“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.