Page 24
She always said hi to me in the hallways in school, even though she was a senior when I was a freshman.
“Shame she’s with him, then,” Dad mumbles.
I stare. I’ve never heard Dad say something so ungenerous.
He closes his eyes, and sighs. “That was uncalled for.”
“Okay, what is it between you two?” I whisper.
“Nothing. I just don’t approve of him or what he’s brought to Autumn Ridge.”
“Which is...” I prompt.
But Lisa has another question for him.
I sigh, and Luke seems to hear. “What’s wrong?”
His genuine care makes me want to like him even more. “Nothing.”
He gives me a look. “Want me to turn Detective Walker on you?”
“Fine. I just...” I look around the table, ensuring everyone else is in their own conversations before I continue. “Yesterday, I got a ride home from Archer Kade.”
“Okay?” he prods, drawing out the word. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. There was just something super weird between him and my dad. Usually guys are afraid of him, but Archer was, like...annoyed. I can’t figure out why.”
I look a moment too long in Archer’s direction, and he catches me staring again. His silver bolo tie glints in the light of the room—same as his belt buckle as he stands for a brief moment, shaking a passerby’s hand. Both metals contrast with his black shirt and dark suit. The only thing that would make the image better would be his cowboy hat, but I guess he’s not going for full Texas-black-tie.
Luke chewed through a bite of his filet mignon. “Well, why don’t you use those detective skills of yours to figure out what’s going on between them?”
“That won’t work on Dad.”
“Then ask Archer straight-up.”
“Yeah, I can’t do that.”
“I could. I see him often enough for hay drop-offs and pick-ups.”
“No,” I state firmly.
“Why not?
“Because I don’t want him thinking I like him.” I cringe at how immature my words make me sound.
“Why would he think that?”
“Because I may or may not have told him that I definitely had a crush on him in high school.”
Luke gives me a look of approval. “Nice. Guys love that.”
“Yeah, but then I told him it was over. Because it is,” I quickly add.
“Okay, so what’s the problem?”
“Well, I don’t want him to think I still like him.”
“Which you don’t?”
