Page 10 of The Moment He Saw Her

“You’ll freeze in your city shoes before you get there.”

“I’m not wearing city shoes,” Libby snapped, looking at her feet. “And there is no need to be insulting, Mr. Duke.”

“There’s every need if you end up a Popsicle and my brother finds you and has to clean up the mess.”

She studied him, unable to read anything on his face. The cafe door opened behind them then, and his eyes moved.

“What the hell are you doing outside at this hour?” he said.

The man walking in was big and had the same look about him as Ryder Duke. He was scowling.

“Bro, that coffee better be hot. Birdie wants one of your hot chocolates with soy and double the marshmallows. Go hard on the chocolate sprinkles on top too. Plus anything sweet with icing.”

“She’s still got that sweet craving going, then?”

“I found her this morning pouring chocolate syrup into her mouth,” the man said, his eyes now on Libby.

Definitely related, she thought.

“Sawyer Duke, meet Libby Gulliver. I just employed her,” Ryder said.

“You don’t look happy about that, bud,” Sawyer Duke said.

His brother shrugged. “She’s desperate, and you know Bradford can’t give me any more hours. I’ll fire her if she’s hopeless.”

“Excuse me,” Libby said, feeling her anger rise. “I’m standing right here, and it’s rude to discuss me like I’m not.”

The brothers exchanged a look she couldn’t read.

“You sure about this, Ry?” The brother nodded to Libby.

“Sure about what?” she demanded.

“All good. I can look after myself, big brother,” Ryder Duke drawled.

“References?” Sawyer Duke barked the word at her.

“I can hire my own staff, bud. Now, I’ll fill your order, and then you can drop her at the Circle Left because she needs somewhere to stay, her car broke down, and I can’t get away.”

“I can walk, so?—”

“Okay,” Sawyer cut her off, still staring.

Libby stared back. She may be small, poor, and homeless, but she was no pushover. She’d worked really hard on that when she’d entered her father’s business. Being number three of four children, she’d had to learn to speak up or miss out. She’d missed out for years, but that wasn’t happening anymore.

“Don’t mind him, he’s the family asshole,” Ryder surprised her by saying.

Before she could think better of it, Libby said, “Not you?”

Both brothers laughed at that, much to her relief.

“Nah, he’s the good brother,” Sawyer said.

Libby’s eyes swung back to Ryder. “Really?” He looked at her briefly but didn’t say anything.

The beverages were made in silence then, and Libby watched what Ryder did.

“Ah, now there he is. The best future son-in-law a woman could ask for,” Meadow said, arriving. She then hugged Sawyer.

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