He shut down his thoughts. “All good here, Rye. Just get your sister’s coffee and cake ready. You know how she is when she’s hangry.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Ryder muttered.
It wasn’t until he had Zoe’s cake, seeing as the muffins were gone, and a wedge for himself, that he went to return to his seat and found Phoebe and Blue now seated at his table.
Well, fuck.
Chapter 7
Blue had brothers and friends who watched over her even though she didn’t need them to. She absolutely did not want Jay Haddon stepping into that role just because they’d spent the night together.
“You ladies want anything?” he asked when he’d reached his table that they were now sitting at courtesy of Zoe Duke, the only female in the sibling lineup. She had demanded they come and sit with her.
“No, we’ve ordered,” Blue said. “Thanks,” she made herself tack on when Phoebe frowned at her.
Sex had complicated everything between her and Jay, but hopefully one of them would leave Lyntacky soon, and that would settle the issue.
“So how long are you back for, Blue?”
“Just a short holiday to catch up with everyone, Zoe.”
Phoebe and Zoe leveled her with looks. Jay was staring at something on his screen.
“What?”
“Something is off with you, and we want to know what.”
He knew, of course, because he’d seen her the day she’d quit her job. But Blue also knew he wasn’t the type to say anything.
“Nothing is off.”
“So is,” Zoe argued. “You’re like Jay and never willingly offer up information about what’s going on with you.”
“I protest,” he said, still looking at his screen. The side of his mouth kicked up in a lopsided smile.
“I am nothing like him,” Blue said. “For a start, I have style.” They both knew she’d seen him in that suit, looking all kinds of hot, but Zoe and Phoebe didn’t.
“Listen, just because you work with those New York fashionistas who think anyone outside their borders is a fashion disaster does not mean your type are the only ones with style,” Jay said, lifting his eyes from the screen. “Take Sawyer, for example. Man knows how to wear clothes… am I right?”
They all laughed at that. He was funny, and Blue had never taken the time to see that side of him before.
“So some of the women in Lyntacky have been talking, Blue,” Zoe said. “We have the lifestyle outfitters, which has some everyday stuff, and the recycle shop, but nothing for those that love the modern look in Lyntacky. We have to order it online.”
“Which most people do these days,” Blue said, pretty sure she knew where they were going with this.
“And we’re a growing town now,” Phoebe added, ignoring her comment.
“So you could start a boutique here,” Zoe said.
“Absolutely not.”
Jay had returned to his screen. Coffee in one hand, while he read whatever was in front of him.
“Why not?” Zoe demanded. “You could design your own line. Actually…” She tapped the side of her jaw. “I have that spare room in the homeware store that you could use until a shop space comes up. You’d need capital to start?—”
“No,” Blue said, louder this time.
“Star By Right Boutique,” Phoebe said.
