“Are you sure you brought enough clothes?” Kyle hoped the teasing would bring a smile to Lolo’s lips. God knew, nothing else he’d tried had worked.

His sister merely shifted her gaze away.

Kyle dropped the truck’s end gate. He knew things in Lexington had been difficult. His parents had told him she was struggling and depressed. But he was shocked at how broken she appeared.

She’d barely said two words since he’d picked her up at the airport.

Her red-rimmed eyes told him she’d cried during the flight, but when he asked if she wanted to talk about it, she only shrugged. Based on her responses to every conversation he tried to initiate during the short drive to Good Hope, his sister appeared to have embraced monosyllabic answers.

He hoped a good night’s sleep and getting settled in would improve her mood.

“You didn’t tell me she was beautiful.” Lolo’s accusatory tone had Kyle lowering the suitcase in his hand and turning.

That’s when he spotted her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lolo repeated under her breath as Eliza drew close.

Lolo was right. Eliza looked especially lovely today with her sleek dark hair glinting in the sun. Her long legs were encased in thigh-high black boots. He wasn’t sure what was underneath the black-and-white-checkered coat, as he hadn’t seen her this morning.

“Why does it matter if she’s pretty?” Kyle kept his tone offhand.

“It matters,” Lolo muttered.

“Eliza.” Kyle offered his housemate a welcoming smile, hoping to find her in better spirits than his sister. “Perfect timing. We just got home.”

He saw her flinch at the word home but pretended not to notice. “Eliza Shaw, I’d like you to meet my sister, Lorraine Kendrick. Most everyone calls her Lolo.”

Eliza’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed as she studied the child. “Would you prefer I call you Lorraine? Or Lolo?”

“Lolo, I guess.” To Kyle’s surprise, his normally feisty sister kept her gaze downward and kicked at the concrete with the tip of her sneaker.

“Lolo it is.” Eliza’s tone remained matter-of-fact. “You may call me Eliza.”

Instead of replying, Lolo just nodded.

If his parents had been there, his dad would have come down on her about manners. His mother would have looked embarrassed.

Eliza merely glanced at the two bags now sitting on the driveway and the other two still in the truck bed. “Do you need help?”

Kyle rocked back on his heels and smiled. “Are you volunteering?”

“Not at all. I simply asked to see what your answer would be.”

The flippant comment got a laugh out of Lolo.

Without another word, Eliza turned and started up the walkway toward the porch.

“Hey,” Kyle called out after her. “Don’t you want to take a bag with you?”

Without looking back, Eliza tossed her answer over her shoulder. “No.”

He and his sister stood side by side on the driveway as the door closed behind their housemate.

“Don’t worry.” Lolo patted his arm, a smile ghosting her lips. “I’ll help you.”

Ignoring his protests, Lolo chose two bags and hurried up the walkway after Eliza.

Grabbing the other two, Kyle bounded up the steps. By the time he and Lolo stepped inside, Eliza had disappeared.

Still, as he lugged the bags upstairs to Lolo’s bedroom, Kyle found himself grateful Eliza was in the house. In one brief interaction, she’d accomplished what he hadn’t been able to do during the twenty-five-mile trek from Sturgeon Bay—she’d put a smile on his sister’s face.

* * *

“I don’t want to go to school on Monday.” Lolo stood in the parlor, hands clasped tightly together. She shot Kyle a pleading glance. “You could homeschool me? I’m smart. I catch on quickly.”

Kyle was already shaking his head before she finished. “I have to work, Lo. I can’t be your tutor. Besides, that wasn’t the deal.”

Eliza wished she’d stayed upstairs. But darn it, this was her house. She shifted her gaze from Kyle to his sister. She assumed he hadn’t meant to sound unkind, but he could have offered the kid a little sympathy.

His sister had escaped the horrors of her previous school by coming to Good Hope. Now, reality had obviously set in for Lolo. She would be starting over in a new district where she knew no one.

As Eliza had made no attempt to engage the child in conversation, she was surprised when Lolo shifted her gaze to her. “What about you? You could—”

“Eliza manages—”

She sliced the air with one hand, stopping Kyle from answering for her. The sharp gesture was one she used frequently when one of the Cherries attempted to speak out of turn.

The only thing Eliza hated more than someone speaking out of turn, was someone speaking for her. Ignoring Kyle, she focused on Lolo.

“The thought of starting a new school must be terrifying.” Because Eliza could identify with the girl’s fears, a thread of compassion wove through the words.

Lolo shrugged and dropped her gaze back to the sandwich. She had her brother’s dark hair and blue eyes, but while his face was all hard angles, hers held the softness of youth.

The girl’s thick, curly hair hung past her shoulders. Whoever had cut it had simply, well, cut it. Nothing special. It was the same with her clothes. There wasn’t anything wrong with the jeans and oversized top, but they certainly didn’t add anything to her appearance.

