“Jesus, you need to sit down. What did they do?”
“They called me a lovely handsome big boy.”
Luke snorted. “Can I ask why you were with them at such an early hour?”
He filled Luke in about the fall and told him Miss Sarah was okay when he looked worried. Nash had noticed that this town all worried about each other. Another weirdness in a town full of them.
“Every good deed deserves a reward. Come on, I’ll buy you coffee and a cinnamon and hazelnut donut before Mr. Goldhirsh eats them all.”
“Ah, not necessary. I was going to grab some stuff to go.”
Luke nudged Nash in the shoulder, and he moved because it would be rude not to. But hell, wasn’t he always rude?
“Okay, so you can buy for me then.”
“This town,” Nash muttered. “What’s with you people anyway?”
“You have to give me more than that, bud. I mean have you seen that sign?”
Nash looked up at Luke’s words and read the words strung across the street.
“Don’t explain, I don’t want to know. This place is like this microclimate of crazy.”
“Best you don’t know, then you can’t be encouraged to enter,” Luke said. “But getting back to what’s with us people, I gather that’s about us being all nice and accommodating to you?”
Nash grunted.
“Here’s the thing, bud. You moved to Ryker and are therefore now one of us, ergo you get what we all get. Plenty of friendly and well-meaning advice from anyone who wants to give it. Plus, interference from the elders, and then there’s the friendship approaches, which will just keep happening no matter how much you don’t want them.”
“Well, shit,” Nash muttered.
“What can I say, it’s hell.” Opening the door to Phil’s, Luke waved Nash inside.
Looking around the white decor, he noticed the occupied stools at the counter.
Well, hell.
“I’m not real hungry, Luke,” he said.
“You just said you were.” Luke nudged him on. “Hey, Mr. Goldhirsh, I heard about Miss Sarah. Hi, Luna,” Luke said, all friendly and smiley. It was enough to make his teeth hurt.
Nash had deliberately not mentioned that Luna McKinley was involved this morning. His eyes shot her way; hers were on the cup she held clasped in both hands.
The woman looked good in exercise clothes. Her shorts were deep blue and short, showing those lovely long limbs off. Her top was aqua and fitted. The back was cut away and showed her shoulder blades and lots of skin.
He’d been mean to her earlier when he’d told himself after what he’d overheard last night, he’d cut her a break and be polite. The problem was, when she’d showed up at his door looking sexy and sweaty, he’d felt off-balance. He hated feeling that way, so he went on the offensive.
“Take a load off, man,” Luke said.
“There’s my favorite cousin,” Piper Howard said, appearing through a door behind the counter.
She had the Trainer look about her and didn’t take any crap from anyone. Nash respected her for that.
“She says that to all her cousins,” Luke said.
“But I really mean it with you. Hey, Nash.”
“Piper.” He nodded. “I’ll just take coffee and a full breakfast to go please.”