Meg watched the campfire flames flicker in the night, occasionally glancing up to catch Trey watching her. He might be spending all his time talking to the other guests, but she had felt his gaze on her throughout the chuckwagon supper and after. He hadn’t said a word to her or made a move to join her, and she was glad. Wasn’t she?
Of course, she was. She was here to do a job. Nothing more. There wasn’t time for a sexy cowboy who turned her insides to the consistency of pudding. She only had four and a half days left to get all the information she could. And not a clue as to how to do it.
Sighing, Meg propped her elbows on her knees and rested her chin in her hands. Maybe she had been wrong thinking she could do this. When she had been offered this opportunity, she’d told her boss that she had some ranching experience when she was a child. Okay, so she’d exaggerated. But old reruns of Bonanza and The Big Valley counted for something. Geraldine had not only been desperate, but she had been impressed and said Meg could look at it as getting back to her roots.
“Back to my roots,” she muttered, “I’ll give her—”
“I brought somebody to meet you.”
Meg looked up to see Trey standing to her right with a petite blond woman at his side. Was it possible Trey was engaged? Or even…married? No, he couldn’t be. He wouldn’t have almost kissed her earlier. Right? She certainly hoped not. Then again, maybe he was nothing more than a cowboy Casanova.
The woman held out her hand. “Howdy. I’m Ellie. Chace’s wife.”
Meg shook her hand and realized that if Ellie was Chace’s wife…“You’re the riding instructor! And Chace is the one with the horses.”
Ellie nodded. “That’s him. I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself.”
“Oh, I have. It’s so peaceful here and yet there’s so much to keep me busy.” Since she hadn’t done much besides participate in one riding lesson, Meg couldn’t say what she specifically liked. “Will you be teaching the riding class tomorrow?”
Trey steered Ellie to the empty seat next to Meg. “Feeling better?” he asked Meg.
She wasn’t sure how to answer, considering how her body still ached from the first ride. Even a long soak hadn’t put an end to her discomfort. But she had a feeling that the lesson would be different with Ellie teaching it. “I’ll see if I’m up to it in the morning,” she said, with a wry smile.
Ellie laughed. “Yeah, it can be a sore point for someone who hasn’t ridden. But to answer your question, yes, I’ll be teaching the class in the morning. It’s usually my job, but our secretary has been gone the past two days, so I needed to fill in for her.”
“So that’s why Trey was teaching it this morning,” Meg said, beginning to understand.
Ellie shot Trey a wicked grin before turning back to Meg. “Right. And it’s not his favorite activity, either.”
“Sherry should be back in the office tomorrow,” Trey added, “so everything will be back to normal.”
“Have you been riding long?” Meg asked Ellie.
“Since I was a kid. How about you?”
“Today was my first time.”
“It won’t take long to get the hang of it,” Ellie told her with a smile and another glance at Trey.
“Ellie raced barrels at National Finals before she gave it up for married life,” Trey said with a chuckle.
Meg was impressed. “Then you obviously know how to ride.”
“You could say that,” Ellie said, smiling. “But in spite of what Trey says and the fact that Chace and I met on the circuit, I didn’t give up rodeoing for married life. I raced barrels for more years than I like to think. It was time to retire.”
Meg couldn’t imagine anyone retiring so young. She guessed Ellie was about her age, but it would be a long, long time before her own retirement.
“You’ll have to excuse us, Meg,” Trey said, offering a hand to Ellie and helping her to her feet, “but we have some business to take care of.”
Ellie groaned. “Back to work. It was nice meeting you, Meg. I’m looking forward to helping you with your riding tomorrow.”
“Thanks. I’m looking forward to it, too.” Meg watched them as they walked away to join several of the other ranch employees, and then all of them headed for the ranch house. She wished she could find out what was going on, but other than following them and lurking outside a window, there wasn’t much she could do. With luck, she might learn something later. She needed to talk to the owner, Buford Brannigan, but she had yet to find him. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, she’d find a way to ask someone. Until then, she would have to wait.
“Any idea who it might be?” Trey asked the others when he had finished telling them about Dev’s call.
Pete scratched his neck and cleared his throat. “There’s one fella.”
Trey was happy to hear they might have a clue. “Who?”
“Name’s Emery. Richard, I think. The fella I was talkin’ to at the campfire.”
