Page 67 of The Moment He Saw Her

“It’s an ushanka,” Caleb said.

“Bless you,” Phoebe added.

“A Russian hunting hat,” Caleb said. “It’s very warm.”

“Well, that’s something, then, because it’s butt-ugly,” Beau added.

“Jealousy isn’t attractive on anyone,” Caleb said, doing up the earflaps.

“May improve your looks, Keller,” Ryder said.

“I hear you’ve still got your pretty house guest,” Beau said. “I’ll offer her a room, seeing as I have one spare and she wants to get out of your house, Duke.”

The rush of anger was so fast, it took clenching his hands into fists to stop him from grabbing Beau Keller and plowing one into his smirking face.

“You go on and do that, but it’s likely she’ll say no, seeing as she’s already heard you overpromise and underdeliver… if you know what I mean. I heard Meadow scared you off, anyway, with talk about your jock-itch cream.”

“Fuck you, Duke,” Beau snarled.

“Yeah, yeah, give it a rest. We need to practice here. The other teams are already in town and talking up a big game,” Red said, stepping in between Ryder and Beau.

“That feud needs to die,” Dr. Hannah added, moving to Ryder’s side so only he could hear her words. “Not healthy for anyone. You get that big brother of yours to work it out now, Ryder.”

“Well past that, Doc,” Ryder said, telling himself silently to calm down.

“Now, about that pretty lodger you have staying,” Dr. Hannah said. “I don’t have a spare bed at the moment, so you make sure you use protection. We don’t want any unwanted pregnancies.”

Ryder hadn’t blushed in years, but he felt it then, creeping into his cheeks.

“I’m an adult, Doc. You gave me that talk years ago. Plus Libby is just someone I’m helping out.”

“If you say so,” LouJean said, clearly listening in.

“I do.”

“Now, if you’re all done gossiping, focus,” Red said.

Curling was a sport that required balance, accuracy, and some fitness to play, which his team had. They’d had a competition in town to see who the best players were, and then Tripp decided to take the competition regional, because of course Lyntacks have to compete for everything.

“Where is Tripp?” Caleb said.

“Here! Sorry, I couldn’t find my shoes.”

The mayor of Lyntacky was the most enthusiastic person Ryder knew. He loved his town and his people and embraced most things head-on, like the square dancing he’d forced on an entire town. The surprise was that no one ever really rebelled.

“Not you too?” Ryder said, looking at the mayor’s headwear. He wore what appeared to be a skunk on his head.

“Can’t buy class, son,” Tripp said, all smiles. “How’s Libby working out in the cafe and as a houseguest? Do you think you’ve found your life partner, Ryder?”

“No one on the outside would understand the level of crazy in this town,” Caleb whispered. “It took Jonathan a while.”

“Amen,” Ryder muttered because he had nothing else. The more he protested about Libby, the more Lyntacks would double down and keep right on telling him they were an item, which they weren’t.

“Have you heard about Klaus and Lea?” Ryder asked.

“No,” Dr. Hannah said.

Ryder told them about the phone call he’d had with Klaus earlier, happy to move on from him and Libby.

---