Page 87 of The Moment He Saw Her

The man wore a crisp white shirt and trousers with a straight middle seam down the legs. His shoes were polished brown leather.

“I beg your pardon?” The man looked surprised by Ryder’s words.

“You shut down my friend’s coffee hut and his livelihood, so get out. We don’t need your sort in here.”

Libby wasn’t sure many people had witnessed angry Ryder, considering the look on Klaus’s face.

“He was breaking the law,” Finny spluttered. “I should think you’d appreciate that seeing as him going out of business increases yours.”

Wrong thing to say, buddy.This is not a normal town, and these people aren’t normal people, Libby thought.

“Now, see, that’s where you’re going wrong,” Ryder said. “This is not a town that wants each other to fail like where you spawned from. We actually want the best for our friends. So whatever the fuck you did?—”

“Ryder,” Libby said, grabbing his arm as he leaned in to intimidate the man. “That’s enough.” It wouldn’t do him any good to irritate a man who could make his life difficult if he chose to. She then stepped in front of him. “Mr. Finny, is it?” Libby asked in a polite voice. “Klaus and Lea are very dear to people in this town and have been operating their coffee hut for many years. In that time, they’ve offered advice and counselling to those who need it. Their coffee hut is almost an institution in Lyntacky and loved by everyone. If you want to live here, you need to understand that, otherwise you’re going to be ostracized.”

“Damn fucking straight,” Sawyer said from behind her.

Turning, Libby noted all of Ryder’s family and the other customers in the cafe had formed a half circle behind her and Ryder.

“I’m doing my job,” Mr. Finny said, eyeing the people.

“Are you, though, or are you trying to cling to a position you no longer have and throw your weight around, which is hurting the Beckers?” Zoe said, coming to Libby’s side.

Libby saw the gaggle of giggling schoolgirls arrive then and hurry through the door, looking excited.

“You should leave,” Ryder said. “And don’t come back in here until you make it right, Finny.”

The man scurried out without another word.

“Thanks for that, Libby.” She felt Ryder’s warm hand on her shoulder. “What you said was exactly right, even if that shit weasel doesn’t understand the concept of friendship or loyalty, but more about that later. Right now, it’s party time.”

The girls all ran upstairs to ooh and aah over the decorations they’d put up for Ally’s birthday. The cake, too, was a success.

There was music, presents, and manicures courtesy of both Phoebe and Zoe, and Libby had to say it was a birthday party she would have loved at eleven years of age. Hers had always been big productions with loads of people that usually turned into a party for the adults.

“Everything okay, Klaus?” Libby asked him as he came upstairs an hour later.

“There’s someone here to speak with you, Libby.”

It was likely another local about their accounts, she thought. Now that word had spread, Libby was sure more would approach her, and she didn’t mind because she needed the money. But Libby knew that accounting wasn’t in her future; she just wasn’t sure yet what was.

“And I wanted to thank you for what you said to Finny,” Klaus added. “It was very kind of you to speak up like that.”

She kissed his cheek. “You and Lea have been very kind to me, and I know you’re special to the Lyntacks, so it was all true.”

Libby ran down the steps. As she reached the bottom, she saw who stood there.No!

“How did you find me?” Libby said, making herself close the distance between her, the man who’d raised her. With him was her brother. They usually went everywhere together. The rich and powerful head of Caldwell Candies and his equally powerful son. A worldwide company that had netted him and his family considerable wealth.

“Get your things. We’re leaving, Elizabeth.”

At least a head taller than her, Phillip Caldwell had married Samantha Gulliver, taken over her father’s small single candy store, and grown it into the empire it was today. He wore his usual uniform of a deep gray suit, and black overcoat.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Father.”

“Don’t make this into an issue, Libby. You’ve thrown your tantrum. Now get your things, and we may be able to go home and fix the mess you’ve made,” her brother said.

“Samuel, shut up,” Libby said, which surprised him because she’d never spoken like that. “This is not some tantrum, and you should know me well enough to understand I’d never do something like walk out on my wedding without good reason.”

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