Scanning the list of guests on the desk in front of him, Trey found the name. “He’s from Illinois. Or at least, that’s what this says. You might check his license plate. Trail’s End is published in Chicago. Could be a coincidence. What makes you think he might be the one?”
Pete chuckled and shook his head. “You gotta meet him for yourself.”
“Real greenhorn, huh? Okay, I’ll take care of—” He glanced at the list again and stabbed the name on the paper with a finger, a slow smile creeping over his face. “Mr. Emery. If he’s the one, we’ll show him what dude ranching is all about and get that five-star rating for the Triple B. Thanks, Pete.”
Pete tugged his hat down and stood. “Glad to help.”
“Tell the rest of the boys to keep their eyes and ears open,” Trey added. “Same goes for the rest of you,” he told the others as they started to leave. “This is top priority.”
When everyone had gone except Chace and Ellie, Trey leaned back in his chair. “Looks like we’ve got a good chance to do the Triple B proud and get the word out.”
Chace moved to take the chair Pete had vacated next to his wife. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
Ellie nodded in agreement. “Are you sure this Richard Emery is the reporter from Trail’s End? I mean, it could be anybody, right?”
“I’m pretty sure it is.” Trey leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk. “No concrete evidence, of course, but there’s nobody else who comes close. And now that I think of it, I was giving him riding lessons this morning. The man uses twenty-dollar words, and he’s real eager to learn.”
Ellie looked at Chace and then shrugged. “That sounds reasonable. But shouldn’t you keep an eye on the rest, just in case you’re wrong?”
Pushing away from the desk, Trey stood and picked up his hat. “I’m a fair judge of people. If I weren’t, I wouldn’t be in this business.” But he wasn’t so sure of himself, considering that he didn’t have Meg figured out yet. But he would.
“There’s nothing wrong with the Triple B,” Chace said, frowning. “The guests are happy, aren’t they?”
“Sure they are,” Trey answered, while Ellie nodded in agreement. “I just want to make sure we give this Emery guy the right impression.”
“You do a good job handling the guests, baby brother,” Chace continued. “But you might want to take it easy. If the Triple B’s going to get a good rating, let it be an honest one. Not because you did something for one particular guest you wanted to impress.”
“I’d agree, but—”
“Good,” Chace said, standing and helping his wife to her feet. “Did Dev say anything about J.R.?”
With a humorless laugh, Trey shook his head. “Nope. He’s waiting to hear from the lawyer.”
Chace nodded as he and Ellie turned to leave. “It’s better that Dev’s handling this. I don’t know how or why, but he seems to know what he’s doing.”
“He must have some connections somewhere, but I doubt we’ll ever know for sure,” Trey agreed.
As Chace and Ellie opened the door and stepped out of the room, Trey thought of pointing out how badly the Triple B needed a good rating from Emery and Trail’s End. But he thought better of it. He’d do all the buttering up that was necessary. In fact, now was a good time to start.
Tired and saddle sore, Meg decided to call it a night. The evening hadn’t been a total waste, she thought as she started back for her cabin. She’d met Ellie and learned a little personal history about her. The romantic meeting of Ellie and her husband would be something—
“You’re lost in thought.”
Meg jumped at the sound of the rich baritone, the voice sending shivers of heat through her. “I-I was just thinking,” she replied. Trey was so close, she nearly forgot to breathe. “Thank you for introducing me to Ellie. It was nice of her to go out of her way to talk to me.”
Trey matched his steps to hers. “Aw, Meg. We’re not going out of our way. That’s just the way we are. Friendly.”
She nearly choked. Trey had gone beyond the point of friendly, and she hadn’t bothered to stop him, making her the one at fault.
When they reached her cabin door, she turned to regard him with a smile. “Are all the cowboys in Texas as friendly as you are?”
She knew she was in trouble when he tipped her chin up with one finger and looked down at her. “I sure hope not.”
They stood that way for what seemed like an eternity. Meg swore he had to hear her heart pounding in her chest and spoke to cover the sound of it. “Wh-why not?” she managed to ask, although her voice had pretty much deserted her.
His breath whispered across her face. Meg’s bones turned to mush, and she had to lean against the door to keep from falling in a puddle. Unable to think straight, all she could do was make sure she was still breathing.
Still tipping her head back, he scooted her glasses back up the bridge of her nose with his free hand. “Maybe I should call you Magoo.”
