Chapter 18
Ryder had always thought he’d have this one day. He’d find someone who fit into his life, and they’d end up with a home, kids, and build a world together. He’d never thought about what his life partner would look like, but that he’d have one was never in doubt.
He could imagine cooking a big meal for his family in the house he’d just bought, but he’d not invited them yet, telling himself he needed to get more set up. Get more plates and other things… but maybe he should do it. Why wait for a woman to complete the picture he saw for his life?
He looked at Libby and saw that her eyes were shiny. Was she holding back tears?
“You okay?” he asked her as Uncle Asher told another one of his terrible jokes.
“Yes, and thank you for bringing me here. You’re very lucky to have a family like this, Ryder.”
“I know I am. Everyone should experience at least one family meal among this carnage.”
“He’s not wrong,” Dan said, reaching for the last bread roll as his uncle did the same thing.
“I’m pulling rank, Deputy,” Asher Dans said. “Hand that over.”
“Best joke wins,” Sawyer said. He sat eating with one hand while the other was around Birdie’s shoulders. She had a hand on her belly and was gently rubbing it.
“After that, I want to say something,” Robyn Duke said.
“Hell,” Ryder said softly.
“What?” Libby asked.
“When she speaks in that tone, it spells trouble for all of us,” he whispered.
“Nana is not happy about something,” Ally added.
“Uncle Asher goes first seeing as he’s older,” Zoe said, running a piece of her bread roll through the gravy on her plate.
“Just pick it up and lick it, baby, so you don’t miss any,” JD drawled. “As always, the meal was amazing, Robyn.”
“Suck-up,” Sawyer said.
“Okay, and you all have to laugh,” Asher said. “What do you call a fake noodle?”
Ally giggled and then said, “I don’t know, Uncle Asher, what do you call a fake noodle?”
“An im-pasta.”
“That was terrible,” Robyn said, swatting her brother with her dish towel.
“How do you make an artichoke?” Dan said next.
“You strangle it!” Ally cried. “Sorry, Uncle Dan, but Uncle Asher wins.”
“I thought I was your favorite uncle?” Dan said.
“Oh, please, we all know that’s me,” Ryder scoffed.
“And now I have something to say,” Robyn Duke said, and they all fell silent.
“I’ve been told there will be three weddings, but no dates have been set. So let’s get to that.” She looked at each of her kids.
“Mom, everyone is busy,” Zoe said.
“And I understand that. If you don’t want to marry, that’s all right, too, but you all said you do. So why aren’t any of you picking dates? Sawyer and Birdie have been planning theirs for months, and then suddenly they’re not.”
“And we want weddings, right, Nana?” Ally said.
“Right.” Robyn nodded. “We want weddings, baby.”
“Hear, hear!” Uncle Asher said, slapping the table.
“So how are things with you and the vet?” Brody asked him.
“Peachy, but we’re not talking about me,” Uncle Asher said.
“Actually, we’ve come to a decision about that,” Birdie said. “We’ve decided we don’t want all the trimmings, just the ceremony at our house.” She smiled up at her man, and he leaned down to kiss her.
That was love, Ryder thought, and he couldn’t be happier for his bear of a brother. Compromise, understanding, and just being there with each other. These two opposites had found that together.
“So let’s do that, then,” Robyn said.
“It’s winter,” Brody said.
“Your chill blains playing up again, bud?” JD heckled him.
“Let’s do it!” Birdie said. “On the deck at our house soon.”
Ryder smiled at her enthusiasm.
“Okay,” Sawyer said. “Let’s do it, but it’s going to be simple and just our people there.”
“One of the other couples who want to marry in summer can use all that prep work you’ve done,” Robyn Duke added, looking pleased with herself.
“We’ll do it next,” JD said, beating Brody to it.
“You think maybe you should ask me first?” Zoe said, but she was looking happy.
“To marry you?” JD asked. “Sure.” He nudged Phoebe out.
“What are you doing?” Zoe sounded a bit panicky now as JD dropped to one knee.
“This is so you, Hopper,” Sawyer said. “Always the grand gestures.”
“Zoe Duke, will you marry me?” JD said, holding his fingers in a square.
“Shouldn’t that be a heart?” Libby whispered.
“Lyntacks do squares,” Ally whispered back.
“Right, because of the fixation with square dancing. I remember now.”
