A Tangled Web - R.G. Alexander Page 0,28

difficult terrain to any of their neighbors. Stax smiled sedately, reaching for an object leaning against the wall of the house before holding up his walking stick.

“Found it.”

It was a thick, twisted length of wood covered in detailed carvings. Liam couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it earlier. His first thought was that his father would love one just like it. “That’s beautiful craftsmanship. Did you make it?”

Stax shrugged modestly. “It’s something I do to keep my hands busy between jobs.”

“It’s good,” Liam says sincerely, though the last thing he felt like doing was giving the off-putting man a compliment. “You could make a fortune around here with a talent like that.”

“Don’t they say money can’t buy happiness?” Stax twirled the staff in his hands, shifting it from one palm to the other, his movements hypnotic. “I suppose you know that better than most, don’t you, Texas?”

Liam’s smile hardened. “Not sure what you’re talking about.”

“Relax.” The longhaired drifter chuckled at his expression. “It’s what you expected when you saw me, so I thought I’d have a little fun. I’m not here to rob you or shake you down, I promise. Nick thinks I don’t understand the subtleties of civilized communication, but the truth is I’d rather say what I think than bite my tongue.” He bared his teeth. “My fangs are too sharp for that.”

Liam snorted, walking over to the outdoor kitchen while scrubbing his face with his hands. He supposed he had been guilty of judging him for his appearance, and he was in no shape to throw stones of any kind. “After a march like that I suppose I should offer you a drink.”

Stax tilted his head, studying Liam intently. “Kindness for a stranger, even now. It says a lot about you, not that I needed to know more. You’re very popular around these parts, you know.”

“Am I?” Liam was skeptical, reaching for two of the water bottles he kept in the outside fridge near the grill and tossing one to Stax. “Has Jace been telling stories again?”

“And others.” Stax sat on the concrete beside the pool, taking a long drink before looking up at the sky thoughtfully. “From what I hear you’re a good tipper, you carry bags for old ladies and always pull over if someone’s stuck on the side of the road. Oh,” he added, as if it just occurred to him. “But most of them agree with Jace when it comes to your roommate situation. They all know you’re in love with her, and no one is sure why you aren’t doing anything about it.”

“That’s not their business.” Liam dropped on the nearest lounge chair across from Stax, glaring. “It’s not yours either.”

“You know what strangers are good for, Liam Cane? Fresh eyes to help put things into perspective. What harm would it do for you to hear about what mine see? It might help.”

“Why would you want to help me? A stranger.” Though it wasn’t as if he could talk to anyone else. His parents didn’t understand any more than his friends did. And he couldn’t explain it, because Dani’s secrets weren’t his to share.

“We’re not really strangers, Liam. You belong here. You’ve made a home. Good friends. You respect this land and you always have. It suits your nature far more than the fast-paced life you left behind. She isn’t the only reason you’d stay.”

He wasn’t wrong. Liam loved his family, but anytime he thought about going back to the crowded cities and busy freeways, he felt a migraine coming on. As far as the business, he’d read all the status reports from his sister and given his advice when requested. But she didn’t seem to need his presence to get things done. If anything, she was thriving in her role without him.

Dani wasn’t the only reason he stayed, but she was the one that made it feel like home. If they went their separate ways, no view would ever be able to compete with that loss. “She’s the only one that matters.”

“That is a good and honest answer.”

Liam threw Stax a steely look. Why was he telling him this? “You’re not a reporter, are you?”

“Definitely not.”

“Then why are you asking people about me?”

“You believe in Kaya’s gut feelings, don’t you?”

“I do.” And if her spot-on instincts and the way she’d befriended Dani hadn’t won him over, the fact that she always threw Jace off his game definitely would have. “Are you saying you’re like her? That you wandered into my house last