“Magoo?”
His nod was so slight, she barely caught it. “Would you like that?” he asked, his whisper now husky, skipping like a stone over the ripples inside her.
“M-Meg is just fine.”
“Whatever you say, Meg.”
The way he said it sent shivers through her, making her tremble.
“Cold, Meg?”
Cold? How could she be cold with him so near? Speechless, she shook her head. It surprised her that her glasses hadn’t fogged over with all the heat generating between them. She felt like she was on fire from the inside out. But she certainly wouldn’t tell him that.
His toe-curling grin broke out. “Warm?”
She closed her eyes, swallowed, and nodded.
When he released her and took a step back, she shivered from the absence of his warmth. Until a chuckle rumbled up from his chest. “Yeah, me, too.”
Without another word, he bounded down the two steps of the tiny porch and disappeared into the night.
She let out a long-held breath. How would she ever keep her mind on the review if that cowboy kept doing things to her she couldn’t fight?
“Where have you been?” Trey asked Meg late the next morning. “You missed the riding lesson.”
She closed the door of her car and looked up, surprise widening her eyes. “I talked to Ellie before I left. I’m sorry Sherry didn’t show up for work again. Did you have to teach the lesson?”
“Don’t worry about it. Ellie took over,” he said, more concerned with where Meg had gone than his missing secretary. He knew he was sounding like a spoiled kid, but he didn’t care. He’d been worried. He hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Meg since the night before. “Ellie didn’t mention that you were going to be gone.”
“Maybe she forgot,” she answered, turning in the direction of her cabin. “I asked her for directions into San Antonio, and she gave me the name of the best store where I could get a pair of boots. See?” Grinning, she held up a sack which obviously contained a large box. “I thought it might be better to have them before I climbed on a horse again.”
“I could’ve gone with you and showed you around San Antone.”
“I didn’t want to bother you.”
Before he could say that it wouldn’t have been a bother at all, he stopped. What was wrong with him? He’d never cared where his little darlin’s were when they weren’t with him. And he shouldn’t care what Meg did with her time. After all, she was a guest. So maybe he just wanted to make sure that she was having a good time, the same as he did with all the other guests.
“Now that you’ve bought boots, this would be a good time for that private lesson,” he said instead.
She slid him a look. “Are you sure? I mean, if you’re busy—”
“I’m sure. The sooner we start, the sooner you’ll be riding as good as Ellie.”
Meg’s laughter caught him off guard, and he almost stumbled. Except for her strange taste in clothes, wasn’t there anything he could find about her that he didn’t enjoy?
“I’ll be happy just to be able to mount and keep control of a horse,” she said, more seriously.
He was sure that could be done and hoped for even more. “You get changed and I’ll get the horses ready,” he told her. “I’ll meet you at the corral.”
It didn’t take him long to saddle both Temptation and Moonlight. After he had finished, he stood at the corral fence, his arms folded on the top rail, one boot propped on the bottom one, and waited for Meg.
Meg. The name had tasted like sweet honey last night when he’d said it. He’d nearly lost it when she’d trembled at his touch. Most women he knew would have cozied right up to him. But not Meg. And that pleased him. She might not dress like a woman filled with burning passion, but he’d bet she’d respond to lovemaking like a house on fire. Too bad he wouldn’t be the man to strike the match.
“Don’t you have nothin’ to do, boss?”
Trey cocked his head to see Pete settle next to him. “Got plenty to do. Just taking a little break.”
“Thought you were going to keep an eye on that Emery fella.”
“What do you think I’m doing?”
Pete chuckled. “Not much of anything, since he ain’t even around here.”
Turning, Trey scowled at their head wrangler. “What makes you think so?”
This time, Pete roared with laughter. Seeing that he’d spooked some of the horses, he ducked his head. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with that Chastain woman. She caught your eye, huh?”
Trey didn’t know whether to admit to the attraction or hotly deny it. If he admitted he found Meg sexier than all of his little darlin’s put together, he’d never live it down. On the other hand, if he denied it, Pete would keep needling him. Having spent most of his adult life with the cowboy, Trey knew how he thought.
A shrug was all he could manage.
“Thought so,” Pete said, choking on quiet laughter.
Trey groaned and pressed his forehead to his arms. He wasn’t up for this. Shoving away from the fence, he faced Pete. Giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder, Trey grinned. “Doesn’t much matter what you think.”
