The week sped by, and before Joey knew it, Ryder was gone. It was a short trip this time. But she found herself spending much of Friday watching the driveway for his semitruck. He’d gotten waylaid on his way back and hadn’t been able to turn his deliveries around in one day. He was due in sometime this afternoon.
Why she was pining for him was beyond ridiculous. He’d been crystal clear that they were a nonstarter. The idea that she was even interested told her that she needed way more than a twelve-step program. Her baggage was heavy enough. She didn’t need his, too. But he had been a good friend at a time when she had none.
She wandered into the front room, where Shiv was working with her physical therapist on her balance. Patrice, the PT, had Shiv on a wobble board and was barking orders like a military sergeant. Trying to be encouraging, Joey gave her a big thumbs-up. Shiv in return stared daggers at her.
“I’m running into town for a few groceries. Is there anything special you want?”
From the look on Shiv’s face, a bayonet. “Surprise me.”
Joey was heartened to hear a little spunk in Shiv’s voice. Her doctor had signed off on any of the three therapists Ethan had recommended. The one in Quincy was only part-time and had a full roster of patients. So Joey had gone with a Reno psychologist who specialized in “midlife” patients. Her office wasn’t far from Cascade Village. Joey thought they could drop in after one of Shiv’s sessions and tour the gated senior community.
There was hardly anyone in the Nugget Market parking lot when she got there. She took it as a good sign that she could get in and out. Her good fortune ended at the produce aisle, where she nearly collided with Brynn.
“Oh, hey there.” Brynn flashed her perfect toothpaste-ad smile. “I’m just stocking up for Alma and the kids.”
Right, she and Ethan were going to San Francisco this weekend. When Joey had been married to her ex, he hadn’t had time to take her to a Motel 6 in Carson City.
“Thanks for taking Henry Saturday.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Joey said. She really did adore the boy.
Brynn moved her shopping cart closer. “Um, I hate to ask this, I really do.”
Joey’s hackles immediately went up. She was half-expecting Brynn to ask for a drug test. “What’s that?” she asked in her most saccharine voice, which Brynn either chose to ignore or had missed altogether.
“Ever since the accident, I’ve become neurotic about Henry doing anything remotely adventurous. Every time he climbs onto Choo Choo’s back, my heart is in my mouth. Ethan said something about you taking the kids on a fun activity, and I would appreciate it if it was—”
“Say no more.” Joey held up her hands, feeling like a bitch. Nearly two years ago, an all-terrain vehicle accident had killed Brynn’s husband and had left Henry severely injured. The boy was lucky to be alive. How could anyone blame Brynn for being paranoid? If it had been Roni, Joey would’ve reacted the same way. “I heard The Farm had cherry picking. I was thinking of taking the kids there.”
Brynn’s expression turned to relief. “That’s perfect. And again, thank you. Knowing that you’re a nurse…well, it’s another layer of reassurance that Henry is in good hands.”
Brynn was making it difficult to dislike her. In all honesty, Joey had never disliked her. But it was easy to be jealous of all that Brynn had.
“Henry will be fine. We’re going to have a good time.” She glanced at her watch. “I left Shiv with the physical therapist and have to run. I’ll see you Saturday morning.”
She grabbed her groceries and got back to the house to find that Ryder had beaten her there. His semi was parked in the driveway. She managed to squeeze her Ford around his big rig and park close to the kitchen door.
Before going in, she flipped her visor mirror down and checked her face and hair. She’d taken a little more care than usual with her blow-out and makeup. Liking what she saw, she grabbed a sack of groceries from the trunk and went inside.
Ryder was leaning against the counter, eating a sandwich with some of the leftover chicken she’d made the night before. “You need some help?”
“I’ve got two more bags in the back of the car.”
“I’ll get ’em.” He put his sandwich down, went outside, and returned hugging both packages. “Where do you want ’em?”
“Over there.” She pointed to the counter next to the fridge. “How was your trip?”
He hitched his shoulders. “Noneventful, just the way I like it. How’d it go here?”
“I made an appointment for your mom with a therapist in Reno.” Joey started putting the perishables away in the refrigerator. “She wasn’t too thrilled about it. So maybe the two of you could have a conversation…You could tell her how important it is to you. That will probably have more sway than me telling her there’s no stigma about suffering depression after a major health crisis and discussing it with a professional.”
“I’ll talk to her.” He grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge door and stood there drinking it while she continued to unpack the groceries.
She wondered if he had looked forward to his return as much as she had, then inwardly chastised herself for being an idiot. She really needed to get herself a hobby. Or an online boyfriend.
