“He is. I guess I just struggle with someone who’s known me four months now, and ignores me unless I say hello first.”

“Manners are important,” Dylan said with his eyes still on the café. “I met him over oatmeal this morning. He has a good handshake.”

“Nice that you and your family are spending time together.”

Piper looked at his clenched jaw and fierce expression. She didn’t think he’d answer her, and why should he, she’d only met him yesterday, and they both knew he wasn’t exactly one for talking. Besides, they also both knew she was blatantly prying.

“Not so much. Firstly, there’s my hatred of oatmeal, a Howard staple. Plus it’s fair to say Ava hates me, and Charlie’s just disinterested.”

“I’m sorry for that, but it’s going to happen if you lose contact, which I’m guessing is the case?”

“Sure, and I deserve it. Ava was a little girl when I left, and we’d been close. I was her big brother, the man who should have slayed her dragons and frightened off the losers. I didn’t. And Charlie, who wants me to call her Charlotte, is wrapped up in herself and work.... actually, she’s just like me.”

“You didn’t see them often?”

“No.”

“Why didn’t you come back until now?” Another personal question Piper had no right to ask but did anyway.

He looked down at her and the pain in his eyes almost made her wince.

“Because I hated this place.”

Chapter 8

Dylan swallowed the lump in his throat. He’d never talked about his reasons for not coming back to Ryker, and he’d definitely never had a lump in his throat. What the hell was the matter with him? For some reason this place was starting to get to him, and it was only two days in to his return.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said I hated Ryker. That wasn’t very nice, considering you live here.”

“We’re strangers. If you’re gonna spill your innards, I always find strangers are the best for that, because, a: you’re never likely to see them again, and b: they don’t know your friends, so word doesn’t spread... although there is social media.”

Dylan snorted. “I just said I hated the place, not a major confession.”

“So was it hard?”

“What?”

“Being Mary Howard’s son?”

“I’m sure that question is way too personal seeing as we’ve only known each other two days.”

“Probably.” Piper shrugged. “But then you’ve already told me plenty, so there’s really no going back now.”

“It had its moments, but I wouldn’t be doing my duty as her son if I said anything else.”

“She’s sure a peach.”