Drew was staring at her.
She could understand why. What the hell was she doing telling him all of that? She tried to keep her past, especially her family ties, to herself. She didn’t need people in Autre knowing that her dad had done prison time. And likely would again.
Rory ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry. I don’t know why I spilled all of that.” She winced. “Is there any chance you could maybe not tell Paige or Jordan or Charlie or any of the other Landrys about that?”
Rory knew that Paige was from the same town Drew was. That was how he’d gotten to know Jordan and Charlie and had gotten roped into bringing reindeer to Louisiana.
She still didn’t know why the guy was willing to drive this far just so they’d have reindeer for their Christmas village, but it was really nice. He seemed like a good guy.
Wow, she should probably leave him alone if Roger was in town. Roger had a way of making good things, and good people, not so good.
Drew nodded. “I can do that. Though I doubt anyone would blame you for things your dad did.”
“I’d just rather not be associated with him at all.”
Drew tucked his hands into his front pockets. “Okay. And I can understand why you don't want to see him.”
Yeah, see, he was a good guy.
“Well, I'm sure he's here for money. And I don't have any. Not that I ever really do, but he knows that I’m usually happy to give him what I do have just to get rid of him.” She held up a hand. “And yes, I know that’s enabling him.”
“I’m not going to judge your relationship with your dad, Rory.”
There was something about the way he said her name that made her stomach dip in a weird, not-unpleasant way.
She believed him. “Well, this time I really can’t give him anything. I bought the salon here three years ago and I'm working to pay off that loan, so I don't have a lot of extra money. I live in the apartment over it, so I don’t have any additional assets beyond that building. So Daddy Dearest is gonna have to hit the road without any pocket change from his favorite—and as far as I know, only—daughter.”
And again, what the hell was she doing spilling all of that? Her financial situation was none of Drew Ryan’s business. Nor was her relationship with her dad. Or her crush on Beau Hebert. Why was she suddenly doing a tell-all here? Maybe because he wasn’t from Autre and there was no way she was going to get involved with him.
“Oh, hey, Drew!”
Thank God, Rory thought as a voice called out.
They both turned to find Jordan Landry stepping into the barn, interrupting them before Drew could respond to the further info dump about her life.
“I didn’t know you’d made it! I’m so glad to see you!” Jordan said, coming forward with a huge grin.
“Hey, Jordan!”
Drew gave the other woman a big smile that made Rory’s breath catch for a second. God, he was good-looking.
Jordan Landry was the education director for the Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild, and had been Rory's primary contact, along with Charlie Landry, Jordan's cousin-in-law, in getting the Santa's Village set up. Rory loved Jordan and Charlie. In fact, she wanted to be like them when she grew up.
Which was kind of funny, and kind of pathetic, considering she was their age.
But they definitely had their crap more together than she did and, as pathetic as it may seem, she wanted to impress these two women. She wanted to be their friend and she wanted to do more community projects with them.
They were both a part of the Landry family, which was a bit like being royalty in Autre anyway, but they were also very well-liked and respected for their own contributions to the town.
Drew met Jordan halfway and caught her up in a hug. “It's so nice to finally meet you in person.”
“Same. Thank you so much for coming!”
Drew set Jordan back on her feet and they grinned at each other as if they were old friends.
“Beau just dropped off a huge donation of toys for Santa to give out to the kids,” Jordan said, including both Rory and Drew in the explanation. “I'm sure he'd be happy to help you unload the reindeer after we get everything into the storage area.”
“Absolutely happy to,” Beau said, stepping into the barn. He glanced over. “Hey, Rory.”
Damn, he was good-looking too. And he had a drawl. Drew didn’t. And through his mom’s side of the family, Beau was related to one branch of the Landry family tree. Everyone here was just one big, connected family, whether it was by blood or friendship. Every time Rory was around them, she was filled with happiness, along with an ache to be included in it all.
Beau Hebert checked all of her boxes. He was a hard-working, blue-collar, small-town guy who was hot, had a Louisiana drawl, and had roots here in Autre.
But her lips were still tingling from the Iowa farmer standing just two feet away from him.
Crap.
“Hey, Beau,” she said, giving him a big, bright, I’m-happy-to-see-you-and-you-should-ask-me-out-don’t-mind-the-earlier-kissing-another-guy-thing smile.
“Actually, that’s okay,” Drew said. “Rory can help me.”
Rory looked at Drew. He was scowling. At Beau.
What were they talking about? She was going to help him with what?
“Oh,” Jordan said. “Are you sure?” The last question was directed at Rory.
Rory looked at Drew. She wasn’t sure what he meant, exactly. “Well, I could—”
But Drew grabbed her hand. “Yep, we’re good. We’ve already covered everything we needed to,” he said, tugging her through the bar. “So we’re just going to go…take care of…the stuff,” he finished as he pulled her through the back door and around the corner of the barn.
They were several yards across the dirt before she asked, “What is ‘everything’ we covered?”
“That you didn’t want to see your dad,” he said.
“Oh.” She glanced back.
“I saw him coming toward the barn again. I figured it was just easier to get you out of there. But you don’t mind helping unload the reindeer, do you?”
Oh, the reindeer. Right. Jordan had offered Beau’s help and Drew had said Rory could help him instead. To save her from her dad apparently. For a second, she’d thought maybe it was to keep her with him a little longer. Or to keep her away from Beau. But if Beau had gone to help with the reindeer that would have done the same. So, keeping her away from her dad made more sense.
See? That was good guy stuff right there.
Sure, maybe Beau would have chivalrously run interference with Roger as well, but Beau didn’t know about her dad. Because she’d never told him. They’d never really talked like that. She’d cut his hair a couple of times—the guy had really great hair—and they’d hung out at Ellie’s bar a couple of times. Not together. Just at the same time. With lots of other people around. They’d also been to several crawfish boils and other such events together. They’d flirted a little and danced, but they hadn’t talked about anything personal.
She glanced up at Drew Ryan.
Of course, she’d known this guy for less than an hour and had spilled her guts in a thirty-second monologue to him in the middle of a barn, so it wasn’t like time constraints or setting were a great excuse for not telling Beau anything personal.