There was a knock at the front door. Joey hadn’t heard anyone drive up. Then again, between Ryder’s 18-wheeler, the physical therapist’s car, and her Ford, there wasn’t room for another car in the driveway.
“You expecting anyone?”
“No.” She closed the fridge and followed him to the front room, where Shiv was wrapping things up with Patrice.
Ryder opened the door, and there were the Addisons. As usual, they wore their bizarre matching camp counselor clothes—shorts embroidered with tiny bears and white polo shirts with the Beary Quaint logo stitched across the pocket—and their sour dispositions.
“Afternoon.” Ryder tried for a pleasant smile, but Joey could tell it was forced.
He stepped onto the porch, and Joey joined him. “My mom’s with her PT. Otherwise, I’d invite you in.”
Joey doubted it. Ryder wasn’t particularly good at hiding his displeasure. And right now, he looked as if he’d been bucked off one of his rodeo broncs. Her gut told her the Addisons weren’t here on a social call. She was guessing Ryder had come to the same conclusion.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
Sandy Addison turned and pointed to his semitrailer. “You can’t park those here.”
Ryder leaned against the porch rail in that loose-limbed, lazy way that said he was all cowboy. Not a care in the world. But underneath his calm exterior, he was fuming, Joey was sure of it.
“Why’s that?” he asked.
“It’s against code. This is zoned residential.”
“Is that so? How is it then that you’re able to run a motor lodge less than a mile away?”
“It’s all there in the planning department,” said snippy Sandy. “Where Bear Creek Road meets the highway is the cutoff point. Everything east of that is zoned commercial.”
“The planning department, huh?” Ryder pushed off the railing and stepped closer to the Addisons, whom he towered over. “I suggest you do your research. This is zoned agricultural and all that entails, including my trucks. Look, I don’t come over to your place of business and give you a rash of trouble. Why are you making problems? We’re neighbors, let’s try to get along.”
Sandy harrumphed. “We’ve given you fair warning. Don’t blame us when you find a notice from the county taped to your door and are forced to pay a fine.”
“Do what you’ve got to do. But be prepared for a fight.” Ryder put his hand at the small of Joey’s back, guided her inside, and slammed the screen door.
“What’s those people’s problem?” She’d never met anyone ruder, and she’d worked in a hospital full of officious doctors with God complexes.
Ryder let out a frustrated breath, started to say something, then noticed that Shiv and Patrice were both staring.
“What happened?” Shiv asked.
“It’s nothing, Ma. Don’t worry about it.” He went back to the kitchen.
Patrice took off, and Joey helped Shiv into the shower. Peter had gotten a three-night deal at the Lumber Baron and had offered to take Shiv this afternoon on a tour of the inn to give Joey a few hours. It was so kind of him. She planned to pick Roni up from school for a little mother-daughter time, maybe drive through the Bun Boy and grab burgers and ice cream.
While Shiv was in the bathroom, Joey returned to the kitchen to finish putting away the dry goods. Ryder was halfway through his beer and working on a second sandwich.
“Are you worried about what they said?”
He went to the pantry and brought the chips back to the table. “Not worried. Just irritated. I don’t have time to deal with their bullshit.”
“Is this really zoned agricultural?” She nudged her head at the window. Joey hadn’t seen any ranches or farms on Ryder’s road, not like the Circle D, which was surrounded by ranchland.
“Yep. And my business is hauling livestock. Can’t get any more agricultural than that.”
“You think you should talk to someone? Like maybe a lawyer, just in case.”
“On it.” He held up his phone. “A friend of mine knows a local attorney, who also happens to be a cattle rancher. From people I’ve talked with, the Addisons are famous for pulling this kind of crap. It’s how they get their jollies. I’ve sunk too much money into this place to put up with it.”
“We should all go on Yelp and give their creepy motel bad reviews.”
Ryder chuckled. “Nah. I’ll take care of it.” His eyes roved over her red shift dress. “How come you’re all duded up?”
She ran her hands down the skirt, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “While Peter takes your mom on a tour of the Lumber Baron, I’m going to get an hour in with my daughter. Pick her up from school and take her to that drive-through for ice cream.”
“That’s nice.” His eyes met hers, but she had the feeling he was still fixated on her dress. “I thought Peter doesn’t come until tomorrow.”
“He got some kind of package deal at the Lumber Baron, so he came a day early. I think he and your mom are going to tag along tomorrow when I take Roni and Brynn’s son to The Farm to pick cherries.”
“Doesn’t sound like much of a day off.” He hitched his brows.
“It’ll be fun. You should come, too.” She threw out the invitation, knowing full well he would find an excuse not to accept it. Still, a part of her hoped he’d join them.