“Well, you’ve always been good with women.”
Trey shot him a grin. “That’s it, Pete.” But if he was so good with women, why hadn’t he gone through with that kiss he wanted to give her last night? Damn, the woman was getting to him. Any other time, he’d have had his hands full of warm, willing female. With Meg, he wanted to pull her close, but it just didn’t feel the same way. Not the same way at all.
He wanted to kiss her, to feel his lips pressed to hers, to slip his tongue between those lips and taste her sweet mouth the way it begged to be tasted. Hell, he was dying to kiss her. So why hadn’t he? He’d lain awake most of the night trying to figure it out. At the rate he was going, with this slow and steady plodding, it’d be Christmas before he worked his way to anything remotely intimate. And Meg would be long gone by then.
Then again, so would his peace of mind, because she was chipping away at it, bit by bit.
“Looks like the object of your affection is here.”
Trey turned around to see Meg walking toward him. To his disappointment, she was wearing a seriously oversize T-shirt that looked as if she’d stolen it from a bouncer in the toughest bar in Texas. “You just keep Emery happy,” he told Pete. “I’ll take care of Miss Chastain.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet you will,” Pete muttered and laughed as he walked away.
“Nervous?” Trey asked Meg when she reached him.
“Not as much as I was yesterday.”
“Then let’s get to it,” he said, eager to get the lesson started. If he couldn’t do the things he wanted to do with her, then he’d make sure that by the time supper rolled around, she was a pretty fair horsewoman. “Think you can mount without any help?”
Meg’s teeth sank into her full bottom lip, and Trey nearly lost control. Oh, he was going to pay for this. In triplicate.
As he watched her, unable to look at anything else, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I can sure try.”
It took her two tries, but on the second, she gracefully mounted her horse. Her look of sheer pleasure at her success had Trey grinning. He walked to his own horse and swung up into the saddle. “Let me see you walk him around.”
With her face set in sheer concentration, Meg nudged Moonlight into a walk. In only a few minutes, she was grinning. “You know, this is fun,” she told him over her shoulder.
He returned the grin. He had been right. She would be riding circles around the other guests before the day was out. “Now try putting him into a trot,” he called to her. “Watch me, and then do the same thing.”
She watched carefully and then imitated his actions, urging her horse into a fairly smooth trot. “It’s kind of bumpy,” she said, but she didn’t look like it bothered her much.
After a couple of turns around the corral he showed her how to slow back down to a walk. “You’ll like loping a lot better,” he assured her. “But you’ve probably heard it called cantering. Whatever, let’s give it a try and see how you do.”
Once again, he demonstrated and, like before, Meg mastered it quickly. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to run with him,” she said when she slowed and pulled up beside him, breathless from her ride.
“He’s got a smooth gallop,” he told her, “but there isn’t room here in the corral for you to try it. When we’re out in the open on the trail ride, you can let him loose.”
“I’m really looking forward to the trail ride now.” Giving him a sheepish grin, she ducked her head. “I guess I was pretty much afraid of horses before. Not to mention saddle sore.”
Trey nodded. “And you’ll be sore again tonight if you don’t take a good long soak before supper.” He swung down from off horse and walked over to her. “But first, we need to get these saddles off and give both these horses a good brushing. Ellie will be madder than a wet hen if we leave her with two sweaty horses.”
Meg nodded, her face serious. He could tell that she wasn’t as sure about dismounting as she now was about riding. “Need some help?” he asked.
Her head whipped around and she stared at him. Her smile was quick but forced. “I think I can do it by myself this time.”
He couldn’t deny that he was a little disappointed. But he was glad he hadn’t insisted when she swung off the horse like a pro.
“Hey, that’s pretty good!” Ellie called to them from the fence. “I knew Trey would be a good teacher if he put his mind to it.”
“We were just finishing up,” Trey told her, as he helped Meg take her horse to the barn.
“I’ll help,” Ellie said as she climbed over the fence. “If you don’t mind,” she whispered to him with a wicked grin when she’d caught up with him.
He shot her a warning glare. “Why don’t you take Temptation on in and get started,” he said, handing her the reins. “Before I forget, I’ll run up to the house and get that bottle of liniment.” He let his gaze wander up the back of Meg. “She may be feelin’ fine now, but…” He grinned at Meg when she turned around to look at him. “We’ll get you fixed up,” he told her with a wink.
