Page 56 of The Moment He Saw Her

“Because you asked me what kind I did. Most people just think it’s karate. Why were you forced to watch him perform?”

“It was a family thing. He had to watch me….” Her words fell away.

“Watch you…?”

No way was she answering that question.

“Come on, Libby, you owe me,” he said, leaning closer.

“Ballet,” she said reluctantly. “My brother hated watching it.”

“I bet. You any good?”

“Average.”

“I can see you don’t want to talk about it, so tell me, what belt is your brother?” he asked, running his eyes over her face.

“Black. I saw yours was too.”

He nodded, his eyes steady on her. She always felt like Ryder Duke really saw her, and perhaps more than she wanted him to see. Andrew, like her, had always been on the move. Rarely had they just sat and talked and looked at each other.

“So, Libby Gulliver, how come you have no money?”

“What?” The words gave her a jolt. “Why would you ask me something that personal?”

“Because you wear that watch and that huge rock on your finger, and according to JD, your sneakers, when your feet are not in those god-awful boots, are high-end and more than a month’s wages for most folks. Yet you’re working in my cafe.”

She thought about just saying nothing. Sitting there in silence and looking at his chest… which, granted, was a very nice chest that she’d had up close and personal experience with.

“Come on, Libby, tell me what’s going on.”

“No.”

“Did you commit a crime and are on the run?” he asked.

“No.”

“Is your family so famous, you’re in hiding so they can’t find you?”

That gave her a jolt, but she shook her head.

“So you’re just a runaway bride?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you have no money?” he asked. “It may help to talk about it.”

“Does that ever really happen?” She looked at him then. “A problem shared is a problem halved and all that BS,” Libby muttered.

When he didn’t speak, she looked at him and saw his eyes were still on her. She’d never been really good at silence. In her house there was always noise: someone arguing, music, the sound of electronic devices. The only place she had quiet was her room.

“Fine! My father blocked my accounts and credit cards. Happy now that you got that information out of me?”

“Not sure that would make me happy,” he said slowly. “Why was your father able to do that, Libby, when you’re an adult and an accountant, which suggests you have some intelligence? Well, at least enough to open and close her own accounts.”

“Don’t you dare mock me!” she snapped. “He… we all bank together.”

“But surely your accounts are in your name? You’re not a kid, Libby, so how has this happened?”

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