AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s just embarrassing that he can’t come into at least the nineties with his fashion,” Brody Duke said.
“Welcome, Mayor Gripper!”
They clapped, and the Ryker Falls contingent cheered as Mayor Gripper stepped onstage. His red-and-white pinstripe shorts and white button-down with a red bow tie looked hip and pretty cool as far as Autumn was concerned, especially next to the Lyntacky mayor.
“Well fuck. You get a guy who can pull that off, and we get Tripp,” Sawyer said.
“That’ll do,” Sheriff Dans said. “He does his best.”
The Duke brothers muttered but kept it to themselves.
“Ryker Falls men to play Lyntacky men first,” Mayor Gripper said.
Autumn kept her eyes on him and not the large, brooding rancher who stood a few feet away.
“Round one to Ryker Falls,” Luna said. “Our mayor is better-looking.”
“To get things started, let’s honor my late aunt!”
“He is not seriously doing that right now? It’s bad enough we’re subjected to it,” Sawyer Duke growled. “Now we have to be humiliated in front of these guys.”
“What’s he doing?” Nash asked.
“You know how to square-dance?” Sawyer asked.
The first strains of music blasted from somewhere.
“Bye.” Nash suddenly looked panicky.
Autumn noticed his bruised eye was turning a nasty midnight color, and his nose looked swollen. Surely he and Ford hadn’t gotten into a fight. But what other reason could there be for them both to be carrying bruises?
“I’ll take Ritchie to the swings,” Autumn said.
“Escape is not happening for anyone,” Sheriff Dans said, holding out his hand to her. “Square dancing is our way of welcoming you to Lyntacky.”
“I’m real sure they’ll just love this welcome,” Brody Duke said, his tone dry as dust.
“I’ll dance with you, Ford,” Ritchie said.
She looked over her shoulder and saw Ford’s expression soften as he took the hand Ritchie held out to him. Ignoring the lump in her throat, she let Sheriff Dans tug her into a circle with eight people. “Is this really happening?”
“Unfortunately, this is our life,” Sawyer Duke said. His expression told her exactly how pissed off he was.
Ford was to her left and Sheriff Dans to her right. In their circle were the Duke brothers and two women who were looking at them with what Autumn could only term lust.
All around them, people were forming circles.
“I have no idea how to do this.” Quinn was laughing.
“Lucky you,” a Duke muttered.
“Kill me now,” Nash growled.
“I thought Ryker Falls was weird,” Ford said.
“Now, you locals show our Ryker Falls guests a big welcome and help them with the steps,” Tripp Lyntacky said.
“Half the group form into a circle,” Sheriff Dans said.