He brought his plate to the sink and put away the chips. “Have fun with your little girl. That lawyer said he’s got time to talk. I’m meeting him at the Ponderosa. You want me to get take-out for dinner?”
“Uh, sure. It’ll be a nice treat for your mom. I’ll take a salad.”
“Yeah, I know. Cesar with chicken.”
Either she was incredibly predictable, or Ryder had been paying attention.
* * * *
Flynn Barlow didn’t look anything like a lawyer as far as Ryder was concerned. According to Lucky, Flynn had been an FBI agent, a federal prosecutor, and was currently a corporate lawyer, who dabbled in a little of everything. In a Stetson, jeans, and boots, he looked like a typical rancher to Ryder.
But Lucky had assured him that Flynn knew his stuff. Flynn waved to Ryder from across the bar.
“Recognized you from the PRCA,” he said and motioned for Ryder to take the bar stool next to his. “Saw you win the world championship in 2014 in Vegas. That was a hell of a ride.”
Flynn flagged the bartender over. “Sierra Nevada and whatever my friend here wants.”
Ryder got the same. “Thanks for taking the time. I don’t know how much Lucky told you.” Hell, for all he knew, Flynn was friends with the Addisons.
“Enough to get the general gist. Can’t say I’m surprised. You’re fresh meat for Sandy and Cal, who never met a newcomer they didn’t harass.”
“Yeah, man, what’s their problem?”
Flynn hitched his shoulders. “Who knows? Too much lead in the paint in that motel of theirs? Everyone here gets along. We may fight over politics, gossip about each other, envy our neighbor’s farm equipment. But at the end of the day, we’ve got each other’s back. Except the Addisons. Those two are all about themselves.”
It was true about the town and how everyone here came together to help one another. A perfect example was the other day when Ethan Daniels and his new woman rushed over to sit with Siobhan for a few hours just because Joey had asked. Or Lucky and Maddy, who’d hooked Ryder up with the town lawyer. Or the town lawyer, who was sitting here right now, having a beer with a total stranger, doling out free legal advice.
Ryder liked that about his new home. He’d never been one to lean, but it was good to know that if he ever needed to, this town could shoulder the weight.
“First, they came to hassle me about sleeping in my fifth wheel, accusing me of turning the property into a mobile home park. Then, today, they complained about me parking my semitrucks and trailers on my land. Dana assured me when I bought the place that it was zoned agricultural and I could park my rigs here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have purchased the place.”
“There’s no question it’s zoned agricultural,” Flynn said. “I researched it when my wife and I were looking to buy it a year ago. My wife, Gia, runs a nonprofit and was considering expanding it into the old Montgomery place. It didn’t pan out. But the point is, Dana’s right. She’s as honest as they come and wouldn’t have steered you wrong on this. However, I’m not entirely sure the Addisons don’t have a case about the trucks and trailers.”
That wasn’t what Ryder wanted to hear. “Why’s that?”
“Just to play devil’s advocate here, an argument could be made that long-haul trucking isn’t ag.”
“But I haul livestock.”
Flynn nodded. “Yup, and you could certainly make that argument. That’s the funny thing about the law. It’s not cut-and-dried. It’s up to interpretation.”
“Well, hell.” Ryder dragged his hand down his face. “What do I do if they take this to the county? I’ve got a lot invested in the place, and it’s worthless if I can’t park my rigs there.”
Flynn took a drag of his beer. “I’d say try to reason with them, but they’re not reasonable people. So maybe a preemptive strike.”
“Like what?” Ryder wasn’t following.
“I suspect there’s plenty that isn’t up to code at their motor lodge. I’d be willing to bet the motel isn’t earthquake retrofitted.” Flynn’s mouth quirked. “To get it up to code could cost in the hundreds of thousands.”
“How could I find that out?”
“Colin Burke might know. He’s done work for them in the past. But we bluff. We send them a letter that says it’s come to our attention that their entire lodge is out of code. We don’t have to specify. It’s basically a veiled threat. You screw with us, we screw with you.”
It seemed kind of iffy to Ryder. “What if they know everything is up to code?” The Addisons came off as the kind of people who were sticklers for those things.
“In my experience, nothing is ever entirely up to code, especially not a commercial business. But we throw it out there and hope it sticks. See if we can scare them. It certainly doesn’t lose us anything.”
Sure. Why not? “Can I hire you to write the letter?”
“I’m happy to write the letter pro bono. These people have been a thorn in the sides of my friends for too many years. It’s time someone shows them what it feels like to be on the other side.”
“Sounds good to me.” Ryder tipped back his beer and ordered another round. “The next time you need your calves hauled, you call me.”
