Her Unexpected Detour (Checkerberry Inn)

by Kyra Jacobs

  “No,” he said, his voice void of humor. “It seems I’m the only one who gets to haul you around town.”

  The burning in her cheeks intensified. Brent returned with the plates and resumed his place at the table. He took a long drag from his beer, then looked her way. “If I ask you a question, will you give me an honest answer?”

  She squirmed beneath the intensity of his gaze. “Maybe.”

  “You didn’t really come up here to visit your brother, did you?”

  Kayla tipped her own bottle back and considered her response. She’d danced around the question at dinner on Friday, offered a pseudo-truth about the reason for her trip north. But that had been more about saving face in front of Ruby than anything else. Here, in Brent’s kitchen, she felt no need to keep up the charade. Still, his question surprised her.

  “Not exactly, no.”

  “Besides, you were all dressed up for work, which leads me to believe that either (a) you got fired, or (b) something sent you running.”

  Kayla’s eyes narrowed.

  “Ah, so you did run away from something.”

  “I didn’t run away. I just…left to get coffee and never went back.”

  “So you ran away.”

  Kayla slammed her beer down. “I didn’t run away.”

  “What happened at work, Kayla?”

  Brent’s voice was soft now. Concerned. She looked away.

  “Tell me.”

  Kayla sucked in a deep breath, then slowly released it. She had no idea why he was asking, or why he even seemed to care. Still, she felt an odd compulsion to come clean with him.

  “Friday morning I got called into my boss’s office and blamed for instigating a malicious prank on our biggest client. Which, of course, I would never, ever do. But instead of believing me when I swore I’d been set up, they handed me a week off with no pay. Technically, it wasn’t supposed to start until Monday. I planned to work the rest of the day, but…” She shook her head and sighed.

  “Do you know who set you up?”

  “Took me until I got up here and told the story to Tommy, but yeah, I figured it out. My boss’s worthless stepson. The guy’s been trying to outdo me since the day I started there. But he’s lazy and doesn’t have an eye for design like I do.”

  Brent scowled. “So, what are you going to do?”

  “Go back and find a way to clear my name, try to redeem my reputation. I just haven’t figured out how to do that quite yet.” She took another sip of her beer, feeling ten pounds lighter now that she’d gotten the “big secret” off her chest. “What would you do if you were me?”

  “Me? I’d punch the guy.”

  They both looked down at his hand, wrapped in ice, and burst out laughing.

  Kayla picked at the label on her beer bottle. “Yeah, well, something tells me my punch wouldn’t have the same effect.”

  The oven timer went off, and Brent rose to his feet. “Don’t underestimate yourself, Kayla,” he said, his face suddenly serious. “Or the power you hold over other people.”

  With that he walked away, leaving her to wonder what the heck that was all about.

  Brent pulled the pizza out a short time later and, as they dug into an incredibly late dinner, he was careful not to bring up anything else about her work. Instead they talked hobbies. They talked baseball and cars. And, trivial as it all was, by the end of their meal he found himself hanging on her every word.

  Whether from the beer or the company, Kayla let down her guard. The woman couldn’t speak without using her hands to illustrate, and when she talked about the things she enjoyed most, her features took on a youthful glow. She was endearing, adorable, and sharp as a tack. When she smiled, he couldn’t help but smile, too. And when she teased him about his favorite ball team—she was a Cards fan, the poor girl—he felt compelled to razz her back. By the end of their meal, Brent felt as though he had an old friend seated across from him, not a near stranger.

  Still, he did his best to remember it was all temporary. She wouldn’t be here tomorrow, or much longer tonight. Even so, when a knock sounded at his front door midway through their second round of beer, pain still laced itself around his heart.

  Kayla threw Brent a quizzical look as Bear started for the door, his tail wagging.

  “Expecting someone?” She threw him another one of her teasing grins.

  He looked away and reluctantly rose from his chair. “Probably just Miles.”

