He took her arm to balance her on the slippery steps, keeping his clasp light as they crossed the porch and entered the house. “Wait here,” he said, leaving her to warm herself by the potbellied stove. “I’ll get that spray.”

Megan hadn’t been inside the ranch house until now. The interior bordered on shabby, but there was a cozy feeling about the place—the worn, overstuffed furniture, the maps and rodeo posters on the walls, the threadbare Native American rug on the living-room floor.

In the kitchen, Travis, Daniel, and Clara sat around a scarred wooden table on mismatched chairs, the three of them laughing, talking, and wolfing down generous helpings of pepperoni pizza.

“Here we are.” Conner appeared from the hallway with a small aerosol canister. “Hold out your hand. This should make you feel better.” When Megan opened her hand, he sprayed the burn with a mist that left a cold tingle. “How’s that? Will you be okay to work? I don’t want you hurting.”

Megan wiggled her fingers. “It feels better already. I should be fine.”

“Good. Let me know if the pain gets worse.” He set the canister on the kitchen counter. “Now let’s have some pizza before this crew finishes it all off.” There were two empty chairs. He pulled one out for Megan and took the other for himself. “Eat your fill. We’ve got a long, busy afternoon ahead of us.”

“What time do you usually close?” Megan asked, reaching for a slice of pizza.

“If the weather holds and the customers keep coming, we stay open until nine,” Conner said. “But you’re a volunteer. You can leave anytime you feel like you’ve had enough.”

“This isn’t about me,” Megan said. “I’m having a good time, and I don’t mind staying. But Daniel will be tired. I might need to take him home early.”

“Rush will be taking Clara home around five,” Travis said. “If you want to stay and help out, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind dropping Daniel off.”

“We’ll see how it goes.” Megan glanced at her brother. “All right, Daniel? Are you getting tired yet?”

“Nope. Not a bit.” Daniel reached under the table to give Bucket a slice of pepperoni. He was having a good time, but Megan could tell her brother was flagging. His eyelids were drooping and he was fidgeting with his sling, a sign his shoulder was hurting. She would need to watch him and make sure he made it home before he got too cold or tired. Otherwise, he could end up sick tomorrow.

Clara had finished her pizza. “Let’s go back outside, Daniel,” she said, getting up.

“Okay.” Daniel stuffed the last of his pizza in his mouth and followed her out the door.