Authors: Marin Thomas
Dixie smiled as she shook her head.
“What now?”
“You determined your own destiny when you bought the dog.”
“I'm not following.”
“Whether you realized it or not, you bought that dog to tie Isi and the boys to you.”
“You're crazy.” His protest lacked conviction. He had been searching for a way to keep Isi in his life after he stopped babysitting the boys.
“Thanks for letting me bend your ear, Dix.” His sister had given him much to ponder.
“I don't know if this will help you decide what to do about Isi, but now that Gavin and I are moving into Yuma, the farmhouse will be empty. Grandma Ada would want it to be filled with children again.”
“Are you saying what I think you're saying?”
“I'm giving you first dibs on the house, but don't take long to decide. After watching one of those HGTV design shows, Porter's talking about making one of the bedrooms upstairs into a man cave.”
“Porter needs to get a life.”
Dixie laughed. “Conway.”
“What?”
“Don't forget we're spending Christmas at the Triple D. We're supposed to be there by noon.”
“I won't forget.”
* * *
“T
HE
LIGHTS
ON
that store are pretty,” Isi said as she drove down a residential street Christmas Eve. The boys remained silent.
She felt like the Grinch. Her idea to drive through town and view holiday lights was a bust, and neither of her sons cared that Santa was coming tonight after they went to bed. The spirit had been sucked out of the holiday the moment she'd forced Conway to take Bandit home with him. Her life had been going along fine until that darn Bridget had broken her nose, then Isi's carefully controlled world had turned into...
fun
.
Conway had brought joy and laughter and good times into her and the boys' lives. Since the twins had been born, she'd worked hard to shelter them from the pain of their father's abandonment. Then Conway had crashed into their lives, showing her that she wasn't enough for her sonsâthey needed a father. A male role model. But before she'd had a chance to find that man her sons had formed an attachment to Conway and then he'd left them all with broken hearts.
Isi had allowed herself to get lost in the fantasy of being Conway's “the one” and she'd fallen in love with him, even knowing that he didn't want children. Her heart ached for the pouting boys in the backseat. She'd gladly sacrifice her own happiness to put smiles on their faces. Maybe she and Conway could share custody of Bandit. He could keep the dog during the week, and on weekends the puppy could live at the trailer.
Conway had made it clear he didn't want kids, but sharing a dog would keep him involved in the boys' lives. He wouldn't have any responsibility for them, but the twins could turn to him for advice about girls or guy troubles as they grew older.
What about you? How will you ever move on and find a man to love if Conway is always around reminding you that no other man will ever live up to him?
She'd have to cross that bridge when she came to it.
“I was thinking,” she said. “What if I talked to Conway about the possibility of sharing Bandit.”
“How are we gonna share Bandit?” Miguel asked.
“After I begin my new job in January, I won't be working most weekends. Bandit could live with us on Saturday and Sunday and then stay at the farm during the week.”
“I want Bandit to live with us all the time,” Javier said.
“I know you do, honey, but both Conway and I told you that it wouldn't be fair to leave a dog like Bandit inside a trailer all day.”
“What if Bandit wants to stay in our trailer?” Miguel asked.
If dogs could talk... “If you had a choice of running loose at the farm or being cooped up inside the trailer what would you choose?”
“The farm,” Miguel said glumly.
“Should we ask Conway if Bandit could stay with us on the weekends?” She held her breath.
“Okay,” Miguel said.
“What do you think, Javier?”
“Me, too. I want Bandit to stay with us.”
“I'll call Conway after the holidays and discuss the idea with him.” Isi turned into the trailer park.
“Mom, Conway's here!” Miguel unlocked his seat belt as she pulled beneath the carport. “Can we ask him now?”
Isi's heart pounded in her chest. What was Conway doing here on Christmas Eve?
“He brought Bandit, Mom!” Javier opened his door and the boys raced over to the porch where Conway sat with the dog. The puppy recognized the boys and barked a greeting.
“Hello, Conway.” She stared at him, afraid if she blinked he'd vanish.