Eliza had to wonder about Kyle’s mother. Was she so caught up in family business affairs that she failed to see her daughter could benefit from a few fashion tips? Of course, the woman may have tried.

It hadn’t taken Eliza long to realize the girl had a stubborn streak that rivaled her brother’s. The thought had her lips curving in a slight smile, which quickly vanished when she thought of what the child would face on Monday morning.

Lolo would need that stubborn streak as well as whatever inner strength she possessed to make it through the upcoming weeks and months. Whether he realized it or not, by allowing his sister to join him, Kyle had taken on a huge responsibility.

Thankfully, none of this was Eliza’s concern.

“You’ll like it here, Lolo.” Kyle filled the tense silence with a hearty cheerfulness that was likely as forced as it sounded. “I spoke—”

“Forget it.” Lolo’s expression turned mutinous. “Neither of you understand.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to tour the school this evening?” Kyle lifted his glass of tea and took a sip.

Lolo, who’d stalked to the doorway, whirled. Confusion blanketed her face. “Today is Saturday.”

“I contacted the principal of the middle school yesterday.” Kyle shrugged in a casual gesture that might have fooled his sister but didn’t fool Eliza. “Mr. Chapin informed me he’d be working in his office at the school this evening and we’re welcome to stop by.”

Eliza was startled when the girl’s gaze shifted to her. “Are you coming?”

A dozen pithy options sprang to Eliza’s tongue. With difficulty, she swallowed each and every one and reminded herself this was a child.

Picking up her fork, Eliza offered a polite smile. “No.”

“Why not?” the girl shot back.

As if sensing her mounting irritation at being pressured, Kyle waved a careless hand in the air. “No worries.”

If that was supposed to be a subtle message to Lolo to back off, the girl missed the bulletin. Her jaw jutted out.

The headache that had begun to pound in Eliza’s head took on bass-drum proportions. Her anger reignited. Not at Lolo and Kyle, but at her father. If Donald Shaw hadn’t been determined to micromanage her life, she wouldn’t be forced to contend with two unwanted housemates.

“Why won’t you come with us?” Lolo pressed.

“Because,” Eliza glanced at the girl, then shifted her gaze to Kyle, “I have a date.”

* * *

Being reminded of what Lolo would face on Monday had brought old memories flooding back. But Eliza wouldn’t think about Lolo tonight. Or about Kyle. She would tend to business.

After pulling open the battered wooden door of the Flying Crane, Eliza stepped inside. There was no denying the Crane’s charm. A glossy curved mahogany bar took up an entire wall. Behind it, a long mirror made the average-sized space appear huge.

Unfortunately, the high tin ceiling—while decorative—did nothing to improve the local band’s sound. She winced when the lead singer went sharp.

Eliza struggled to recall why she thought this would be a good place to meet. Still, knowing she looked her best in her new suede Louboutin boots buoyed Eliza’s spirits. Looking sexy-as-sin in all black didn’t mean she wanted to hook up. Being on the receiving end of admiring looks was enough.

After scanning the tables and ignoring several assessing glances, including one by Ryder Goodhue—a former high school classmate who’d recently returned to Good Hope—Eliza took a seat at the bar to wait.

The heavily tattooed bartender had a full beard and a boyish smile. He set a napkin on the shiny bar. “What’ll you have, Eliza?”

She and Ted had gone to school together. Back in eighth grade, they’d both been social pariahs. He’d been fat and goth. She’d been thin and awkward with braces. The trifecta of nerdiness.

But that had been eons ago.

“Hi, Ted.” Eliza waved away the basket of pretzels he offered. “Stoli. Straight up.”

“You got it.”

When Ted returned with the vodka, Eliza reached into her tiny bag for one of the bills she’d shoved there before leaving home.

“I’ve got it.” A masculine voice sounded behind her, and she caught a subtle whiff of cologne. “Keep the change.”

Ted glanced at her, a question in his eyes.

Eliza turned to study the man who’d confiscated the stool next to hers. She inclined her head, giving Ted the go-ahead.

The bartender pocketed the large bill and disappeared.

Deliberately, Eliza lifted a brow. “Ryder Goodhue.”

He smiled, looking as arrogant as ever. “Eliza Shaw.”

“Now that we’ve confirmed our identities.” She lifted the glass. “Cheers.”

Ryder took a sip of beer. “I was planning to stop by the general store and see you tomorrow.”

She studied him over the rim of her glass.

“I thought it might be nice to get reacquainted.” Ryder lifted the pilsner glass to his lips, took a sip. His dark eyes, rich as Venezuelan chocolate, never left hers. “Catch up.”

“You’ve been back nearly nine months.”

