Chapter 13
Libby had always been detail oriented and strong at math. Her father had chosen accounting for her, and she’d not argued, but she had after she’d gotten her degree. Libby had to fight him every step of the way to prove she was good enough to work for him.
“Here.” A hand placed a mug before her a while later. “There’s a file called ‘Spreadsheets’ on the desktop if you want to tidy those too. I’ll pay you,” Ryder said.
“Don’t any of your siblings know how these things work?”
“Possibly, but I never got around to asking them. The accountant often yells at me, but we work it out eventually.”
“Tell me you don’t go into his office with an envelope of receipts?” Libby asked.
“No comment. You all good if I head out now, Libby? Meadow will be in and out, as she’s getting a head start on baking for tomorrow. She’s got a key like you.”
“Okay, no worries.”
“I’ll see you at home, then.”
“Sure, see you, Ryder.”
See you at home sounded like something a couple would say to each other, and Libby knew a woman—maybe the one he’d called SJ—would have that with Ryder one day.
Libby wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but she enjoyed every second reorganizing his files and cleaning the desktop, and when she’d done all she could, she shut it down.
Ryder’s business thrived despite its recent opening. She’d seen a folder named “Online Products” and wondered if he was thinking of moving into that, but it wasn’t her place to ask. Libby would leave Lyntacky soon. She had decisions to make as to where she’d go and what the future held, which should excite her way more than it did. What it actually did was terrify her because she’d lived under her family’s protection her entire life.
It’s time to grow up, Libby.
Even after only a few weeks, she knew that if she went home, things would be different now because she was different. This small taste of independence, no matter how disastrous, had gone a long way to showing Libby she could survive out in the world on her own.
Picking up the empty coffee mug, she headed back downstairs.
Meadow was wiping down tables with a teenage boy she didn’t know.
“This is Jade, Red and Dee Heckler’s son,” Meadow said. “He helps out sometimes.”
The boy was tall and had that gangly look some teenagers have. He nodded, then went back to his work.
“Do you have the number for Bob, the mechanic, Meadow?”
“Sure do.” She read it out, and Libby called the man. Bob told her that the parts for her car would take another few days to arrive, which meant she needed to urgently find a place to stay, because she wasn’t leaving Lyntacky yet.
“You head out now, Libby. We have this, and I’ll lock up soon,” Meadow said. “You staying at Ryder’s again tonight?”
She’d given up on wondering why her business was everyone else’s in this town. “I’m going to ask around, so hopefully I’ll find somewhere else.”
Ryder had told her to go to his place, but she didn’t feel comfortable doing that now she knew he had a girlfriend, even if he’d denied it. She’d find somewhere, then go back to collect her suitcase later.
“I’d let you have the cottage if my eldest wasn’t back using it,” she said.
“Thanks, Meadow, but I’ll find something.”
“It won’t be easy with all the tourists in town, who are only going to increase the closer we get to the Lynpicks. You should just stay at Ryder’s.” Meadow looked worried.
“I’m sure I’ll find something. Ryder’s been more than generous, and I don’t want to inconvenience him any further.”
Libby headed outside before Meadow could say anything else. She walked, looking in shop windows for notices like she had every day.
Lyntacky was familiar to her now, even considering the short time she’d been here. Passing a shop that said it was for lease, Libby looked inside. It was long, with one wall completely shelved.
“Used to sell books and magazines in there,” a voice said from behind her.
Turning, Libby found a man smiling at her. She couldn’t remember seeing him in the cafe over the last four days.
“Beau Keller,” he said, holding out a hand, which she shook. She’d gotten used to that too. Everyone seemed to shake hands in Lyntacky.
“I hear you need a room for the night?”
He had sandy hair, green eyes and a friendly smile that had her returning the gesture.
“Libby!”
Turning, she found Meadow walking toward her, frowning.
“Hi, Meadow. I thought you were heading home. Is everything all right?”
“Just on my way, and I saw you.” She gave Beau Keller a hard stare. “You need more of that jock-itch cream, Beau?”
The man’s face flushed with color. “No, thank you, Meadow,” he said. Raising a hand, he then walked away.
“Just a heads-up, Libby, the Dukes and the Kellers don’t get along real well. In fact, they’ve been feuding for years. Best not to add fuel to the already-smoldering embers by talking to Beau seeing as you’re living with Ryder. See you tomorrow.”
Before she could speak Meadow walked back down the street in her flowing floral skirt and overlarge jacket. Feuding? Does that really still happen? Deciding that was more than her tired brain could comprehend, she kept walking until she reached the Rollaway.
It was dark inside, with minimal lighting, and busy. Some people played pool; others sat watching the big screens. Yet more were on stools by the bar. Libby made her way to where a woman was serving. She wore a long-sleeved shirt opened almost to the navel and a bright red bustier beneath that showed off her cleavage. Her brassy blond hair was pulled up high on her head, and her lips painted bright red.
Libby would love that kind of confidence.
“Hi,” the woman said. “You must be Libby Gulliver?”
“Ah, yes, I am.” She didn’t question how she knew because everyone knew everyone in Lyntacky.
“My hubby met you when he came into the cafe for his cake fix and told me what you looked like. Plus others have been in here gossiping,” the woman said, wiping the bar with a cloth. “How are you enjoying working in the cafe?”
“Ryder is a nice man to work for.”
“Dukes,” the woman said. “Good folks, if a little wild at times.”
