“How far away are they?”
“Not far,” she said. “Just past those trees on the other side.”
They went to the back door and he walked into a room full of large men. Much larger than he’d thought they’d be.
From their pictures, he knew who the sheriff was, and her father. The other was obviously Clay. He screamed military a mile away.
Both men had guns on them.
Ford, he could understand but not really Clay.
“You guys are assholes,” Gale said. “Do I need to put my gun on my hip too?”
She opened her purse and he saw the handle of one. Jesus, he hadn’t known she carried that.
“I told Clay it was overkill. I’m Meredith and it’s nice to meet you.”
He shook her hand, then Clay’s. The dude wasn’t cracking a feature and was staring him down. He could give it right back. He had nothing to hide.
“I’m not stupid enough to bring a gun across state lines, but I know how to use one,” he said.
“Don’t be rude and shake his hand,” Meredith said. “He just found out that there might be more to it than Gale helping you and he’s out of joint.”
“No,” Clay said, returning his shake. “I’m out of joint because my sister doesn’t need to get caught up in more trouble than she brings on herself half the time.”
“Meaning what?” Rory asked. “The last thing I want to do is make trouble for anyone else.”
“I’m Ford. My brother is touchy and he’ll tell you why soon enough.”
That didn’t sound good.
“What’s going on?” Gale asked.
“Why don’t we all go sit in the living room? Dinner will be a bit. I’m Brooke, and Gale is being rude by not introducing you to everyone.”
Gale rolled her eyes and made the introductions and they went to sit down.
“Now tell us. What is going on, Clay?” she said.
“I got a call from Kane McGregor yesterday. He’d like to talk about my cider and a partnership for a restaurant he’s looking to open on the lake.”
Gale’s nose was twitching. “He told me he was going to put up more condos in my area. That it was his wife’s idea. He said nothing about a restaurant.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, but it came out of left field. Or more like he’s planting seeds. You know how that asshole is,” Clay said.
“Clay went to school with Kane,” Gale told Rory.
“I was a year behind him. Pretentious prick.”
“Clay,” Brooke said. “Enough. We’ve got guests.”
“No, speak your mind,” Rory said. “I didn’t care for him on Friday night when he walked over to find out who I was.”
“And we didn’t tell him. Though he knows,” Gale said. “I don’t like this. He’s putting himself into the family to find out what is going on. That’s what this is about.”
“No shit,” Clay said. “And that means there is something they don’t want anyone to know or are afraid to have come out and are getting ready to line pockets or pave ways.”
“We don’t know any of that,” Ford said. “It could be nothing more than he has expansion plans and doesn’t want past news to hinder it.”
