Riley shrugged. “That’s the problem. Whoever’s messing around is doing it late at night. Dad’s pissed. Says he’ll call in reinforcements if it gets worse.”
Reinforcements.
My jaw ticked.
I didn’t like reinforcements. They were unpredictable. Untrained. Uncontrolled.
And Eagle River was not built for trouble.
Riley eyed me. “Dad also said you boys are… how did he put it… ‘loud, messy, probably illegal, and definitely suspicious.’”
Saint laughed. “That sounds right.”
Trigger gasped. “Illegal? ME?!”
Havoc arched a brow. “You stole a traffic cone last week.”
Trigger pointed dramatically. “We needed that cone on our front steps!”
Riley slid off the crate, winked at me, and said, “Be careful, Wolf. Not everyone in this town likes outsiders.”
Then she left.
Trigger waited three beats. “Do you think she likes me?”
“No,” I said.
Havoc said, “God, no.”
Saint added, “She absolutely does.”
Trigger perked up. “SEE?”
Saint nodded. “That lady is going to eat you alive.”
Trigger beamed. “Awesome.”
Evening
By the time the sun dipped low behind the mountains, the tavern emptied into a warm orange glow. The guys weredownstairs arguing about what color the barstools should be.
Saint wanted mahogany.
Havoc wanted black.
Trigger wanted “whatever Riley thinks is sexy.”
I ignored them.
I was standing upstairs by the window, sanding the last board for the railing, when my eyes drifted across the street.
Nora was locking up the library.
Golden light poured over her.
Her hair was loose tonight, gently brushing her shoulders. She wore simple jeans and a pale blue sweater, her look like the calm before a storm.
She stepped out, turned the sign to CLOSED, and slipped her key into her sweater pocket.
