Page 3 of Hometown Hottie

The mere thought of him made me tense. I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged, arms full of stuff she’d gathered from the table. Then she took everything to the sink and gently lowered it in. “I heard some people at Moe’s talking about him the other night. Apparently, he’s been investing in the town ever since he got drafted, like, a million years ago.”

Ten years ago, but who’s counting?

Unaware of my mental correction, she turned to look at me over her shoulder. “The hospital expansion, the new wing at the high school, a couple parks, and the new library are because of him. Maybe you should try to get in touch. A guy like that might be able to do something to help you stop Frank from taking your property.”

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll think about it.” But I’m never, not ever, going to ask Carson for help. “I should get back out there. Make sure everyone is happy and that they don’t need anything. We need to keep ‘em all coming back.”

She smiled. “They will keep coming back, babe, but sure, go on. I’ll handle everything here.”

“I know you will.”

Cassidy Markus was one of the few people in this world I trusted completely. I returned her smile with a grateful one of my own, then spun around and went to make sure nothing had gotten wildly out of hand since I’d come to hide in the kitchen.

For the rest of the day, I had my hands full with customers of my own as well as those who were visiting the market. Once the parking lot had cleared out and I’d done the cleaning up after, the sun was starting to paint the sky in orange and pink pastels and it was time to go up to my parents’ house for dinner.

I trudged inside and looked around for my brother to talk to him about Frank, but he was nowhere to be found. I sighed. He hadn’t been much help lately with trying to keep the ranch afloat.

“Where is he?” I asked Mom when she came around the corner, carrying a casserole dish in her hands and wearing a big smile. “Also, hey, Mom. How was your day? Do you know where Ryan is?”

“Oh, he’s not joining us tonight.” She pressed a quick kiss to my cheek before she continued to the dining room. “He’s out with some friends from high school who just moved back to town or something. Either way, you’re stuck with us old people for dinner. Go wash up. I’ll grab Daddy.”

Alarm bells sounded in my brain as she grinned at me. Ryan only had so many friends from high school, and definitely only a few who had left town.

So who exactly is he meeting with tonight, and why is this the first I’m hearing about any of ‘em moving back here?