Page 6 of The Moment He Saw Her

Ryder had seen tourists who were clueless when it came to dance or rhythm. Libby was not one of those. She moved instinctively and had the dance down within seconds of starting.

“Yup. Picture this. In the back seat of my car with?—”

“I don’t think you need to tell me this story,” she said in a frosty voice, which made him want to continue.

“And just reaching third base?—”

“In the main street? That’s a bit reckless. Surely anyone could see you,” Libby cut him off.

“We were around the back of the shops. Are you a rule follower, Libby Gulliver?”

“That’s none of your business,” she muttered to his back. He was sure she’d added, “Not that it’s done me any good.”

“I pulled up my zipper too fast, and….”

She gasped so loud that Phil the electrician said, “Spill, Duke. We could all use a laugh, seeing as it’s freezing and some fool is making us dance.” He wore overalls, two sweaters, and a balaclava.

“Tripp is no fool!” LouJean said.

“Let the arguing begin,” Ryder said.

There were four people in the next group who had no clue how to do the dance, and all were wearing matching T-shirts over their winter clothes with the words “Never trust an old person with a broom.” Then underneath it was “Curling is life.”

“I can’t believe you said that,” Libby whispered.

“What?” He shot her a look that suggested he knew exactly what he’d said.

Her lips clamped into a disapproving line, confirming his thoughts that Libby Gulliver could be a good girl who was easily shocked.

“The zipper thing. I don’t even know you,” she said as quietly as she could but so he still heard. “It’s like I’ve stepped into some kind of different universe.”

“You don’t talk to total strangers about zipping your?—”

“Stop!”

“Stop what?” Jett Hyland said. He held Libby’s other hand and had a look in his eyes that Ryder didn’t like very much. He gave him one back that had the plumber smiling.

Libby clipped the back of Ryder’s boot, and he turned to steady her.

“Thank you.”

Looking down into those pretty green eyes, Ryder had a feeling Libby Gulliver could be trouble for someone in his town,not him, if she was sticking around. Thankfully, he doubted she would for long, because she was exactly the kind of woman his youngest brother, Dan, fell for. He wondered what had brought her to Lyntacky?

“That fool Larry Limpet came to cribbage last night and brought a box of oysters unshucked,” LouJean said. “I tell you, what was I supposed to do with those smelly things?”

“At a guess, eat them?” Ryder said.

“You watch your mouth, Ryder Duke.” She waggled a finger at him.

“Yes, ma’am, but you did ask the question.”

“He has a fair point,” Jett said.

“So, you ready for the Lynpicks, Ryder?” Enzo asked him. “I have money on you, Red, Tripp, and Phoebe to win, seeing as you’re the curling A team.”

Lyntacky loved baseball, and when there was snow on the ground, they played winter sports, like curling. Tripp and some others had created an event they were calling the Lynpicks this year, which would run over several days and was their own version of the Olympics. Really, though, it would be nothing like it. Other towns had entered, and people would fly or drive in to compete.

There would be a relay down the main street with curling, skittles, archery, and whatever else the town elders had thought up.

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