Page 34 of The Moment He Saw Her

Chapter10

When he reached the ground floor, he found his brother Dan leaning on the counter, talking to Libby, who looked cute in an apron with her face flushed from working.

Cute in a “purely not interested in a person but can see when someone is hot” kind of way.

“I’m the hot Duke.”

“Now we all know who really earned that title,” Ryder said, coming in for a hand slap and chest bounce. “You just heading home from the late shift, bud?”

Dan was in uniform, and the smudges under his eyes told Ryder his little brother needed sleep. Moving behind the coffee machine, he nudged Libby aside.

“He’s been up all night, and while he usually goes home and falls into bed, he’s decided to come and see me, his favorite brother.”

Dan rolled with the dig because they both knew their mother would have sent him here to check on Libby, just to make sure she didn’t want to harm one of her precious kids.

“I told you I met Dan in the waffle place, Ryder,” Libby said, moving to the cabinets, where she proceeded to wipe the glass fronts with a thankfully clean cloth. Those things were hell to keep streak free.

“You did, that’s why I’m surprised to see him,” Ryder said, glaring at his youngest brother, who smiled back.

“Just need some coffee and food to eat before I sleep for at least two days.”

“How were the streets of Lyntacky? We been hit with a crime wave yet?”

“I arrested Bud Till for drunk and disorderly. He pulled down his pants and danced outside Jessica Randall’s house. Her daddy called me and said, ‘In my day we courted women by taking them out for a nice dinner or to a movie. My daughter is never marrying a fool who thinks baring himself from the waist down is romantic.’”

“Did he really do that?” Libby asked, pausing the cleaning briefly to look at Dan.

Ryder thought she looked better this morning. Rested, or maybe lighter for sharing the shit show that had been her reason for running out on her wedding.

“Yes, and it’s not the first time he’s had too much to drink and done something dumb,” Dan added. “I told him that it”—he waved a hand at his groin—“would be no good to any woman if he didn’t put it away in this cold weather.”

Libby giggled, and the sound was sweet.

“Here you are, Dan.” Meadow burst out of the kitchen in her socks and sandals and handed Ryder’s brother a breakfast sandwich.

“You’re paying for that,” Ryder said.

“No, I’m not because I keep you safe.” Dan took the sandwich and kissed Meadow’s cheek. He then took his coffee from Ryder.

“I’ll get you to give me a hand on those dishes, Libby,” Meadow said.

Both men watched the women leave.

“You shouldn’t have taken on those Bandits alone, Ryder. Anything could have happened.”

“And didn’t. Now, like I told Mom, Libby needed a place to stay for the night and is not anyone to worry about, Dan. You met her and should know that already,” Ryder said.

His brother studied him closely.

“What?”

“You like her,” Dan said.

“Correction, I feel sorry for her. She’s had a shitty time, and don’t ask me to go into details. All I’m saying is, she’s not my type?—”

“More mine at a guess. High-maintenance and really hot.”

Ryder battled the need to punch his brother hard and smiled instead. Never let a sibling see they got to you, or they’d come at you harder.

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