Walking into the Guzzling Grizzly each Christmas vacation was always a treat for Hayley, especially when she could enjoy lunch with her mom. The place was bustling with customers as usual, and the level of cheerful conversation almost drowned out the sound system’s cowboy-themed holiday music.

The clever decorations likely contributed to everyone’s upbeat mood. Last year’s had been nice, but they couldn’t compare with these. Coiled lariats twined with pine and holly hung at intervals above the polished wooden bar. Christmas lights in the shape of small horseshoes surrounded the mirrored shelving behind the bar and the reflected glow bathed the various bottles lining the shelves.

A huge wreath made from a wagon wheel dominated one wall of the large room, and a gorgeous blue spruce in the far corner of the bandstand twinkled with white lights and a garland of red and green bandanas. The ornaments were tiny Stetsons, boots and spurs.

Last year the serviceable wooden tables had been bare, but now they were decked out with red gingham tablecloths and green cloth napkins. In the center of each table was a child-sized boot filled with small branches of pine and holly.

Hayley sat across from her mom and left the menu closed as she continued to look around. “The decorations are fantastic. Way more elaborate than I remember.”

“I’d be willing to bet some of this is Nicole’s doing.”

“Who’s Nicole?”

“Bryce McGavin’s girlfriend. He owns the bar, now, and he and Nicole perform here together. They’re really good.”

“Cool! Will they perform Saturday night at the talent show?”

“Oh, I’m sure they will. Everyone will want them to.”

“I can see why they’d want to have the place looking extra good.” Hayley turned in her chair to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. A wreath made of horseshoes, greenery and red bows hung on the far wall and a miniature sleigh filled with wrapped presents sat in a corner.

“Michael probably got into the swing of it, too. I can picture him hanging wreathes and stringing lights”

“I don’t know who he is, either.”

“Co-owner of the GG. He’s bartending today, in fact.”

Hayley glanced over her shoulder and got a glimpse of a good-looking cowboy who was busy mixing drinks. He paused to exchange a comment and a smile with a customer sitting at the bar. “He seems to be having fun.”

“He’s a sweetie. In fact, he was on my list, but I couldn’t pin him down.” She said it with a perfectly straight face.

Hayley quickly picked up her menu to hide her smile. How lovely that she could afford to be amused, knowing she wouldn’t be having a clumsily engineered lunch or dinner with Michael or any other guy this holiday. Her mom seemed to think her efforts were subtle and they never were. Thank you, Badger.

As if she’d summoned him, he came through the door, striding purposefully toward their table wearing a mile-wide grin. Ryker followed behind, looking pleased with himself.

She gulped and stared. Somehow she managed to call out a greeting even though the air had left her lungs.

Woo-eee. The man walking toward her bore little resemblance to the one who’d sat in her parents’ living room the night before. When he’d left the parsonage, he’d been a handsome Southern boy who’d borrowed a sheepskin jacket to keep warm.

Sometime between then and now, he’d transformed into a fantasy-inducing, breath-stealing heartthrob of a cowboy. Even more amazing, he’d managed to achieve it without looking as if he’d just gone shopping for those duds.

Might partly be the well-worn hat. It could be a hand-me-down courtesy of the McGavins, but damn, did he do it justice—brim low on his forehead, his laughing eyes slightly in shadow. Yum.

The sheepskin jacket and jeans might be new, but if so, the manufacturer had taken pains to make them seem broken in. She didn’t have time to check out his boots before he arrived at the table.

He tipped his hat as he glanced at her mother. “Howdy, ma’am.” His drawl made the greeting adorably playful.

Hayley was dying to grab him by the lapels and pull him down for a long, hot kiss.

Her mom beamed. “Badger, I almost wouldn’t have recognized you except for that gorgeous smile.” She glanced past him. “Hello, there, Ryker.”

“Ma’am.” He tipped his hat in her direction and did the same to Hayley.

“We did a little shoppin’ just now.” Badger’s gaze sought Hayley’s before he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Good to see you, darlin’.”

“Ditto.” Her heartbeat had returned to normal after that dramatic entrance, but the brush of his lips ramped it up again.

“Mind if Ryker and I join you?”

Her mom leaped at the suggestion. “Of course not! We’d love it! What a fun surprise.”

“I was hopin’ to catch you here. I remembered this was your plan.” He unbuttoned his coat and hung it over the back of his chair before sitting down. “Normally in this situation I’d take off my hat, too, but Ryker tells me the Guzzling Grizzly is a place where it’s best to leave it on my head.”

“Too much danger of losing it or having it stepped on.” Ryker draped his jacket over his chair and sat across from Badger. “The former owner even decided his bartenders should wear hats. Thought it gave a more Western look to the place and Bryce decided to—well, speak of the devil, here he comes.” Ryker stood as his brother approached. “Hey! Didn’t know if you were working today or not.”

“Always, bro, always.”

“Bryce!” Hayley’s mom smiled at him. “I don’t think you’ve met my daughter. This is Hayley.”

