like a happy place, Megan observed as she mixed more cocoa and set the pan on the portable stove to heat. As she’d learned, until last summer, all three partners had lived here. But Rush now lived in town with Tracy, and soon, after their wedding, Travis would be moving in with Maggie. That would leave Conner here alone.

What would it be like to live here? The old house could use some fixing up, inside and out, but the view of the pastures and the hills beyond was beautiful. The location was good, too—close enough to town to get there for work or for helping her family. And waking up next to Conner every morning wouldn’t be all bad, either . . .

The cocoa, she suddenly realized, was about to boil over. Megan grabbed the pan and shifted it off the burner. The metal handle seared her fingers, shocking her back to reality. She thrust her hand into a nearby snowbank. Fighting tears, she forced herself to hold it there for several minutes while the cold eased the pain.

What kind of temporary insanity had driven her to imagine living here with Conner? The whole idea was ridiculous. Even if she’d wanted him, which she most certainly didn’t, Conner would only have her if she put on her wig and makeup and became full-time Lacy!

“Megan, what happened?” Conner’s voice startled her. She hadn’t heard the sleigh arrive, but now he was here, standing right behind her.

“It’s nothing,” she said. “Just burned my fingers a little. I should’ve used a pot holder on that darned pan.”

“Let’s see.” He lifted her hand and studied the red streak across her fingers. “Nasty little burn, but it doesn’t seem to have blistered. It could be worse. I’ve got some first-aid spray in the house that’ll numb the pain.”

“Shouldn’t you be loading the sleigh?” she asked.

“Break time. We ordered some pizzas and smuggled them in through the back door. The kids are already inside, chowing down. You must be hungry, too.”

Megan looked across the yard. Daniel, Clara, and the dog were gone. “Don’t worry, they’re fine,” Conner said. “You must be ready for a break, too. Come on. Warren’s already grabbed his share of pizza, and Rush will be staying out here. They can look after the customers. Right now, we need to take care of that burn.”