  Of course it was Miles, though he couldn’t bring himself to tell her. Nor had he been able to admit that his earlier call had involved not only the request from Kayla, but also one of his own. It’d seemed like the right move to make at the time, the safer move, but now he wasn’t so sure.

  He trudged down the hall, wishing it was someone else—anyone else—and yet knowing only Miles’s presence had the power to lure Bear from their guest’s side. His evening with Kayla had been magical, even more so than their lust-filled fling on Friday. Her musical laughter had breathed life back into his old farmhouse. Hell, had breathed life back into him. When was the last time he’d sat at the kitchen table and shared stories from his youth? Or cooked dinner and ate it somewhere other than in front of the television?

  Ah, but that was exactly why she needed to leave. Kayla was a liability—her presence alone jeopardized his very existence. He’d decided long ago to avoid love, to stay single and keep his heart safe. For Brent, love always led to loss, and he didn’t possess the strength to survive any more of that.

  No, he’d done the right thing, asking Miles to come and take her off his hands. He knew the power she wielded over him and had taken a preemptive step in protecting his heart. So why was he having such a hard time convincing himself to open the door?

  “I know you’re there, man. Let me in already.”

  Impatience rang clear in Miles’s voice. Asking him to abandon his date after standing him up had been ballsy. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Brent pulled the door open and braced himself for a verbal assault. Surprisingly, the only thing Miles shot his way was a dirty look.

  “Thanks for coming, man” Brent said. “Did you talk to her brother?”

  “Miles?” Kayla came down the hall and stopped beside Brent. “What are you doing here?”

  Miles threw Brent an “are you kidding me?” look, then shook his head and forced a smile onto his lips.

  “Well, I wanted to let you know I found your brother. Told him Brent saved your ass. Again.”

  “Saved all of me, is more like it.” Kayla reached out and set her hand on Brent’s shoulder. Guilt-induced nausea washed over him, and he bit back the bile creeping up his throat.

  “But you didn’t have to drive all the way over here to tell me that. Unless…” She grimaced. “Your date didn’t go so well tonight, did it?”

  Miles’s eyes narrowed as his gaze settled on Brent. “Not the way I’d planned it would, no.”

  “Aw, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  “He’ll get over it,” Brent said, a warning in his tone.

  Kayla nodded, unaware of the brewing tension. “So, did Tommy and Heather stick around to eat after you talked to them?”

  “Yeah. But it was more sucking the sauce off each other’s fingers than anything else.”

  Kayla’s face twisted in disgust. “Thanks, Miles—I’m gonna have that image burned into my mind all night.”

  “You and me both,” he said with a wink. “So that reminds me, your purse is in the car. You want a ride back into town?”

  “A ride? Thanks, but I think Brent was planning to take me back later.”

  Miles’s gaze shifted to his. Brent hated himself for what he was about to do, but it had to be done. He leveled a stern look at Kayla.

  “I think you should go. With Miles.”

  Guilt riddled Brent as a medley of emotions washed across her face. Confusion, understanding, rejection. She looked down at her hands for a moment. When she looked back up, Kayla wore a cool,
careful facade.

  “Fine. Just let me get my wallet.”

  She strode into the kitchen long enough to grab her wallet, then returned to the front room and stepped around him to pat Bear farewell. The giant ball of fur leaned into her and whimpered, sensing she was about to leave. Leave, and never come back.

  “Thank you, Brent,” she said, darting a quick look and polite smile in his direction as she made her way for the door. “For dinner, and another rescue. I’m sure it’ll be a relief not to have to save me again.”

  “Kayla, it’s not—” He shook his head. It was no use trying to talk his way out of this. The best he could do now was let her go and try his best to forget her.

  Miles watched Kayla brush past him, then turned a wary eye on Brent. For once, the first thing out of his mouth wasn’t a smart-ass comment. “You gonna be all right, man?”

  Brent wanted to say yes, to put on a brave face and tell his cousin he was right as rain. But the pain of knowing how much she must hate him right now rendered him silent. Miles studied him a moment more, then clapped a gentle hand on Brent’s shoulder. “Call me if you need anything.”