“I didn't know if you had plans Christmas Eve,” he said.
“We were out looking at the holiday lights.” Lord, he looked good tonight. She could smell his aftershave from five feet away and he'd pressed his jeans and Western shirt. She wondered what the special occasion was.
“I thought maybe you and the boys would like to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at the farm with me and Bandit,” he said.
Isi's first thought was the camera sitting on the kitchen counter. One more memory for the boys' scrapbooksâChristmas with Conway.
“Can we go, Mom?” Miguel begged.
“What about Santa?” She nibbled her lower lip. Even if the boys were on the fence about whether Santa Claus was real or not, she wanted to pretend at least for one more year.
“Santa stops at our farm,” Conway said.
“Is there a place for the boys and me to sleep?” She'd like nothing more than to sleep in Conway's bed but that wasn't going to happen with all the Cash brothers sleeping in the bunkhouse.
“Dixie changed the sheets on the queen-size bed in the guest room and the boys and I can camp out in the yard.” He grinned at the twins. “You guys ever sleep in a tent?”
Javier's eyes grew round. “What's a tent?”
“I guess that answers my question.” Conway turned his brown eyes on Isi. “What do you say, Isi? Will you let us camp out tonight?”
Miguel and Javier tugged her hands and Bandit jumped on her leg as if he was begging her to allow the boys to spend the night at the farm.
She had no idea what Conway's invitation meant, but she seized the opportunity to salvage the holiday for her sons. “Okay, we'll camp out at the farm.”
The boys shouted and jumped for joy.
“I'll need to bring warm clothes and blankets,” she said.
“We've got sleeping bags in the tent and extra pillows,” Conway said. “The boys and I will stay out here and play with Bandit while you get their things together.”
Taking her cue, Isi went inside and packed the boys' Christmas presents in a duffel bag then covered them with clothes. She threw in their teddy bears in case they got scared in the tent then added her makeup bag, toiletries and tooth brushes.
“All set?” Conway asked when she stepped outside.
“I think so. Boys, go use the bathroom before we head to the farm.” Once the twins went inside, Isi said, “I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“For being such a grump about the dog.” She smiled at Bandit who chewed on the tip of Conway's boot. “I told the boys that maybe you and I can work out a visitation schedule for Bandit so he can stay at the trailer on weekends.”
Conway didn't make eye contact with her, and Isi sensed something troubled him. If they'd been at the bar, she would have asked him what was the matter, but after they'd slept together it wasn't the same between them. “If sharing Bandit is a hassle, I understand.”
“We'll work it out.” He stood when Miguel and Javier returned.
Isi smiled as she watched the boys play with the dog. Conway had been right to get them a companionâan animal that would love them unconditionally. If only she could find a man who loved her no matter what, too.
Five minutes later, Conway installed the booster seats in his truck and they piled in. The twins chatted the whole way to the farm with Bandit sleeping between them on the backseat.
* * *
C
ONWAY
CLENCHED
THE
wheel tighter as he turned onto the road leading to the farmhouse. He was excited for the twins to see the Christmas tree he'd bought and strung lights on. Every kid deserved to find his presents from Santa beneath a real Christmas tree.
When he pulled into the yard, Javier shouted, “A Christmas tree!”
Standing in the middle of the yard was a twelve-foot spruce with twenty strings of colored lights wrapped around it. Conway had purchased extra extension cords and had plugged them into the outlets on the side of the bunkhouse. Right behind the tree was the tent he'd pitched earlier in the day.
As soon as he parked, the boys hopped out and raced to the tree, Bandit barking as he ran after them. Isi joined her sons and admired the spruce. “This is the most beautiful tree I've ever seen,” she said.
The farmhouse door opened and Dixie and Gavin stepped outside. “Merry Christmas, everyone!” Dixie called.
Gavin and Dixie joined Conway and Isi in front of the tree. “Conway was out here all day stringing those lights,” Gavin said.
“I've never seen a tree with so many lights.” She smiled at Conway. “The branches are hardly visible.”
