Page 103 of The Moment He Saw Her

“Y-yes,” she surprised herself by saying.

He dropped down before her and pulled Libby into his arms. She then cried loudly on his shoulder. “It’s all right, we’ll sort it, and even now Caleb will be doling out sage advice to Ryder.”

“Right, now sit, Jonathan. We’re just getting her story,” Cill said.

“Ooh, okay.” He took the wine Nina handed him and sat.

“I’ll recap. She had a shit weasel ex-fiancé who she got along well with but didn’t love,” Nina said with air quotes. Libby was never quite sure why people used those. She certainly hadn’t found a reason to. “He told her at the church to not be in any photos that weren’t taken by the professional photographer, as that scar she has on her chin was clearly offensive to him.”

Jonathan looked angry. “No offense, sweetie, but you dodged a bullet not marrying that one. Any partner who isn’t marrying you for more than your face isn’t worthy of you.”

Libby pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes to stop them from leaking more tears.

“Right, get yourself together and continue,” Nina said.

“I knew I c-couldn’t do it, and I also knew there was no one there who would understand, so I left. Found a door and slipped out. I took a cab to the hotel we were staying the night at. I grabbed the bag I’d packed to go on vacation with, and then I got a rental car and drove aimlessly.”

Libby remembered the terror mingled with relief that she’d walked away from her life.

“Okay, back it up. You’re an accountant for your daddy’s empire, right?” Zoe asked.

“Yes, but I wanted to be a chocolatier,” Libby said, deciding that she wasn’t lying anymore.

“I mean, for that name alone, I’d change careers,” Jonathan said. “Oh, you want to know what I do?” he added, placing a hand on his chest. “I’m a chocolatier.”

They all laughed at that.

“My life was good,” Libby said. “I had money for anything I wanted, but there were rules.”

“Like?” Phoebe asked.

“My father loves us but likes control, and more than that, he likes people to think he and his family are successful.”

“Well, duh, isn’t he already that?” Nina asked.

“Yes, of course, but he wants all the Caldwells to play their part in the united facade we present,” Libby said. Now that she’d started talking, she didn’t seem able to stop. “They chose accounting for me. My brother has a Bachelor of Business Administration and is the vice president of Caldwell Candies.”

Jonathan whistled.

“My eldest sister, Katie, is Caldwell’s lawyer, and my youngest sister, Savannah, is studying to become the director of project management.”

“I can’t imagine what it was like growing up with all those brains in one household,” Birdie said. “My family is a crazy mix of things, and all our careers were chosen without parental help. I mean, you know my parents, right? They would have been happy if we’d stayed home and danced naked around the house.”

“Again, though,” Jonathan said, “what does your brother Lynx do, Birdie? Oh, he’s a rock star. Seriously cool.” He popped a grape into his mouth from the loaded charcuterie tray he’d brought.

“So you Caldwells are really smart. What else you got?” Zoe asked. “Because my brother is hurting, and I usually slap first when that happens, but I’m giving you a chance to explain because I like you.”

Libby had never been angry enough on behalf of one of her siblings to want to slap someone, and that made her feel sad. Because deep down inside her, she had always felt a need to belong.

And that was what she loved about Ryder. He made her feel like she belonged in his cafe, his home, and…his life?

“Not everyone grows up like an episode ofFull House,” Libby said.

“What?” Nina frowned.

“No way, have you never seenFull House,” Johnathan gasped. “I wanted Jessie to be my uncle for years.”

Cill saluted him with her glass. “I hear you.”

---