  Miles stepped outside, and Brent resisted the urge to follow. Instead, he closed the door and headed for the kitchen to clean up. To wipe away any evidence that Kayla had ever been there. As he did so, he told himself over and over he’d done the right thing.

  Because if she’d stayed another hour, it would have turned into two. And if she’d stayed for two, it would have turned into the entire night. His willpower would have eventually crumbled, and he would have carried her up to his bed and made love to her. And in the morning he would have awakened to find her body perfectly entwined with his again.

  That image, above all else, had scared him into asking for Miles’s help. It would have killed Brent to wake with her at his side once more. Because if there ever was a next time, Brent wasn’t sure he’d have the strength to let her go.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kayla climbed into the front passenger seat of Miles’s cherry red Camaro, trying her best to keep it together. She wanted to hit something. Or cry. Or maybe do a little of both. All she knew was the sooner she could get away from Brent, the better.

  She snapped her seat belt into place and cast a scowl out into the dark woods. What was with that man? One minute he played hero, the next he’s handing her off like yesterday’s dirty laundry. Had she done something wrong? Said something inappropriate? No, she couldn’t think of anything. Maybe the guy just had issues.

  Or maybe Kayla needed to stop letting her guard down. Wasn’t that the real reason she’d fallen prey to that stupid stunt at work? She’d started to soften up, interact on a more personal level with her ad team, and look what that had cost her.

  The driver’s side door opened, and Miles slid into his seat. “Where to, Little Miss Indiana?”

  “Back to town, I guess. My brother’s shop is across from that hardware store on East Broadway.” She threw him an apologetic look. “Sorry you got roped into playing taxi driver tonight.”

  “’S all right,” he said with a shrug. “Date wasn’t going so well, anyway.”

  “They never do, when you have to cut them short to go run favors.”

  “Not so much, no.”

  He offered her a teasing grin as he turned his key in the ignition. Still, she felt badly for ruining his night. Come to think of it, all she’d done was ruin peoples’ nights tonight. Hers included.

  “So, what’s with him, anyway?” she asked once they were back out on the main road.

  “Brent?” Miles glanced up at his rearview mirror, as if checking to ensure his cousin wasn’t within earshot. “He’s just a bit complicated, that’s all.”

  “Complicated? Is that what you call it? I would have guessed bipolar.”

  “Aw, now, don’t let his mood swings get to you. He’s been through a lot. More than anyone should ever have to.”

  Kayla stared out the windshield. She shouldn’t care about what he’d been through. Shouldn’t want to know any more at all about the big jerk. And yet, she did. “Oh?”

  “It might be hard to imagine, but Brent used to be a pretty easygoing guy. Well-loved, adventurous, funny. Growing up, the girls couldn’t get enough of him.”

  She could easily picture it. When Brent smiled—which he’d actually done quite a bit tonight before he’d kicked her out—his usual, standoffish facade was replaced with something entirely more…inviting. And, as she’d witnessed firsthand in her suite Friday night, he definitely had the total package to back up that invitation.

  “So what happened? He get cut from the varsity football squad or something?”

  “Oh, hell no,” Miles said. “Coach Smith would have walked across hot coals before doing that. Brent was one badass tight end, among other things. But that was before the crash.”

  “Crash? He was in some kind of accident?”

  “No, not Brent. His parents. They were on a plane, coming back for our college graduation. Their flight was due to touch down a few hours before the ceremony.” Miles grew quiet for a moment, then shook his head. “I was there when he got the call. To say he was devastated would be an understatement.”

  “Oh, how awful.”

  A shocked numbness washed over Kayla. Losing her mother to cancer had been bad enough. But to lose both parents at the same time without warning? She couldn’t even begin to imagine what that would have done to her.

  “Brent loved his parents; he was always really close with both of them. When they died, a piece of him died, too.

  “At the time,” Miles continued after a moment, “all I could think was thank God he still had Nikki.”

  “Is that his sister?”