The bunkhouse door banged open. Buck, Porter, Mack and Will walked out wearing Santa hats, Mack strumming his guitar. Bandit ran toward the Cash brothers and Miguel and Javier chased after the dog.
“Where's the hot chocolate?” Mack asked.
“I'll make it right now.” Dixie took Isi's hand. “Would you help me inside? I've got cookies in the oven.”
After Isi and Dixie went into the house, Miguel tugged on Conway's hand. “Can Javi and I take Bandit into the tent?”
“Sure, but don't let Bandit do his job in there,” Conway said.
As soon as the boys were out of earshot, Will spoke. “Are you getting cold feet?”
“No way. I'm ready.” Nothing had ever felt as right as wanting to ask Isi to marry him.
Porter jabbed his elbow in Mack's side and whispered. “I told you Conway was serious about proposing to her.”
With Dixie's help, Conway had set the scene for his wedding proposal. He wanted his siblings to be present when he asked the most important question of his life. Conway had hoped if Isi had any doubts, his brothers would vouch for him. “Where's Johnny?” he asked his brothers.
“Looks like he's coming right now.” Porter pointed to the lights cutting through the trees on the road leading to the farmhouse.
Johnny parked his pickup next to the other vehicles in the yard. He and Shannon got out and joined them in front of the tree.
“Conway, the tree is beautiful.” Shannon slipped her arm through Johnny's and said, “Next year we should use colored lights instead of white ones on our tree.”
“Colored lights are more for kids than adults,” Johnny said.
“Exactly.” Shannon ignored Johnny's perplexed frown and moved closer to the tree.
“You have the ring?” Buck asked.
Conway patted his pants pocket. “Right here.” He could only afford a small diamond and he hoped Isi wouldn't mind that she wasn't getting a rock like the diamond Gavin had picked out for Dixie.
A few minutes later, Dixie and Isi came outside with a pitcher of hot chocolate, plastic cups and a plate of cookies.
The boys came out of the tent and joined the adults. While everyone drank cocoa and ate cookies, Conway rehearsed in his mind what he wanted to say but he kept getting confused and mixing up his sentences. In the end, he gave up because there were no words to convey his love for Isi. After a few minutes, conversation died down and Dixie looked expectantly at him.
Porter cleared his throat.
Mack strummed a chord on his guitar.
Buck grinned.
Will winked at Isi.
And when Johnny made eye contact with him and nodded, Conway knew he was ready.
“What's going on?” Isi glanced between Conway and his siblings.
Dixie handed the pitcher to Gavin then herded the twins closer to Isi.
Conway dropped to one knee in front of them and took Isi's left hand in his. Her eyes grew round.
Keep it short and simple and don't screw up
.
“Isi, I know you can do better than me, but you're âthe one' and you've been right in front of me for two years. I love you andâ” he smiled at the boys “âI love Javi and Mig. Will the three of you marry me?”
Tears leaked from Isi's eyes. “Are you sure, Conway?”
He dug the ring out of his pants' pocket. “This is how sure I am.” He slid the diamond over her finger then stood.
Isi flung herself at Conway. “Yes, I'll marry you.” After a heated kiss she said, “I fell in love with you a long time ago when you first walked into the bar and swept me off my feet.”
Conway turned to the twins. “Boys, I'd sure like to be your dad. Will you let me?”
Javier stepped forward and buried his face against Conway's thigh. Miguel offered Conway a high five then chased Bandit, shouting, “Conway Twitty Cash is gonna be my dad! Conway Twitty Cash is gonna be my dad!”
The adults laughed and offered their congratulations. Then Conway pulled Isi close and whispered, “I've been dying to kiss you forever.” The kiss was slow and sweet and everything Conway had dreamed it would be.
When the kiss ended, Isi whispered in his ear, “I promise I'll love you so much and so hard for the rest of my life that you'll never want to leave me or the boys.”
Conway closed his eyes, his throat thickening with emotion. “I'm going to hold you to that promise, Isi, because there's nowhere else I'd rather be than with the three of you.”
Mack strummed his guitar. “I'm taking requests.”