As he walked to the house, he had to admit that he had enjoyed instructing Meg. In spite of her initial fear of horses, she was a natural. He shouldn’t have doubted it. Hadn’t he been fascinated with the way she moved when she wasn’t on a horse? And just where would that fascination end, he wondered.
“The Triple B is doing okay, isn’t it?” Meg asked, brushing the horse as Ellie had taught her. “I mean, everything looks great and everybody seems to be having a great time.”
“It’s doing okay,” Ellie replied, hidden behind the horse she was grooming. “And if we get in more groups like this one, it’ll be even better. A few good words in Trail’s End could give us a really big break.”
Meg caught her breath and held it. What should she say? It couldn’t be anything that might arouse Ellie’s suspicions, but she had to say something.
“Trail’s End?” she finally managed.
“Yeah, it’s a travel magazine for the western crowd.” Ellie peeked at her around the horse’s head. “Or the western wannabes,” she added with a wink. “Lots of dude ranches, Native American places, historic sites. Most in the western states, but some back east, too.”
Setting her face in an interested but innocent mask, Meg nodded. “So why not put an ad in this magazine?”
“We have,” Ellie said, going back to her grooming. “But Dev called and said they’ve sent a reporter to check out the place for a rating and an article. If it’s good enough, people will start visiting the place in herds.”
Meg had only one question. “Who’s the reporter?”
“Trey’s pretty sure it’s Richard Emery. I have to say I agree with him. The man is just full of questions.”
Relief flooded Meg. She’d played her role well. No one was the wiser as to her true purpose for being at the Triple B. Thank heaven she hadn’t asked too many questions and given herself away. And bless Mr. Richard Emery for being an inquisitive person.
Still, there was one person whose place in all this she hadn’t quite figured out. “What about—”
“Hey, Ellie! You in here?”
Stepping around the horse, Ellie answered. “Yeah, what do you need?”
Meg looked down to the other end of the barn to see one of the ranch hands.
“Trey needs you up at the house,” he called, jerking a thumb in the direction of the main house.
Ellie shrugged and smiled at Meg before shouting back. “Be right there.” She handed Meg the curry comb. “Think you can finish this one for me?”
“I’ll try,” Meg assured her.
Meg had no problem grooming the horse. She’d quickly learned that as long as she didn’t show her fear or nervousness, she and the animal got along well.
Finished with one side, she moved to the other. Each stroke brought her another thin slice of peace. Why was it, she wondered, that the basic tasks in life calmed her nerves? She loved her job, but even at the best of times, it was stressful. She’d needed a vacation. Her climb from simple receptionist to the chance to become a full-fledged staff writer had taken her six years. It hadn’t been easy. Each and every step had taken a piece of her. But she hoped it had been more than well worth the effort.
She leaned around to look at Moonlight. “Has it been worth it?”
“Only if you’re happy.”
Meg squealed, causing the horse to sidestep nervously. Before she knew what was happening, she was pulled into a pair of strong arms and hugged tight against a broad, equally strong chest.
“Damn. I didn’t know I’d scare you.”
Looking up into a pair of familiar blue eyes, Meg took a deep breath and let it out. “Well, you did. You can let me go now. I’m fine.”
“Yeah, you sure are,” Trey said, his voice rough and his breathing uneven. “But I can’t figure out why.”
Meg felt like the breath she’d taken had been her last. With her knees turning to the consistency of jelly, she could barely stand. He’d nearly kissed her twice. Would he try a third? And did she want him to?
When he reached up to touch her hair, Meg came to life. Shoving at his rock hard chest, she pulled away.
“What’d I do?” he asked, his expression innocent.
“Nothing.”
Tugging at the hem of her shirt, she tried to calm her fears. She’d kissed enough men to know she’d never failed to be disappointed. She’d even worried she might be unable to feel anything for any man. She’d barred the thought from her mind, successfully getting on with her life without worrying about it. Until now. Until she’d arrived at the Triple B and met a cowboy with a drop-dead gorgeous smile and hips that swiveled like Elvis’s.
“Meg.”
Tiny lightening bolts skittered along her nerves.
Taking a step closer, Trey lifted his hand and removed her glasses. “I won’t hurt you.”
Unable to utter a sound, she shook her head.