Libby had a feeling this woman could be wild occasionally too.
“Delores Heckler,” the woman added, holding out a hand tipped with long, blood red nails. “You met my Red.”
She shook the hand, masking her shock that the big, gentle Red was married to Delores.
“What can I get you to drink?”
“I’m actually trying to find a place to stay, and I was wondering if you might know of anywhere.”
“I thought you were staying at Ryder’s?”
“I think he needs his space considering he has a special friend.”
Delores frowned. “What special friend?”
“Never mind. Do you know anywhere, Delores?”
“Not sure there’s anywhere vacant right now. There are those idiots here doing the team building. I ask you,” she said, going to a large slow cooker on the bench behind her. She then ladled a cup full of liquid into a mug. “Who goes team building in this weather? Have this—it will warm you up from the inside.”
Opening her bag, she pulled out some money to pay, but the woman waved it away. How did anyone make a living in this town if they were always giving stuff away?
“So maybe just stay with Ryder. He’s got the room.”
“We have a room,” a deep voice said, making her turn. The man wore a thick gray sweatshirt and cap. He had a day’s worth of stubble and held a beer in one hand.
“She’s not staying in your?—”
“What accommodations do you have?” Libby cut Delores off.
“We have an RV.”
Delores scoffed. “That thing hasn’t moved in years and it’s not fit for human habitation, Fox Gleeson, and you know it. It’s colder than the Yukon and moldy.”
“You shut up now, Delores,” the man said. “It’s a fine lodging for this here young lady.”
“I’d like to see it,” Libby said. She couldn’t afford to be picky. Shooting Delores a look, she noted the woman had moved away to serve someone, which was a good thing.
“I’ll just call Ma to get it ready for you. Don’t pay Dee no mind. She’s just like that.”
“Like what?”
The man looked left and right. “Annoyed about most things,” he said so the woman couldn’t hear. “But scary as hell when crossed, so we don’t try to do that,” he added. He then wandered away, and she sat and sipped her hot cider, which was surprisingly good.
“I just tried Dr. Hannah because she sometimes takes in people, but there’s no answer. You can find her in the hall,” Delores said. “Out the door, first left, and straight ahead. Can’t miss it,” she added. “And don’t even think about staying at the Gleeson house. They got mice bigger than my kid’s cat. Come back here if you don’t find anything, or just go on back to Ryder’s. No point in not, seeing as you’ve already been there nearly a week.”
“Thank you so much, and this is delicious, Delores.”
“I hear you’re an accountant by trade even though you’re working in the cafe,” she said.
“I am, yes,” she said, not sure how that piece of information had made it around town too.
“Want to look at my books? I’ll pay you. Red does them, and I’m not gonna lie, he’s shit at it.”
“Heard that, and I don’t see you doing better.”
Libby watched the big man she’d met in the cafe come up to his wife and kiss the top of her head.
“We all know I can’t add worth shit either.”
“I’m hoping one of our kids has brains, but there’s only a small hope,” Red said, which had them both laughing. “Good to see you again, Libby,” he added.
Love, Libby thought, it came in all shapes and sizes. It also made her realize again that what she’d felt for Andrew had been comfortable and nothing more.
“I can take a look at your accounts if you like, but I would need to use your computer,” Libby said, thinking the extra money would go a long way to ease her financial strain.
“No need. Stay right there.” Delores disappeared and returned minutes later with what looked like a reusable grocery bag. She then hefted it onto the bar. “Thanks, Libby. You’re a star.”
Red rolled his eyes but walked away, and his wife followed to serve a customer.
This was going to be more work than she’d anticipated, Libby thought, peering in the bag and then shutting it again when she saw the receipts and ledgers.
“These people are far too trusting,” Libby muttered, hugging the bag to her chest as she headed back outside.
Cold slapped her in the face as she walked. Following the directions she’d been given, Libby reached a building that said Community Center above two doors. Opening one, she entered.
People had stacked coats and boots in the cloakroom. Moving to another door, Libby opened it and looked inside. The room held about thirty people, but it was the man standing before them that drew her eyes.
Ryder Duke was dressed in a white gi, and his belt was black. She closed the door to a crack and watched as he did a series of moves and called out instructions. He was impressive standing up there dressed like that. Impressive and seriously hot. Scanning the people, she saw SJ. The woman was focused on Ryder with a dreamy look on her face.
Not his girlfriend my ass. They were a couple, or they were the other thing. Either way, they were something.
Everyone was dressed in exercise gear and practicing the moves Ryder was directing them to do. They ranged from old to younger and in between. Libby watched for a few minutes more and then closed the door softly.
She’d seen that belt and knew what it meant because her brother was a black belt.
Libby had a feeling there was a lot more to Ryder Duke than he let on, but then most people were hiding something, like her.
Retracing her steps, she was soon back on the main street.
There had to be somewhere she could stay in this town. She watched a gray pickup stop beside her, and the window rolled down.
“I can show you that RV now,” the man inside said. “Get in.”
Maybe it was the cider, or the fact that everyone knew everyone in this town, so if she went missing, someone would know who had abducted her. Or it could be that she’d outstayed her welcome with the hot Ryder Duke. Whatever the reason, she was soon climbing inside Fox Gleeson’s pickup with the Rollaway’s accounts still clutched to her chest.
If things went from bad to worse, she’d hit him with them.