Bryce tipped his hat. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” Then he turned toward Badger, who’d left his chair and rounded the table. “And this has gotta be the famous Badger Calhoun.”

“In the flesh.” Badger shook his hand. “Ryker’s told me so much about your music. Can’t wait to hear it.”

“Thanks for that. Welcome to the GG.”

“Great place. I’m impressed with all the Christmas goin’ on in your establishment.”

“You and me, both. Nicole deserves the credit. I just fetch and carry for her.” He surveyed Badger’s clothes. “Evidently you got the memo on the Eagles Nest dress code.”

“Yep. Ryker gave me a makeover this mornin’.”

“Nice job. I see he even contributed his sorry-ass hat to the cause.”

“Hey!” Ryker punched his brother lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t go maligning my—“

“You mean my hat.” Badger tugged the brim a little lower. “You’re not gettin’ it back. I’ve been told it lends authenticity to my look.”

“That sounds like Mary Jane over at the Western wear shop,” Hayley’s mom said.

“It was,” Ryker said, “but don’t worry, ma’am. I informed her he was taken.”

“That’s good.”

Hayley gave Ryker a quick smile. How kind of him to go along with the charade. She had no doubt the clerk was enamored of Badger. Any woman with a pulse would flirt with him in that getup.

“Listen,” Bryce said, “since I’m over here and I assume you’d like something to eat, how about telling me what you want?”

Ryker grinned at him. “Now that’s what I call top-notch service, having the owner himself take our lunch order.”

Bryce laughed. “I’m here to serve, big brother.” He turned to the women. “What can I bring you?”

Hayley glanced quickly at the menu. “Last year my burger was terrific. I’ll have that, please.”

“Make it two, please.” her mother said. “And hot herbal tea.”

“I’d like coffee.” Hayley winked at Badger. “I need the caffeine to maintain my swagger.”

Her mother’s eyebrows lifted. “You don’t have a swagger.”

“Inside joke, Mom.”

She smiled. “Ah.”

After Bryce left with all four orders, Badger sat down and nudged back his hat as if he’d been doing it for years. “Did y’all get your shoppin’ done?”

“We did,” Hayley said. “The most fun was browsing through the collectibles shop. I found The Black Stallion Returns for Luke. We both used to love that series when we were kids.”

Badger looked intrigued. “Did you see any Hardy Boys?”

“You know, I think they had a few of those, too.”

“I’d like to go in there sometime and check. I was partial to the Hardy Boys but I don’t know what happened to my old books. Would be interestin’ to read one again.”

“Then let’s plan to go.” She wanted to take him there and help him find a book from his childhood, especially after the conversation with her mother about his parents.

“Great.” He reached over and squeezed her hand.

She squeezed back. This was becoming easier and easier, as if they were truly lovers. Crazy.

“I can’t get over how different you look, Badger,” her mom said. “Like a real cowboy.”

“I’m hopin’ the horse thinks I’m a real cowboy. Ryker’s takin’ me out ridin’ this afternoon and I want to make a good impression.”

“Sounds like fun.” Hayley couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a horse. She missed it.

Ryker glanced at her. “Do you ride?’

“Used to, growing up.”

“Did she ever,” her mom said. “She and Luke desperately wanted horses of their own, but it wasn’t feasible. Luckily there was a riding stable nearby.”

“Even better, we could get there on our bikes. We mucked out stalls and groomed horses to get extra riding time. Loved it.”

“You’re welcome to come out and ride with us this afternoon,” Ryker said.

“Wow, that would be wonderful! Mom? Do you need me for anything this afternoon?”

“Not a thing.” Her mom smiled indulgently.

“Then I’d love to go riding with you two. I’ll need to go home and change clothes if that’s okay.”

“Sure,” Ryker said. “Get out there when you can.”

“And since you’re comin’ to dinner,” Badger said, “you might as well stay after the ride.”

“All right. That’s a good idea.” She put her napkin in her lap. “How was the flight in the Beechcraft?”

“Awesome. It’s a sweet plane. Felt good to be flyin’ again. Took a picture of the logo with my phone.” He pulled it out of his jacket pocket. “Have you seen it?”

“I don’t think so.” She peered at his phone and grinned. A cute little badger wore a World War I leather helmet with earflaps. “Adorable. Show my mom.”

She looked at the phone. “Very cute! I’ll bet that attracts customers.”

“It does,” Ryker said. “Especially when I talk to people and mention that the airline is named after my Air Force pilot friend. They love knowing that.”

Her mom nodded. “Savvy marketing on your part.” She turned back to Badger. “So you had fun up there?”

“Big fun.” Badger tucked his phone away. “Perfect flying weather. Blue sky, mountains covered with snow. Spectacular.”

The sparkle in his eyes told Hayley all she needed to know about what he should be doing with his life. For his sake, she hoped he was seriously considering the idea of working with Ryker.

But that would create an interesting situation. If Badger became a pilot for Badger Air, he’d be living in Eagles Nest next time she came home for Christmas. They might need to talk about how to handle that.