“Does that mean you believe me?” he asked with a lopsided grin. “Or that you think I’m lying?”
Meg didn’t know what she meant. All she knew was that one of them would get hurt if she allowed this to go another step further. Past relationships had taught her that the men she had been involved with had been disappointed, though not nearly as disappointed as she had always been. Both in them and in herself. She didn’t want that to happen this time. She couldn’t risk losing the feelings Trey made her feel whenever he was around. She’d rather take those home with her, never knowing more, than be left with nothing except the hollowness she had become accustomed to in the past.
“I’m not going to throw you down in the hay and take liberties with you,” he assured her. “I just want…”
She held her breath, waiting for him to finish. His gaze held hers as sure as a magnet to steel.
“Just a kiss, Meg. Nothing more. I swear.”
Dare she risk it? She couldn’t answer. Closing her eyes, she gathered her courage. But before she was ready, she felt his callused hands framing her face. She didn’t have to see him to know what was happening. Days passed as she stood waiting for his lips to touch hers. Weeks. Years. When they finally did, she was prepared for the usual disappointment.
Not this time. This time, instead of a nothingness seeping into her soul, a tidal wave of heat swept through her. He feathered kisses across her lips, teasing her and making her ache for more. When she thought she couldn’t stand it any longer, was ready to plead with him, she felt his firm mouth cover hers. Weak with surrender, she leaned into him, her breasts pressing against his chest.
His hands moved from her face, down her shoulders to skim along her arms to her wrists. And his teasing didn’t stop. When the tip of his tongue caressed the sensitive bow of her lips, she gasped, allowing his entry. So different than the forceful entry of others’ kisses, he proceeded with tender caution. She pressed against him, touching him with every inch of her body that she could. Lifting her wrists, he brought her arms to circle his neck, bringing the two of them even closer together. She threaded her fingers in the hair that brushed his nape, and his groan vibrated through her, heating her to her soul. His arms held her, pulling her closer, molding her body to his. Stroking her mouth with his tongue, he sent rivers of desire flowing through her. Tentatively, her tongue met his, and tremors of need shook her.
She didn’t know how long they stayed locked together. Time lost all meaning for her. He gentled the kiss, nipping at her lips as her breathing grew more ragged. When he moved to press kisses along her neck, she knew she’d discovered the meaning of passion.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered as reality began to slowly return.
“I know,” he replied, his breathing as halted and heavy as hers.
“Someone could—”
She didn’t finish as he claimed her mouth again, punishing her with a second kiss. His hands moved along her back, smoothing and caressing, pulling her even closer until the fire between them nearly scorched her with the need for more.
“Damn, Meg,” he said when he finally, gently, released her.
She looked into his eyes, darkened to navy with a passion she knew rivaled her own. “Trey, we can’t… I can’t…”
“Shhh,” he said before kissing her again, softly, with a gentleness that made her want to weep. “All I wanted was a kiss. That’s all. And now—” His smile was almost melancholy. “And now I have to let you go, because—”
“It can’t go any further,” she finished for him.
His silence frightened her, and when he finally spoke, she wished he hadn’t. “I never should have started it.”
She couldn’t bear to look at him and see the regret in his eyes. “I wanted you to.”
He tipped her head to force her to join her gaze with his. “You did?”
Air whooshed out of her as disappointment filled its place. Once again, she’d failed to respond the way most women did. Trey couldn’t guess at what he’d made her feel. “I think I should go shower and change,” she said without answering his question. She escaped his embrace and gave a nervous yank to the hem of her shirt.
She turned to leave, but Trey took her hand, bringing her to a stop. His expression shouted regret as his gaze searched her face. “I’m sorry, Meg. I didn’t mean to—”
“Don’t worry about it.” She pulled her hand from his and waved it in the air, dismissing anything more he might say. She couldn’t bear to have him apologize when it wasn’t his fault. It was hers. She’d always thought she must be lacking something. Just like her mother, who never could keep a man around long enough to build a relationship. If her father had loved them enough, he wouldn’t have left them when she was two. She’d always wondered how long her stepfather would have stayed if her mother hadn’t died. He certainly hadn’t stayed long to take care of a motherless Meg.
Hardening her heart, she tossed Trey a bright smile she hoped looked genuine, and hurried from the barn. She’d make sure nothing like this ever happened again.