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“He didn’t seem too bad when I met him.”
“He’s okay, I guess. I just can’t like the guy, and I’ve never been really sure why.”
“Ava’s been back five months, right?”
Luke nodded. “Zander arrived a few weeks after, and they pretty much hooked up right off.”
“I don’t like to think about my little sister hooking up with anyone, Trainer.”
“Sure, but then it’s not like you guys have a relationship, right?”
A direct hit, Dylan thought. He wondered if everyone in Ryker Falls knew about the dysfunctional Howards and how they worked... or in their case, didn’t.
Dylan ate a mouthful of food and watched his sister while he formed his next question for Luke. The asking worked both ways.
“Where’d Zander come from?”
“Don’t know. One day he just drifted into town and never left. Works in the garage, and does a good job from what I hear. Ted told me he performed a miracle on his car, and that apparently Zander’s waiting for an opportunity to work in one of the accounting firms, because that’s what he studied.”
“Ted?”
“Ted Hosking. Owns the lodge.”
“Right, haven’t seen that yet. But I guess a lot of these tourists are because of it?”
Luke nodded, his eyes on Ava. “Thing is, Dylan, I’ve known Ava for years, and I don’t think she’s happy, and she sure as hell is not right.”
“Right?”
Luke shrugged.
“Shrugging is not an answer.”
“It’s not my business to tell tales, and anyway I don’t know everything, so I’d be guessing.”
Which was annoyingly vague.
“But one thing I do know is that she could do with a big brother about now.”
“What are you two whispering about?”
Piper appeared on the other side of the counter, and Dylan found himself smiling for no other reason than he could look at her, which was enough of a reason to drop his eyes and eat the rest of his food as quickly as he could.
This place was a temporary stop, and the people in it he was not likely to see again. Dylan needed to remember that and stop all this talking and friendly shit. He didn’t do that. It wasn’t something he’d had, so why then was he enjoying being part of a community again. When he was last here he’d been young and rebellious; now he wasn’t, but still, this place was digging something deep out of him, a longing to belong he hadn’t even known he had.
“So about that ride?” Joe asked him.
“Not sure how long I’ll be here, Joe. I’ll let you know. I have to go, so I’ll see you.”
Getting money out of his pocket, he dropped it on the counter and left without looking back. They were watching him, he was sure of that, just like he knew they’d get around to discussing him and his dysfunctional family. But Dylan didn’t care. He was only here a few more days... a week, tops.
Control, that was how Dylan operated. It made him strong, and stopped emotions from entering his life. He’d tried emotions as a child and hadn’t enjoyed the results, so this was how he’d handle things from now on. No more watching the Trainers and wanting what he’d never have. Dylan knew how things were, and he liked them that way... didn’t he?
Chapter 9
“Biscuits.” Piper read the list in her hand. “She only buys those for Joe,” she added under her breath. Her mom always stocked his favorites, even though he didn’t live in the house, but in his own—granted, on the same land—with Bailey, who was more than capable of buying biscuits.
Something made her look up from the paper in her hand. A feeling she was being watched. Mary Howard stood several feet away, glaring at her.
