“Ah, hell,” the officer said in a tone that hinted he’d dealt with Mrs. Anderson a time or three.
A second later, the front door popped open and the elderly librarian came down her porch steps with the assist of a railing, wearing a fuzzy blue bathrobe and a scowl Asher could feel in his bones.
“Here we go,” Ash muttered.
“Wait! You just wait one minute!” she shouted as she crossed the street without looking.
Not a surprise. Traffic stopped for Mrs. Anderson. It’d always been that way.
“Don’t worry, ma’am, I’m taking care of this right now,” Brady said in a calming, practiced tone, one hand making a “calm down” motion.
“Oh no, you don’t, Brady Hutchins,” she snapped. “I saw those hooligans out here toilet-papering my library, and these four boys ran them off. I suggest you don’t give them any guff for trying to clean up what wasn’t their mess.”
Brady blinked at her.
“You could lend a hand, you know,” she barked, fists on her hips.
Connor’s face split into a grin.
Brady reached for his radio. “What did they look like? Any kids you recognized from the community? Maybe it’s not too late to catch them.”
“It’s dark,” Asher said, flicking a look to the librarian.
“Not talking to you, Knight,” Brady growled, but he took his finger off his walkie. He turned back to Mrs. Anderson, but her eyes were on Asher.
Subtly, he shook his head. Give ’em a break.
“Mr. Knight is correct. It’s very dark out here,” she said.
Asher winked at her. He thought he saw the side of her normally flat mouth tip, but the shadow of a smile vanished a millisecond later.
“Doesn’t matter anyway,” she said, her tone hard. “What matters is getting my library cleaned up. You know this young man is getting married tomorrow to that lovely brunette event planner?” She pointed at Donny, whose chest puffed at the mention of Sofie. “We can’t have the library looking a fright with out-of-towners filing in to the mansion for the big shebang, now, can we?”
Shebang, Evan mouthed, and Asher had to bite down on his lip to keep from laughing.
“This place covered in toilet tissue makes our town look like trash. I won’t have it,” she stated.
“I understand that, ma’am, but if we hope to keep the town clean—”
“Come on. Get to it.” She looped an arm around Brady’s elbow and led him into the mess. They all may have been the town bad boys at one point, but they were grown men now. Grown men who respected their elders. Clearly, Mrs. Anderson respected them right back. Evan, for providing art for the library—though the content of his donated painting was questionable—and Ash for performing on her command at every festival he’d been in town for.
Mrs. Anderson and Sofie had been responsible for sending Connor business, what with him setting up for the annual Harvest Fest every fall and landscaping for them every spring. And evidently, Donny had accidentally wormed his way into the librarian’s good graces thanks to Sofie.
“While you’re here,” Mrs. Anderson said to Donny, “I need that light replaced.” She pointed to a lamp hanging over the front door that was dim.
“You got it.” Donny nodded.
“I’ll just get the bulb.” She pulled the keys out of her robe’s pocket and unlocked the front door.
“Bury that hatchet, boys,” Evan said to Connor and Brady. “Just for an hour.”
“I was at the end of my shift,” Brady grumbled, looking around as if he couldn’t figure out how he got into this mess.
“Next time, keep goin’.” Connor slapped him on the back.
“Shee-it,” Evan said through a laugh.
Brady only shook his head.
Asher and Ev bent and started cleaning again, and Donovan climbed a ladder and replaced the light.
Chapter 25
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride,” Kinsley said with an exaggerated sigh.
Sofie’s sister was beautifully dressed for duty in a strapless, knee-length baby pink chiffon gown with a sweetheart neckline. All the girls looked incredible in them—from gold bangles and earrings to tall, nude-colored shoes. Kins had paired hers with thick charcoal eyeliner, which was perfect for her rock ’n’ roll style. Hmm. She really was well suited to a rock band guy.
“Have you been in as many weddings as me?” Kins asked, adjusting her simple bouquet of white roses.
“One,” Glo answered. Kimber’s wedding.
“Lucky,” Kins said, but her grumble was good-humored. “Oh, I’m up!” She scuttled through the grass to Faith, Lacey, and Charlie. The other girls waved and Gloria waved back, that ping of loss radiating in her breastbone again.
“Sofie needs you.”
Gloria turned toward Donovan’s voice to respond but couldn’t get her tongue untangled enough to do so. He wore a white dress shirt, open at the collar, beneath a bone-colored jacket he’d pushed over his tattooed forearms. A pale pink rose was pinned over the pocket, and his matching slacks were adorned with a thick, deep brown belt. Offset by his medium-length black hair and electrifying pale blue eyes, Donny was a sight.