Page 4 of The Moment He Saw Her

“Where to?” he asked.

“I need a place to stay. Then get my car fixed.”

“It’s a rental, so the company will fix it.”

“I need it, so I’ll fix it, and they don’t need to know.”

Ryder shrugged and then pulled out his phone and found a number. Hitting the Call button, he waited.

“Hey, Bob, got a lady here who wants to talk to you.” Ryder held out his phone. “It’s the local mechanic,” he said.

She looked shocked again, like she had when Meadow had put the rock around her neck, but took the phone.

Ryder started making Meadow’s insipid drink while Libby talked to Bob the mechanic. He tried to pick her accent. It had a Southern sound to it, but there was a slight difference.

“Thank you, Mr.—”

“Just Bob,” Ryder said, taking his phone.

“Right.” She frowned, which produced a line down her forehead. “Bob is going to pick up my rental, which is very kind of him. So I need to get my bag and find somewhere to stay.”

She spoke in a slow, concise way, like she had to think about every word before it came out of her mouth.

“Bob’s a good guy. Want me to call the Circle Left for you?”

“What is a Circle Left?”

“Accommodation, and it’s clean.”

She licked her lips, then clutched the coffee cup tighter.

“You all good?” Ryder asked.

Exhaling slowly, she nodded. “I wondered if you need someone to wash your dishes?”

Chapter2

He heard the first strains of music because Tripp Lyntacky had put a speaker on a pole near his cafe.

“Aw, come on,” he muttered.

“If you have no positions available?—”

“No, it’s not that. Hear that music, Libby Gulliver?”

“Yes, it’s coming from somewhere outside.”

“Have you ever square-danced?” he asked her.

She shook her head.

“Well, you’re about to learn.” Ryder stomped around the counter. “Got gloves?” She nodded. “Put them on. If you spend any time in this town, Libby, you’ll become familiar with that music. Long story short, it’s in the town rules you have to dance when you hear it.”

“Ah, are you okay?” She started backing away from him.

“Believe me, sweetheart, I’m not the crazy in this town. Now let’s go.”

“I don’t think so. I’ll just move on and find a place?—”

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