“I didn’t think you’d noticed.” His smile was easy, confident and admiring. “You haven’t once set foot in my shop.”

“I’m not much for coffee.” She patted his hand. “As far as mutual memories, I believe you detested me nearly as much as I did you.”

“Not at all.” His lips twitched. “I don’t hold all those times you snubbed me against you.”

Though she wasn’t attracted to the man, Eliza felt her mood lift. “You’re too kind.”

“I’ve been called many things.” He snorted. “Kind isn’t one of them.”

Her delighted laugh had heads turning. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve had a few not-so-complimentary things said about me, too.”

His gaze dropped to her stretchy black shirt. “Right now, I can only think of compliments.”

Ryder’s voice could have melted butter. But when he covered her hand with his, she deftly pulled hers back. “I need to go.”

“Don’t let me run you off.” He lifted both hands. “I’ll keep my hands to myself. Promise.”

Closing her fingers around the tall shot glass she’d barely touched, Eliza slipped off the stool. “If you remember anything from high school, you know that no one runs me off.”

Ryder gestured to the stool. “Then sit. Finish your drink.”

“Sorry.” Eliza smiled for the first time since he’d confiscated the seat beside her. “My date for the evening just walked in.”

Lindsay lifted her hand in greeting as Eliza crossed the crowded bar to her. Her friend shot a curious glance at the bar. “Is that Ryder?”

Eliza didn’t even need to look in that direction to know the man was staring. “He bought me a drink while I was waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry I was late.” A look of annoyance crossed Lindsay’s face. “Dan is rewriting his sermon for tomorrow and kept asking for feedback.”

When Eliza pulled back a chair at a recently vacated four-top, her friend slung her purse on one of the extras then sat. “As if I could add anything.”

“You said you weren’t busy when I called.” Eliza frowned. “But it sounds as if Dan—”

“We were together all afternoon.” Lindsay heaved a heavy sigh. “Believe me, I was ready for a break.” Picking up a menu, she shot a look at Eliza. “Interested in splitting some nachos?”

Eliza shrugged, nodded.

“Hey, gals.” Hadley Newhouse, Ami’s second-in-command at the bakery, appeared tableside, notepad in hand. Dressed in the Flying Crane uniform of all black with a red crane logo across the shirtfront, she smiled brightly. “What can I get you?”

“A Corona and a plate of Ultimate Nachos.” Lindsay glanced at Eliza. “You have to promise to eat some.”

“I can do that.” Eliza turned to Hadley. “I’ll take a Corona, too.”

“Can’t have nachos without beer.” Hadley offered a wink. “Back in a jiffy.”

Other than a brief conversation to set up this meet, Eliza hadn’t spoken with Lindsay alone since Dan proposed. She wondered if her friend had been as surprised by the proposal as she’d looked.

Eliza kept the conversation general until Hadley returned with their beers and a heaping platter of nachos. Once Hadley was out of earshot, Eliza picked up a chip smothered in beans and cheese and got down to business. “Did you know Dan was going to pop the question last night?”

Lindsay scooped guacamole onto a chip and shook her head. “Complete surprise.”

Eliza paused to consider her next words. Though she preferred to be blunt, Dan was the man Lindsay had agreed to marry. Doing an end-around to ferret out the information, rather than simply asking why the minister had put her on the spot, seemed wiser. “You never liked being the center of attention.”

“Dan asked my mother for her blessing.”

Eliza blinked at the odd response. “Bet that was fun,” she drawled and made Lindsay smile.

“She likes Dan. Well enough, anyway.”

Knowing Anita, “well enough” was probably accurate. The business owner had always had high aspirations for her youngest daughter. Yet, Lindsay had passed the big 3-0 last year.

The potential-husband pool had done some serious shrinking, and many of the men Anita would consider eligible for her baby girl were now married. At least Dan Marshall was a well-respected minister in Good Hope.

“If he spoke with her, I can’t believe she didn’t tell him you wouldn’t like the proposal to be so public.” The minute the words left Eliza’s lips, she wanted to pull them back. It wasn’t Anita’s job to warn him. Dan should have known Lindsay well enough to figure that out for himself.

“He told her how he planned to do it.” Lindsay reached for another chip, her face expressionless. “Mom wouldn’t have said anything, because she’d want me to be the center of attention.”

Eliza thought about the Ready, Set, Wed competition. It was the reason she’d asked Lindsay to meet with her this evening. She briefly considered saying nothing. But what if Lindsay wanted to be involved?

“I had an ulterior motive in asking you to meet me tonight.” Eliza took a sip of beer. “But I want you to be honest with me.”

A wary look crossed Lindsay’s face. “What is it?”

“How would you and Dan like to be Good Hope’s bridal couple in the Ready, Set, Wed competition?”