“It just gets better, doesn’t it?” Ryder drawled.
“It’s something, that’s for sure,” Libby said with her eyes on Zoe as she started to cry.
“Well?” Robyn Duke demanded of her daughter.
“He’s al-already asked me, and I said yes,” Zoe said, climbing over Phoebe to get out. “But yes again!” She then threw her arms around JD’s neck.
“Are we absolutely sure we want that man in our family?” Brody asked. “For one, his fashion sense is odd at best.”
“I know what you mean,” Dan added. “Those Elle and Riley cashmere sweaters are really something.”
“So what date?” Robyn Duke demanded of the couple still hugging on their knees.
“I love being part of this family,” Ally squealed. “You’re next, Dad and Phoebe!”
Ryder’s cell phone rang, and he pulled it out.
“I thought we had a rule. No phones at the table,” Sawyer said, looking smug.
“Yeah, yeah, I forgot to turn it off,” Ryder said. “Hello.” He got out of his seat and walked a few feet away, listening to whomever was on the other line. “You have got to be kidding me!”
Ryder waved Uncle Asher back to his seat as he rose.
“When?” Ryder asked, running a hand through his hair. “All right, I’ll see what we can do. You and Lea stay calm now, Klaus, and we’ll sort this out.”
“What’s happened?” Sawyer demanded.
“You know that weasel Finny Fletcher who’s moved into the old Smith place in town?” Everyone but Libby nodded. “Well, last week he came into the cafe and told me my milk wasn’t frothed to the exact proper temperature, and he wanted to check my kitchens to ensure everything was regulated and aboveboard.”
“What? You never told us that!” The words exploded out of Dan.
“Is he a local?” Libby asked.
“No!” everyone in the room said.
“He’s just moved to Lyntacky,” Zoe then added.
“Yeah, well, I told him to get the f—hell out of my cafe. But that was Klaus Becker on the phone. Seems Finny was an FSIS inspector in another life before he came to live here. He took it badly when Klaus told him what he got up to in his coffee hut was not Finny’s business and apparently called in some favors. Klaus received a notice they’re shutting him down because he sells food and doesn’t have the correct paperwork.”
“What the actual fudge,” Brody said.
“I’m making some calls,” Uncle Asher said, getting to his feet. “This is not happening in my town.”
“Klaus is really upset and said Lea hasn’t stopped crying,” Ryder added.
“Who will I go to for counseling if they’re not there?” JD asked.
“Exactly,” Sawyer said. “We always get coffee and a strudel muffin with a side of advice from Klaus. Not that his muffins are anywhere near as good as yours, bro,” he added.
Ryder waved a hand about. “This is BS.”
“Finny is one of those small-minded turds who thinks that throwing their weight around makes them special,” Phoebe said.
“Is turd a swear word?” Ally asked.
“No,” all the adults replied.
“Exactly. I’d like to see him try anything with me,” Ryder said.
“Amen,” his brothers added.
“Maybe we need to pay Finny a call?” Sawyer said.
“There will be none of that,” Asher said, returning. “Let me do some digging first on this Finny.”
“His wife’s no better,” Robyn said. “Fiona?—”
“No way,” Zoe said. “She’s an F too?”
“No, she’s a B ,” Robyn Duke snapped.
“I can’t believe you said that.” Dan looked shocked.
“You know what a B means,” Robyn added, “and if ever there was a time for it, it’s now.”
“We know what it means, Nana, but you never used that word… or any bad words,” Ally said.
“I used a letter, but you all understood the meaning. Anyway, she, Fiona, came into the library and said the selection was the worst she’d ever seen. Then proceeded to discuss loudly all the books she could get in Christiansburg. Abilene was in there at the time and told her that maybe she should head on back there, then, seeing as we were so lacking here in Lyntacky,” Robyn said. “The insult passed right over her, and she gave us that pitying smile that makes you want to grind your teeth and said, ‘Well, bless your heart, but Mr. Fletcher and I think it our duty to stay and educate the people of Lyntacky on doing better with their lives.’”
Asher whistled.
“Sure wish I’d been in the library when that all went down,” Brody said. “Was there blood?”
“I had to restrain Abilene by gripping her shoulder. She’s just had her hip replaced and shouldn’t do any lunging movements,” Robyn added.
“More excitement than the library’s seen in a while, I’m sure,” Ryder said. “Now what’s for dessert?”