Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Libby nodded, looked around, cleared her throat, then motioned for the three of us to come closer.
“Okay, so I feel sort of bad for talking about Merit, we were close in high school, but I don’t want you to hear the wrong version.”
We all nodded. “Go on,” Lincoln stated.
“Everyone in school knew Dirk and Merit were close. Like best friends’ kind of close. They grew up next door to each other, and Dirk protected her like a big brother would. Then, one day out of the blue, Merit told us she wanted Dirk to take her virginity.”
“Did she say why?” Kaylee asked.
Libby took another quick look in Merit’s direction. “She said she trusted him, and he had sorta been hinting at wanting her. That was all she told us, but we all knew she had a crush a Dirk. She wouldn’t admit it, because so did her best friend, Kaci.”
Lincoln and Kaylee gasped.
I knew Kaci was Brock’s first wife, but was unaware of why they gasped.
Libby went on. “The next week in school, everyone was talking about how Mr. Eden found Dirk and Merit up in her daddy’s hay loft. It was apparent something had happened between the two of them.”
“Had he caught them in the act?” I gasped.
Libby shook her head. “No, but it was clear they had done something. When we asked Merit about it, though, she almost cried. She said it was all a joke and that she hated Dirk and never wanted to talk about him or what had happened ever again.”
We all frowned. “What did she mean, it was all a joke?” Kaylee asked.
With a half shrug, Libby replied, “No one really knows. Merit never talked about it again, and from what I know, Dirk has never mentioned it either. Everyone knew Dirk had a thing for Kaci, but I also used to see the way he looked at Merit. Dirk didn’t look at her like a guy who thought of her as a sister, if you know what I mean. And truth be told, he never looked at Kaci that way either. I always sort of thought Dirk had a thing for Merit, but was maybe too afraid of losing their friendship.”
“Kaci, Brock’s first wife?” I asked.
“Ugh, long story, but yes, Dirk liked her,” Kaylee said as Lincoln nodded.
Libby went on. “Anyway, they both pretty much swept it under the rug. Then after graduation, Merit went off to college at NYU. She got her degree and stayed in New York City. She always comes home to visit her folks—apparently always when Dirk is on the circuit. She never really tried to connect much with any of us from high school. She had kept in touch with me for a little while, then we kind of lost touch. Last month, though, she moved back home. For good, according to her mother. I haven’t had a chance to catch up with her, so I have no idea why she’s here. Of course, the rumor mill of Hamilton says she was dumped by her longtime boyfriend, fired from her job, and had no choice but to move back home. I know Merit, though, and she’s not that type of woman. If she has a problem, she isn’t slinking back into town with her head hanging down. She’s home for a reason. A big one.”
We all turned and looked over to where Merit had been standing. The Eden family was no longer talking to Stella and Ty Senior.
“I wonder why she’s back home?” Lincoln asked, the gossip clearly intriguing her.
Libby drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “My best guess is it has something to do with the family farm. I think they’re in a bit of a financial mess, and Merit came home with the intention of fixing it. That farm means everything to her and her brother.”
Kaylee took a sip of her water. “Well, by the look on Dirk’s face when he found out she was back in town, and the way he was staring at her earlier, I’m going to guess there was more to that lose-her-virginity-night than we know, and I intend on finding out what happened.”
“How are you going to find out, Kaylee?” Lincoln asked.
With a slow shake of her head, Kaylee replied, “I don’t know. But I’ll come up with something.”
“Dear God, those are words I do not want to hear come out of my wife’s mouth,” Ty said as he kissed a surprised Kaylee on the lips.
“Ty, did you happen to see where Tanner went?” I asked.
“Yeah, I think he offered to show Merit something my father’s working on. I’m guessing maybe he’s with her in Dad’s office.”
“Oh,” I said as I looked toward the hallway that led to Ty Senior’s office.
Libby touched my arm, and I glanced her way. “Don’t worry.”