A Family Affair (Book 1 of the Smalltown Superstars Series)

3

Raven walked into the Higgins gas station early that morning dressed and ready to go fishing. Only she had one small problem, she did not know where Liam went fishing, but she knew just who to ask. She saw the smile on the old clerk’s face when he saw her and Maggie coming to the counter.

“Well now fancy seeing you again.” He grinned. “And you brought a pretty friend this time.”

“Yeah, I was just wondering, you were so helpful the last time perhaps you might help me again.” Raven asked with a hopeful smile.

“Well certainly I will give it a try. What can I do for you?” He asked leaning on the counter expectantly.

“I heard that Liam Archer was going fishing today and I was going to join him. Only I don’t know where it is he went. You wouldn’t happen to know where he goes fishing would you?” She asked sweetly.

The old clerk grinned knowingly. “Yes, I do. He and the guys always go to the same spot. Creatures of habit they are.” He said standing up straight and reaching for a road map of the area. “They fish at the Pembina River. By the mouth of the creek. There is a camp ground nearby where they set up camp.” He said drawing a route out on the map to the very spot on the river bend. “Just follow the red line I have drawn and it should take you straight to him.” He said handing her the map. Raven took out a ten-dollar bill to pay the man for the map and he held up his hand refusing to accept the money. “No, it is on the house. You ladies have fun.”

“Thank you…Mr.?” Raven stopped unsure of his name.

“Gordon Tibbens.” He introduced himself.

“Raven Micelles.” She did the same. “This is my friend Maggie Diggs.”

“A pleasure to meet you both.” He said shaking both their hands. “What exactly is it about Liam Archer that has a pretty girl like you following him around all of a sudden? If you don’t mind my asking?” Mr. Tibbens asked.

“I’m getting married to his brother in six weeks and I am trying to convince the stubborn fool to come to the wedding, but he is being difficult.” She admitted.

“Well good luck there. There is a lot of bad blood between those two boys. It is not likely that Liam is going to forgive Dawson. I have not seen Dawson around these parts in years. Not since Liam ran him out of town.”

Raven was surprised to hear that Dawson ever spent time at all in a small town of any kind, he didn’t seem the type. “Dawson use to be here?” She asked.

“Oh yeah all the time. I remember those two boys chasing each other up and down the street and getting in to all sorts of trouble growing up. They use to be thick as thieves.” Mr. Tibbens said with a fond grin.

“They grew up here?” She said surprised. She had always thought Dawson grew up in the city.

“Oh no.” The old man laughed. “No, they lived in the city with their parents, but their grand pappy he lived out here all his life. Those boys spent every summer of their lives out here. I don’t think Dowson liked it much but the country was in Liam’s blood. Once he grew up he moved out here to stay. Dawson stuck to the city, he liked the luxury and convenience more.” That certainly sounded more like the Dawson Raven knew. “Was a nasty shame the business that came between those two boys, nasty business.” He said shaking his head. “Shame they could never put it behind them, but what Dawson did was wrong.” He said shaking his finger accusingly. “I don’t blame Liam one bit for what he did, I tell you, not one bit.”

Raven’s curiosity was peaked obviously everyone in town here must have known the story of what had come between Dawson and Liam. Since no one in the family had seen fit to tell her maybe this man would. “What exactly did Dawson do?” She asked.

Mr. Tibbens stared at her questioningly for a moment. “No one told you?”

“No, they tend to be rather hush-hush about it.” She admitted.

Suddenly the old clerk closed up. “Oh no, it is not my place to tell. I wouldn’t go spreading gossip. If they wanted you to know they would be the ones to tell you. I’m sorry Miss. Micelles, you enjoy your fishing trip.” He said walking off to fiddle with the stock on one of his shelves.

Raven frowned, obviously she wasn’t getting anything from him. The women returned to their car and headed out for the river. They followed the road map and found it not too difficult to find. It was about thirty minutes east of the town. Pembina turned out to be a Provencal park. It was really quite nice from what they saw as they drove in. The camp ground was full, apparently it was a very popular place to be. Many of the sections were by reservation only. In fact, the section that Mr. Tibbens map said to go to was one of those reserved sections.

Raven turned her car down the road Mr. Tibbens had indicated and looked for something that looked familiar. She hoped to spot Liam but he was nowhere in sight. However, she did see something she recognized. A tent trailer, the same one she had seen yesterday at the rodeo. The one she knew to be his. It was set up in a unit with a huge black pickup truck that was caked in dust and dried mud. There were some other things around; some folding chairs, a few coolers and some chopped wood.

There was a small red tent set up next to the tent trailer and a huge blue tent next to it, right behind a large red pickup truck and another white pickup truck. Well at least she assumed it was white, it was hard to tell under all that mud and filth. She didn’t see anyone around though so they must have been down by the river already she assumed. They must have left really early to have gotten here and already set up by this early.

Raven parked in front of the black pickup truck and she and Maggie got out. Raven popped the trunk and the two women retrieved the fishing gear they had borrowed from Maggie’s brother. Neither one of them really knew how to use it but how hard could fishing really be? Raven took one last look at the map and tossed it into the trunk and shut it. “Ok if that guy was right, and hopefully he was, they fish just down there.” She said leading the way toward the bushes.

“Raven are you sure this is where he is set up? I don’t know if we should leave the car here. What if we are wrong and someone has us towed?” Maggie asked worrying about just leaving their things behind.

“I’m pretty sure.” She said finding a path through the bushes that lead down to the river. It was a bit steep but nothing they couldn’t handle. They reached the rocky clearing at the bottom and saw the wide span revealing the beautiful river bank. The water was crystal clear, she could see right through it. It looked like it was shallow and flowed rather slow too. Farther down the bank where the creek fed into the river and things became a little deeper, she saw a group of fishermen standing in the water. Some knee-deep other waist deep. Each happy and content casting their lines out and talking. There were four of them.

Raven recognized one from the rodeo yesterday, he had been the one bandaging Liam’s wrist when she came across him. Today he stood in the water wearing blue swim trunks and a grey tank top. There was a short skinny fellow with glasses and dark hair that she hadn’t seen before, in jean shorts and a green t-shirt. Farther in the water, up to his waist, was a bigger fellow with a scruffy blond beard and a beer belly. He was topless but he wore a dark red trucker’s cap.

Raven then spotted Liam. He was standing in the river up to his knees casting out his line. Her breath caught in her chest as her eyes raked over him. All he wore was a pair of maroon coloured swim short and not a thing else. The rest of his body was bare, exposed to the summer sun and for all to see. He was magnificent, all bronzed corded muscle. Smooth skin pulled tout over a hard body. He was the very picture of masculine beauty. Raven felt her cheeks fill with heat as her mind flooded with so many inappropriate thoughts.

“Is that them?” Maggie asked coming up behind her. Raven looked at Liam. His dark hair shining in the sun, the smile on his face making him look so tempting. She nodded. “Well witch one is the brother?”

“That one.” Raven said pointing to Liam.

“Wow! You didn’t say he was cute. I wouldn’t have complained so much about coming.” She grinned. “Hey maybe I can get him to come as my date.” Maggie suggested. “We will both win.” She said with a cheeky grin. “Come on Raven let’s go get him.” Maggie said leading the way.