Another untruth, she thought. One she’d tried to tell herself.
But one thing was very true. This was the town that Kyle had never left. Refused to leave, more like it. And that was something that she didn’t need to be reminded about because she had never forgotten it, or forgiven him.
“I assumed word would have traveled by now,” she said pleasantly. They both knew how the gossip mill ran in this town, and Patsy was a willing participant. “I’m opening a shop.” She didn’t go into further detail. He’d lost the right to know about her life a long time ago.
He glanced at the old clothing shop as if only now placing her connection to it. His gaze slid back to her, and if she didn’t know better, she’d say he was frowning. “So you’ve moved back then? You’re not just visiting?”
“Nope,” she said, slapping her hands at her hips. “I mean, yep. I mean, I’m…I’m here to stay.”
The frown that pulled at his brow was noticeable, and she released a shaky breath. She looked down the street in the direction of Gabby’s flower shop. Seriously, where was her sister?
Maybe she should start walking in that direction. Chances were that Gabby would be pulling up at any minute, or she’d pass her on her walk. There was plenty she could say to Kyle (and plenty that she wanted to say, oh yes), but now wasn’t the time.
She glanced back at Kyle. His brown hair was still wavy, cut a little shorter than it was last time she’d seen him. He was wearing a blue tee-shirt that brought out the color of his eyes. Brought out some nicely defined muscles in those arms, too, she thought, then quickly darted her gaze back up to his face.
So he looked good. Lots of men did. It didn’t mean she got all girly and weird about it. Besides, she had a new shop to run and dresses to make, appointments to book. Now wasn’t the time for a relationship.
Especially not with Kyle of all people. She’d made that mistake once in her life. Had a marriage certificate to prove it, too.
A vehicle honked and Brooke jumped, almost forgetting that she had been out here for a purpose, waiting for her sister, who was now waving through the window, a big smile on her face that slipped only slightly when Kyle turned and waved back.
“That’s my ride,” Brooke said, moving toward the street.
“Guess there’s no sense in saying good-bye, now that you’re here to stay,” Kyle said, accentuating her words. His look was appraising as she reached for the handle to Gabby’s flower delivery van. “But then, I don’t seem to recall you saying good-bye last time I saw you, either.”
Brooke pinched her lips and pulled open the door. Leave it to Kyle to remember that detail and leave out the rest, like the reason she’d left him to begin with. She fought back the words that threatened to spill, her heart speeding up with a fresh wave and frustration that only Kyle could spark in her.
She pushed it back, reminded herself that it was in the past. That there was nothing left to talk to Kyle about—well, except one thing. She’d need to stay on his good side if she wanted that loan to come through, so she forced a tight smile and said, “I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.”
It was a guarantee, living in a town this small, and one she had known coming back here.
But sliding into the seat and being pulled in for a hug by her sister reminded her that this was why she’d come back, that her family was worth it. And that Kyle meant nothing at all.
2
Kyle pushed through the door of Harrison’s Pub and walked straight to the bar. The anchor-shaped clock on the shiplap wall said it was four minutes past five. Not that he needed an excuse. Brooke Conway was back in town, and the words straight from her mouth were that she was here to stay, and that…Well, that called for more than a beer on tap.
He pulled a shot glass from the shelf under the bar, filled it with whiskey, and knocked it back, letting it burn his throat.
“Whoa there,” he heard someone chuckle. He glowered at his older brother, whose amusement at his misfortune was hardly appreciated. “Bad day?”
Kyle raised an eyebrow but didn’t elaborate. Ryan would hear soon enough. Everyone would. And then everyone would be looking at him, watching him, waiting for a reaction, a story to share over a pint.
He wasn’t going to give them one. So Brooke was back in town. They’d gone their separate ways coming up on six years now. Yes, he could state the exact amount of time, without really needing to stop and calculate it, but why harp on the past?
Even if the past had just become the present.
“We need to discuss your plans for the menu,” Kyle said instead. He rinsed the shot glass and set it upside down on the mat to dry, eager to change the subject, and not just to ward off a deeper investigation from his brother. He needed to focus on something he could make sense of, not let his mind trail to things—and people—that he’d rather forget.
“Finally seeing things my way?” Ryan looked downright boastful. With their four-year age gap, Ryan was still of the impression that he held some authority over his younger brother, even if Kyle had been the one running this pub single-handedly, and doing a fine enough job of it, too.
“I told you,” Kyle said, exasperated. “I like the menu the way it is. And so does everyone else. And you’d know that
