Page 42 of The Moment He Saw Her

“She’s here and alone, and Bob said her car is bad, so it’s going to take time to fix.”

Please tell me you didn’t tell her what was in the trunk, Bob.

“We are a family who supports others, Ryder, and while I’m proud of you for taking her in, a complete stranger, I want you to bring her to family dinner tonight because it’s what should be done.”

“Why?” Ryder only just bit back a sigh of relief as he saw his eldest brother appear, staggering toward him, with Bart running at his side, barking orders. The dogs, all three of them, were yapping at him also. He almost felt sorry for Sawyer. “Pick up the pace!” Ryder called.

“I’m making my special chicken, so you’ll bring Libby.”

“If she hasn’t moved out,” he added. “Gotta run, Mom… literally.” He grabbed the stuffed dog Sawyer was carrying.

“A dog, really?”

“Th-there wasn’t anything else, and this is T-Ted’s, so don’t lose it,” Sawyer said before he collapsed on the side of the road. Ted barked at Ryder, so he ran with the dog’s toy in his hand and away from his mother, who he knew had lots more she wanted to say.

Chapter12

“Well, I told her she’d need to change her ways, Libby, and do you know what she said?”

“I don’t, ah?—”

“Sybil. I’m the administrator at the police station here in Lyntacky.”

The woman wore a multicolored scarf and a wool coat buttoned to her neck.

“She said that if she wants to show everyone her cleavage and get pneumonia, that’s on her. I tell you, Libby, that daughter of mine will be the death of me.”

Libby was putting two slices of chocolate cake into a box for Sybil. Lyntacks, she was fast realizing, liked to gossip, and she found it fascinating because the world she’d lived in was so very different. People didn’t share so much about themselves to strangers… which Libby essentially was, even though these people made her feel like she’d known them for years.

“Are you a curler?” the next customer asked. He was one of the older members of Lyntacky. He wore bib overalls over a gray sweater that had a torn neck. On his head was a matching hat that had seen better days.

“No, I’ve never tried.” Libby made his tea in a to-go cup.

“Larry, teams have been called. We can’t slot anyone else in,” Ryder said, coming around the counter to stand beside Libby.

She fought the urge to shuffle sideways. Libby had met people in her life she’d been aware of before, but those had all eased with exposure, but this awareness she felt for Ryder Duke showed no signs of weakening and in fact was growing stronger.

“Libby’s not even sure how long she’s staying, Larry. So it’s likely she will be gone soon.”

She felt a pang of regret at Ryder’s words, even if they were the truth. She’d enjoyed living with no commitments or people telling her what she should or shouldn’t do. It wasn’t her life, but for a while, Libby was enjoying the change.

Of course, she had to take orders from Ryder, but he was easy to work for. He pretty much left her and Meadow alone after he’d told them what he needed them to do that day. The more time she spent with him, the more sides she saw to the man.

He loved his family. He was kind to the older Lyntacks and treated his niece like a princess. But he could be hard when required, like he had been with her that night she’d slept in her car and with the bikers.

“Okay, well, the Lynpicks have plenty of other events. You could try the twirling.”

“Twirling?” Libby asked Larry, intrigued.

“You and a partner see how many times you can twirl together before you get dizzy or puke,” Larry said.

“That’s not really a thing, is it, Larry? You’re just messing with me, aren’t you?”

“It should be, though, right?” He then laughed, and while “guffaw” wasn’t a word she’d ever used in her daily conversations, it seemed to fit what he was doing. His body shook, and she couldn’t help but feel her own lips twitch.

Libby had never really bought into the “laughter is infectious” belief, but right then she got it. She even let out a small giggle.

Ryder was looking shocked.

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