She’d been with her family.When he’d asked no one had known where she’d gone.
“I did, yes.”
“Ready for the battle to commence?” Luke said, wandering up. “Those chairs aren’t wide, and the ground beneath icy. I foresee bruises in my future.”
Around them, people talked, but all he had eyes for was her. She wore a silver scarf, no hat, her hair in a long tail, and the green duffle coat. Boots and jeans, and at least she had the sense to wear gloves. Her cheeks were pink, and she looked like a ripe apple he wanted to take a large bite out of.
Someone nudged her in his direction. Nash, he thought, meeting the guy’s eyes.
“Hi,” he said, his eyes running over her face.
“Hello.”
“How are you?” She was uncomfortable, all that lovely familiarity they’d always shared gone now. Before they were lovers, they were friends, and he’d never wanted to lose that. He wanted it back.
“Okay.”
“Entertaining though this is, I think some grass needs me to watch it grow,” Nash drawled from over her left shoulder. “I’ll be cheering you on, Tigger, but right now I need a coffee.”
Fin watched Nash kiss his sister on the forehead. As he passed Fin, he stopped to whisper in his ear.
“Hurt her and I’ll kill you.” Nash then walked away.
“Maggie, we need—”
“If I may have your attention, please!” Mayor Gripper interrupted Fin, much to his frustration. They all winced as he yelled into Miss Marla’s megaphone.
“Hearing you just fine, Mayor Gripper,” Dylan called. “No need to yell.”
“Today we have a new and exciting event planned that we hope will be an annual thing here in Ryker Falls.” He’d climbed into the bucket of Bas’s digger, and it was raised. Once again, Buzz sat beside him in a knitted vest with a Santa on the front.
“Absolute recipe for disaster. He has no balance,” Jack said.
“He’s done it before,” Luke said.
“That was a fluke.”
They watched as the bucket moved and he stumbled, but managed to right himself by grabbing Buzz. Dressed in a natty red suit with white pinstripes, the man was all class.
“The rules are as follows. Each chair will be occupied by a man and a woman, and that couple will stay together until the end. The last three couples,” the mayor had a pained expression as he looked down at Mrs. Howard, who stood below, nodding, “will all win a meal at the lodge.”
“She’s going to be seriously pissed if her daughters don’t end up on the laps of the men of her choosing,” Dylan said. “And I’m not sure how even she can manage that.”
Rory moved closer to Dylan. “I saw her slipping some money to Seymour Barraclough earlier.”
“Tell me that’s a lie?” Dylan looked in pain. “That weasel stole my lunch when we were in the same class.”
“Not lying. Sorry, Dylan.”
“And now if all entrants will take their places, please!”
The chairs had been set in a circle, and they all moved into position. Maggs, he noted, was a few feet away. Looking at the other men, he saw Calvin Harding eyeing her up and down. He’d made it a point to seek the man out and be rude to him so he’d leave town. It hadn’t worked, so clearly he needed to try harder. The man would never lay a hand on Maggie; he’d make sure of that.
The rest of the townspeople and tourists circled the chairs, three deep now.
“Welcome to the octagon,” Joe muttered.
“How do we constantly allow ourselves to get roped into this shit?” Fin asked.