Clay McCreedy, another cattleman, joined them while his wife got her hair done over at the barbershop. Flynn filled him in on the Addisons’ bullshit.
“They never quit,” Clay said. “Everyone else here tries to get along, except them. My old man, who never had a mean word to say about anyone, couldn’t stand ’em. They tried to oust Rhys as police chief when he first got here. Messed with Maddy and Nate over the Lumber Baron, which is Nugget’s shining attraction. I wish someone would buy their motor lodge and they’d move away.”
“Yeah, not happening,” Flynn said.
They sat at the bar for a while, talking about rodeo, ranching, and life in Nugget. Flynn and Clay were good guys. And as it turned out, they and Ryder knew a lot of the same people. Big state, small world.
On his way out, he bumped into Rhys. “You and your mom getting settled in?”
“Yep. And thanks for the drive-bys.” The patrol car that cruised up Bear Creek Road late at night hadn’t gone beyond Ryder’s notice.
“We aim to please. See you around.”
The sun was shining, and the square was full of teenagers stretched out on the grass, eating take-out from the Bun Boy. Ryder shielded his eyes with his hand and stared across the square at the burger joint’s parking lot, then wandered in that direction. He found Joey and her kid, sitting at one of the picnic tables on the lawn underneath a shady tree.
Ryder told himself that he’d say a quick hello and go, leaving Joey to spend what he knew was coveted time with her daughter.
“Hey.” She waved to him, and the little girl turned around on her bench to stare.
“You guys eat?”
“We’re waiting for our names to be called. I didn’t think about the after-school crowd.” They both gazed at the long line at the window.
“You remember Mr. Knight?” Joey asked Roni.
“I remember you.” The kid stood on the bench so she was eye level with Ryder.
“Sit on your bottom, Roni.”
Ryder surprised himself by squeezing in next to Joey’s mini me. “Whaddya get?”
“A burger, the fries that go like this”—Roni made a swirling motion with her finger—“and a chocolate shake. How ’bout you?”
“I thought I’d just steal from your plate.” He winked.
“I’ll share with you, Mr. Knight.”
“You can just call me Ryder. ‘Mr. Knight’ makes me feel old.”
“Is your mom coming?”
Ryder looked to Joey, who said, “Not today, baby. Ms. Knight is with Peter.”
Joey’s name was called, and Ryder told her to stay put. Roni followed him to the window. “Here you go, kiddo.” He handed her the shake.
“I can take more.”
“I’ve got it.” He gave her ponytail a playful tug.
This time, he took Joey’s side of the table and snagged one of her fries.
“How’d your meeting go?”
“Good. I’ll tell you about it later.” He’d lived here long enough to know there were big ears everywhere.
He snuck another fry. “I’d better help you with this so you’ll still have room for dinner.”
“You can have some of mine.” Roni pushed her carton of curly fries to the middle of the table. Damn, she was a cute kid.
He snatched one.
“You want a bite?” She offered him her burger.
“I’m good with just fries. But thanks.”
Joey cut her burger in half. “Have this. I only got it so Roni wouldn’t eat alone.”
“Looking forward to that Caesar salad, huh?” He took a bite and shoved a couple more fries in his mouth.
He’d only planned to stay a few minutes. But it would be rude to eat and run, he told himself.
“Ryder, how come you don’t have a dog?” Roni’s question was sort of out of the blue.
“I travel a lot for work, so there would be no one to keep him company.”
“I could or my mom could. You should get one,” she said around a bite.
“Roni, sweetheart, don’t talk with your mouth full.”
“Maybe I will.” He took another bite of his half burger. “Someday I’m planning to get a few horses. You like horses?”
“I love horses,” Roni said. “Henry and I share Choo Choo, but my dad said we might get a new horse just for me. A bay. Do you know what that is?”
“Yep. Brown with a black tail and mane. Real pretty.”
“You should get a bay, too.”
“Definitely something to consider,” he said. He liked a kid who knew her horseflesh. “You gonna eat those?”
“You can have them.” She gave him the rest of her fries and sucked on her shake straw. “I’m full.”
Joey finished her half burger and put all their wrappers on a tray. Ryder carried it to the garbage.
“I’ll see you back at the house,” she said. “I’ve got to get Roni home.”
“Thanks for letting me crash your party,” he told Roni.
She looked somewhat confused at first, then hopped up on the bench again, latched on to him for a great big hug. Stunned, he didn’t know what to do. Joey laughed at his befuddlement.
“Okay, Bonnie Roni, let’s bust a move.”
She jumped down, reached for her mother’s hand, and they took off across the greenbelt.
Ryder watched them disappear inside Joey’s SUV, feeling a little off-kilter. What had just happened?