“Hey, I was going to let you sleep,” Conner said. “But as long as you’re up, how did things go with Maggie last night?”

Travis gave him a crooked smile. His hair was mussed, his eyes bloodshot. “About how you’d expect. The wedding’s set for December twenty-second, two days after the Christmas Ball, in the Community Church, with as many folks as the place will hold. There’ll be a reception afterward in the social hall. We agreed to cancel the live band, but there’ll be a cake cutting and a bouquet toss, and, yes, you and I will be renting tuxes. Maggie will need your measurements so she can call in the order. She’s not trusting me to do it.”

Conner chuckled. “Told you.”

“I know.” Travis sighed and refilled his coffee mug. “Whatever Maggie wants is fine, as long as it makes her happy.”

“What about the honeymoon?”

“That’s going to be my big surprise. Maggie doesn’t know it, but I’ve already bought the tickets. We’ll be spending Christmas in Hawaii.”

“Wow!” Conner said.

“You’ll be alone here—unless you can find somebody besides Bucket to keep your bed warm. Speaking of that, will you be seeing Megan again?”

“We’ve got a dinner date this evening. So far, so good.”

“Megan’s a sharp gal,” Travis said. “But I know . . . she’s not your dream woman.”

Conner almost choked to keep from blurting out the truth. For now, it was best kept a secret.

“I haven’t forgotten our bet,” Travis said. “Fifty bucks to you if she shows up, another fifty if you get to meet her.”

“Want to raise the stakes?” Conner teased.

But Travis shook his head. “Did I hear earlier that Megan wouldn’t be going?”

“That’s right. She said she had other plans.”

“Maybe Megan just doesn’t want to compete with your gypsy-eyed dream goddess.”

“Maybe not. But I’m not worried.” Conner was enjoying this.

“Well, you should be. It would serve you right if Megan showed you the gate. You’re a damn fool to risk losing her for some female you’ve never even met. Hell, for all you know, that sexy singer could be some guy in drag. If that turns out to be the case, I’ll laugh myself sick.”

“It’ll be fine,” Conner said, masking a grin. “You’ll see.”

“You’re an idiot.” Travis rose and put his empty cup in the sink. “Since you won’t listen to reason, I’m going to clean up and go back to Maggie’s. She has this checklist she wants me to go over—stuff that needs to be done before the wedding. I still wish we could just elope, but you know Maggie.”

“I do, and you’re a smart man to go along with her plans,” Conner said. “You’re a lucky man, too. Maggie’s one in a million.”