Page 6 of Two of a Kind
Kayla looked at her watch and gasped. She couldn’t believe time had passed so quickly. Brushing off the dust and cobwebs from her forearms and backside, she hurried back downstairs and locked up. She thought briefly about returning at another time, then decided against it. The trip down memory lane had brought back a lot of things she wasn’t proud of. It was past time to close the door and leave them behind for good.
There wasn’t enough time to drive up to the Goddess, where Lexi was surely preparing for the dinner crowd. However, if she hurried, she could swing by the pub on the way back to Brandyville and drop off the key with Ian or Jake, or whoever happened to be there, get back to her place to change, and make it to work on time.
Chapter Five
It had been nearlya decade since she had last stepped foot in Jake’s Irish Pub. The place still looked the same with its dark, polished hardwoods and gleaming brass bar accents—the welcoming, small-town atmosphere that made patrons instantly feel at home.
A sense of déjà vu washed over her for the second time that day. Years ago, she had worked here, behind the bar. Despite being tumultuous years, they had also been some of the happiest times of her life. Bartending, laughing, flirting, enjoying the physical attentions of JakeandIan Callaghan ...
“Kayla.” Jake’s deep voice cut through the quiet din, anything but welcoming.
She snapped her head over to where he was emerging from the storage area with a case of top-shelf liquor. “Jake,” she greeted, summoning a smile.
The man still looked damn good. Tall and broad, his jet-black hair was just beginning to show the slightest hint of frost around the temples. Hers would, too, if she didn’t spend so much at the salon every couple weeks. Hell, at only four years older than her, he was nearing forty.
Her smile faltered when his trademark Callaghan eyes remained cool and frosty. “Is Ian around?”
“Why?” If possible, those blue eyes turned even icier.
Kayla fought the urge to say “fuck it” and walk right back out. Yeah, she had a history here, and it wasn’t a good one, but things had changed. He was married with kids now, and she was a mature woman who had come with only charitable intentions.
Aware of the curious stares she was receiving, she held her head high and retained a polite smile as she walked over to the bar.
“This is the key to Brian’s house,” she said, sliding the small envelope toward him. “I’ll be putting it on the market soon. Tell Lexi there’s some stuff in the attic she may want.”
Jake glanced down at the key, but said nothing.
“Right. That’s all, then. Lexi can return the key to Pine Ridge Realty when she’s done. They’ll be handling everything.”
Kayla turned around and walked out, exhaling when she reached the sidewalk.Well, she thought,that went better than expected.
Feeling as if she had just crossed another long bridge from her past, Kayla drove out of Pine Ridge without looking back.
* * *
“Was that Kayla?” Ianasked darkly. He had followed Jake out from the storage room with another case. Now his eyes followed the figure as she walked out the front door.
