Holding Out for Christmas (The Christmas Tree Ranch #3)(44)
Lacy strikes again. Megan stifled a groan.
“What is it you really want, Ronda May?” she asked, changing the subject. “If you could have anything, within reason, what would it be?”
Ronda May answered without hesitation. “I want to get married. I want to walk down the aisle in a beautiful white gown and veil, with everybody looking at me. And I want the man who’s waiting at the altar to put that ring on my finger and show the whole world how much he loves me. I want to cut the cake and throw the bouquet and go on a honeymoon. Is that too much to ask?”
Megan shook her head. “You deserve all that and more,” she said. “But getting married is just for one day. Being married is for a lifetime—a lifetime of hard work, raising a family, and sharing years of joy and heartbreak. For that, you need a man who’ll be a faithful partner and always love you. It doesn’t sound like Chuck was that man.”
“No.” Ronda May’s answer was accompanied by a melancholy sigh. “But I thought Conner was. He treated me better than any boyfriend I’ve ever had. He opened doors for me and took me to nice places—and he never got mad or hurt me or yelled at me, even when I did stupid stuff. I really loved him. But he didn’t want to get married. After a while, I got tired of waiting. That’s when I got engaged to crappy Chuck.”
Megan sipped her coffee. Any animosity she’d felt toward Ronda May had fled. All she could think of now was finding a way to convince this sad young woman of her self-worth.
“I want you to think about something,” she said. “You’re a pretty girl, you’re smart, and you’ve got hopes and dreams. What if you didn’t need a man to make you happy? What if you could find ways to be happy on your own until the right man comes along? Look at Maggie. Look how long she must’ve waited to find Travis. In the meantime, she’s worked and made something of herself—she’s even been mayor of this town.”
“Maggie’s gorgeous. But it’s not just that. Her father was an important man in this town, and he saw to it that she had the best of everything—nice clothes, a car, the right college. She even got to be mayor because her father was mayor before her.”
Before Ronda May averted her gaze, Megan caught a glimmer of tears. “My dad’s got a little farm that barely pays enough to put food on the table. He and Mom have got seven kids in a three-bedroom house. Since my sister got married, I’m the oldest girl, so I’m the one who has to babysit. I’ve been waitressing since I was in high school, even saved up enough to buy my wedding dress. But I might have to sell it now that I lost my job—that’s right, I lost it last night, after I spilled wine on you and Conner told the hostess.”
Putting down her cup, Ronda May slid out of the booth and stood. “So don’t feed me this sunshine-and-rainbows crap about making a happy life for myself. I’m dirt-poor, I was never good in school, and I won’t be pretty forever. The best I can hope for is to marry a decent guy, like my sister did, and get out of that house before I’m so old that nobody will want me.”
Stunned into silence, Megan didn’t try to stop her as she walked out of the restaurant. She’d hoped to encourage the young woman, to make her see that she could be happy and independent without a husband. But how could anybody argue with Ronda May’s raw logic? For her, there was only one way out of her cheerless situation—get married.
After leaving a tip for the coffee, Megan walked out to her car and drove home. She felt emotionally drained. Even the Christmas music on the radio failed to lift her spirits. At least she understood where Ronda May was coming from and why she’d pushed Conner to marry her. But that didn’t help her own situation. Her relationship with Conner was as unsettled as ever.
Forget it for now, she told herself as she pulled into her parents’ driveway. She would bring her purchases inside, put away the groceries, check on her mother and Daniel, and then shut herself in her room with her guitar and work on her song. Maybe this time she’d come up with something good. Even if she didn’t, it would at least take her mind off her worries.
*
The next morning, she drove her brother to work. Daniel had been bored at home. He was eager to be back on the job, with people he knew and liked. He was especially happy about being around Katy again.
“Now remember,” Megan told him, “be careful lifting heavy bags. If your shoulder starts to hurt, stop and rest. If it doesn’t feel better, call me and I’ll come and get you.”
“I’ll be fine,” Daniel said. “Don’t worry.”
She was pulling up to the entrance to let him out when she saw the sign posted in the window: HELP WANTED. CUSTOMER SERVICE. APPLY INSIDE.
As Daniel hurried into the store, Megan stared at the sign, thinking. Ronda May needed a job. And she’d had plenty of experience dealing with customers. This position might be just the thing for her. Someone should tell her about it.
Someone who had her phone number.
Megan didn’t. But Conner did.
With a sigh, Megan pulled into a parking place, fished a pen and a scrap of paper out of her purse, and scrolled her phone to Conner’s number. She’d made it clear that she wouldn’t call him until she heard he’d settled things with Ronda May. But now, it seemed, Ronda May had become her concern, as well as his.
He picked up on the first ring. “Megan?” Even his voice triggered a ripple of awareness, like being lightly touched.