  “No, Brent’s an only child. Nikki was his girlfriend. She was the glue that held him together when he went through his own personal hell. Without her there, I don’t know how he would have survived it all.”

  Kayla could see the parallels between Brent’s nightmare and her own. Tommy had been her Nikki, her rock. But her brother had relied on Kayla as well, and together they’d walked away from their mother’s death stronger. Closer. She wished the same had been true of her father.

  “So, how long has it been?” she asked. “Since his parents died?”

  “We graduated from Central Michigan the summer of 2006, so almost eight years now.”

  Eight years. Kayla’s own mother had been gone a little over six. She’d hoped the pain would eventually diminish, the loneliness subside. Not a day went by when she wasn’t haunted by the loss. But if Brent had become a shell of his former self even with the help of a steady girlfriend, Kayla couldn’t help but wonder if her future was destined to remain bleak. She hadn’t had a significant other there to comfort and carry her.

  Then again, where was Nikki now? Kayla hadn’t seen any pictures of a woman at Brent’s house. And there was the whole Friday night fling they’d had. Definitely no ring on the man’s finger…

  “Yep, eight years ago,” Miles said, his tone taking on a harder edge. “And Nikki left him six months later.”

  “Wait, what?” Kayla turned in her seat to face him. “How could she leave him in the middle of all that?”

  “Because she’s a selfish, two-timing wench, that’s why.” Miles’s gaze flashed momentarily to hers. “Sorry, but I have a hard time speaking kindly about the woman.”

  “Sounds to me like she earned that designation all on her own.”

  The growl in her response surprised Kayla, as did the anger bubbling inside her. She held no claim to Brent, and yet she found herself wanting to pummel this Nikki chick. Soundly.

  “Yes, she did.” Miles grinned. “I like you, Indiana.”

  “Thanks,” she said, then mumbled, “At least someone around here does.”

  “Oh, you’ve got more than one fan in Mount Pleasant. Trust me.”

  “True, I’ve always got Tommy.”

  “That’s not who I was talking about,” Miles said, his v
oice softer now.

  “Ruby, then?”

  “Try again.”

  Kayla studied his profile. No grin. Who was even left?

  “Surely you’re not talking about your cousin. The one who summoned you away from your date to play taxi driver?”

  “Look, if there’s anyone who knows Brent, it’s me. And ever since you showed up this weekend, he’s been…different. Like the old Brent is still in there somewhere, trying to break free.”

  “Pfft, right. Maybe he just woke up Friday and decided to turn over a new leaf,” she said, ignoring the dirty look Miles shot her. “Or maybe he’s looking forward to working for Ruby now. You never know, some hot little number could book a room at the inn and take his breath away.”

  Miles wove through the quiet streets and pulled to a halt before Tommy’s shop. Then he turned and studied her for a moment. “Maybe she already did.”

  “Huh?”

  Miles’s right brow lifted.

  “He told you, didn’t he.”

  “Didn’t have to,” Miles said, a smooth grin stretching across his face. “I found him hiding in the barn yesterday morning, sipping coffee and watching the sunrise. Haven’t seen him look that relaxed in years.”

  Kayla felt fire consume her cheeks. “Look, Miles, I’m not usually the type—”

  “I don’t judge, so save your breath.” His gaze shifted from hers to the old, run-down storefront before them. “You aren’t really sleeping here tonight, are you?”

  She tipped her chin up. “As a matter of fact, I am. Not that it’s any of your business.”

  “No, of course not,” he said, then looked down at his cuticles. “Nice and cheap.”

  “Exactly.”

  Miles nodded. “Any mice?”

  “Just one.”

  She reached for the door. He was up to something, and Kayla wasn’t in the mood to play games. In fact, after the evening’s drama, a quiet night with Mickey was starting to sound good.

  “It’s too bad, really,” he said.

  Don’t do it, she told herself. Don’t ask and don’t encourage. She needed her space, needed to get away from the drama. But as her gaze flashed to the shop’s second-story window, the kink in her back reminded her she could also really use a decent bed to crash on.