Conner had known better than to ask Megan about everything Ronda May had told her. The damage had been done, the evening ruined.

Tonight, even his relationship with Megan was hanging in the balance. And only now did he realize how desperately he wanted to keep her in his life.

Conner had a long history with women. He liked them—some of them he’d liked a lot. But he’d never felt himself to be in love. He certainly hadn’t been in love with Ronda May—although she was funny and affectionate, and they’d had some good times. But with Megan, he felt stirrings of something new—the urge to cherish and protect her, to put her happiness ahead of his own. Was that love?

He could only hope Megan would give him the chance to find out.

He’d put his phone in the Jeep’s cup holder. Ronda May had his number and was bound to call him, but he wasn’t ready to talk to her. He needed time to cool down first. But he wanted the phone handy on the off chance that Megan might call him.

He knew better than to expect that. Megan, he sensed, was a woman of her word. If she’d said she wasn’t going to call him, she wouldn’t call. Still, the hope was there that she’d change her mind: the phone would ring, and everything would be all right again.

He was turning off the highway onto the ranch lane when the phone rang. He glanced at the number—Ronda May’s. He let it go to voicemail—a tearful plea for him to pick up, or call her back. Maybe if he didn’t respond, she’d get the message. But there wasn’t much chance of that. Sooner or later, he would have to confront her, and try to keep her from pushing his guilt buttons. Otherwise, if there was a way to make him feel like a dirty, low-down skunk, Ronda May would find it.

Pulling through the ranch gate, he could see that Travis’s pickup was gone. Too bad. He could’ve used some backup and a good listening ear. But Travis’s absence was something he’d have to get used to; except for Bucket, he would soon be on his own.

After parking the Jeep, he let the dog out for a few minutes, then called him back inside. The snow appeared to be letting up, but the night was still cold.