Page 102 of Quiver

“Really?”

“Sure. Your dad can, too, if he wants to say hello.”

Ryder clasped his hand on his son’s shoulder but managed to say, “Hello, Kylie. Mom told me you were back in town.”

“I’m sure she sends her love, too.”

He rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched up. “Something like that.”

“Did she say it in French?”

“She said a lot of things in French,” Hunter said, seeming eager to contribute.

“Is that why you’re here instead of calling about the class schedule?” Fletcher asked in an entirely different tone.

“I’ve heard a lot of talk around town, made me think I’d missed out on some pretty big developments. I mean, I went to France for fifteen days and came home to find out you’d turned the clock back fifteen years.” He lifted one shoulder. “It piqued my curiosity.”

Fletcher stiffened. “I’m running my business here. Kye … er, Kylie is training for an upcoming film role—”

“Audition,” she corrected quickly. “I’m training to audition for a film involving mounted archery. Don’t go selling my secrets to the paparazzi.”

He snorted. “Don’t think I didn’t consider it, but I missed my short window to make top dollar.”

“Zing.” Fletcher laughed, but it sounded tight. “Who knows, maybe I’m about to see a resurgence if all goes well.”

“Care to define ‘well’?” Ryder pushed.

“Ry …” Fletcher took on a warning tone.

“What?” Her brother asked in the same tone he’d used to taunt her as a kid. “You said this is a business thing. I’m asking about the terms.”

“She’s training,” Fletcher said flatly. “We’re getting ready for the big showcase day.”

“Okay. That’s coming up fast.” He nodded, pausing to tick off some math on his fingers. “What? Eleven days then?”

Kylie’s chest tightened again. She worried enough about her other muscles following suit and then finally swung off Winston and onto more solid ground. “Yeah, I guess that’s about right.”

Fletcher looked back at her for a second, eyes searching, asking a question she didn’t understand, much less know how to answer. “Yeah, eleven days. She’ll be ready. You should come, Hunter. It’ll be a fun afternoon.”

“And what about after the show?” Ryder pushed.

“I don’t know. We hadn’t talked about the evening plans.” Kylie tried to flash the smile she’d practiced for reporters who pushed too deeply into her personal life. “Want to take us out to dinner to celebrate our many achievements?”

He didn’t bite. “I meant, does the business relationship end once you get the part?”

“If I get the part.”

“Sure, if you get the part, you leave, right? And if you don’t get the part, you leave to go chase after another one?”

“She’s going to get the part,” Fletcher said firmly.

“Probably.” Ryder didn’t seem inclined to argue the point, or maybe he was simply more focused on the bigger one he wanted to make. “So, eleven days here, then … Kylie?”

“What are you—” Fletcher started but he cut her off.

“I’m asking Kylie how long she plans to stay around, but I guess I got my answer.” He glanced at his sister. “I’ll see you in a couple weeks when lessons start up again.”

“Can’t we come to the show?” Hunter asked. “I want to see it.”