She laughs. “No. Daren is only insisting on cleaning his plate because he’s working in the kitchen later.”
At the word “working” Kayla glances at me then looks back at Amber. “Oh. Okay.” She flushes a bit. “I just didn’t want to be rude and not clean up after myself if that was how it worked here.” She gives a nervous laugh, which makes her look adorable. Almost.
She’s still a brat for taking Old Man Turner’s money and shutting him out of her life.
“Nope.” Amber smiles. “I’ll clean up any dishes you use. So don’t you worry about a thing.”
She shuffles away, leaving Kayla and me on our own. We’re seated at the end of the bar top where it makes an L shape so I have a perfect kitty-corner view of her face. It’s a pretty face—a sweet face—but at the same time it’s a sexy face. Long eyelashes and a small nose. Plush lips and high cheekbones.
I tap my finger on the counter between us. “I think you and I need to work on our relationship status.”
She turns to me and manages to look both amused and pissed off. “Excuse me?”
“We are not strangers,” I say. “I’ve seen the inside of your bedroom, Kayla. I think that qualifies me to be at least an acquaintance of yours.”
“Wha—” She looks horrified. “When? When have you ever seen my bedroom?”
I shrug. “Sometime in the tenth grade I think? Your dad bought you a new dresser and I helped him move it into your room.”
Her eyes bulge. “What?”
“Love the puppy posters, by the way,” I say with an exaggerated voice. “Super cute.”
Her face starts to redden. “I hate you.”
“Ditto. The point is,” I say leaning forward, “we’re not strangers. But since you insist on telling people that we are…” I give her my most charming smile and hold out my hand. “Hi. I’m Daren Ackwood—all-around nice guy and legendary lover. Nice to meet you.”
She doesn’t even look at my hand. “No.”
I blink. “No?”
“No.”
Amber returns with Kayla’s beer. “Here you go,” she says, carefully setting the mug down so it doesn’t spill. She looks at my outstretched hand, still hovering in midair between Kayla and myself, and raises a brow.
“Kayla won’t shake my hand,” I explain, pulling my arm back.
Kayla looks at Amber. “He introduced himself as a ‘legendary lover.’ ”
Amber slants her eyes to me. “You didn’t.”
I shrug innocently. “It’s supposed to be funny.” And it’s supposed to work, dammit. It always works.
Amber shakes her head with a sigh and says to Kayla, “Don’t mind Daren. He’s full of himself, but he’s harmless. I swear.”
My mouth falls open. “Traitor.”
Amber shrugs. “You are full of yourself.”
“Yeah,” I say. “But you’re not supposed to tell people that.”
“Oh, honey.” She smiles. “Kayla already knew. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some thirsty patrons to attend to.” With a glint in her eye, she turns and walks away.
“I like her,” Kayla says smugly, watching Amber walk away.
“I do too. Usually,” I mutter.
A guy seated down the bar looks over at Kayla before nudging his buddy’s arm and jutting his chin her way. Both guys eye her appreciatively as one of them says something. They start laughing and Kayla turns her face in the opposite direction.
It’s a small movement, so slight it could have been coincidental, but the annoyance on Kayla’s face tells me she’s more than aware that guys are staring at her. I look around for a moment. Lots of guys.
I lean back in my chair and cross my arms, diverting her attention. “So tell me, Kayla. Why are you still here? I thought you’d be long gone by now.”
She takes a sip of her beer. “I don’t like driving at night so I’m waiting until morning.”
“Where are you staying?”
“Uh…” She starts to play with her paper napkin, fringing the edge with tiny tears. “The Quickie Stop?”
I lift my eyebrows. “The shitty place off the freeway?”
She doesn’t make eye contact. “Yep.”
“That’s the shadiest motel in four counties. Why are you staying there? Why not the Willow Inn outside of town—or Martha’s Bed & Breakfast in the town square?”
“Because I’m on a budget.” She shoots me a cool look as if that’s somehow my fault.
I must really have a talent for pissing this girl off.
“Well fancy meeting you two here.” Eddie Perkins wedges himself between Kayla and the black-haired girl beside her with a wide grin. “How are you kids doing tonight?”
See what I mean about not being able to avoid anyone?
“Hi, Mr. Perkins,” Kayla says pleasantly.
“Please, call me Eddie.” He looks back and forth between us. “Are you two here together?”
We glance at each other.
“No way—”
“Hell no—”
Eddie lets out a chuckle. “Well okay then.” He leans over the bar. “Hello, Amber.”
She looks up with a smile. “Hey Eddie. I have your to-go order ready in the back. I’ll grab it in a second,” she says, pouring a martini for another customer.
“Thanks.” He turns his attention back to us. “Sorry things didn’t work out the way you two were hoping today.”
We both nod and shrug.
“Thank you for taking care of everything for my dad’s will,” Kayla says.
“Certainly,” he says. “Anything for James. I’m just glad it’s all done with now. And it was a treat meeting you. James wasn’t sure if you’d come, because of what happened with your mother and all.”
Her eyes flick over his face, hard and wary. “It was… It seemed like the right thing to do.”
I focus on my lemonade glass, feeling like an intruder on their conversation. I don’t know what happened with her mom but whatever it was must have been unfortunate.
“Well I’m glad you came. Both of you,” he says, looking at me. He scratches his chin. “It was an interesting will though, wasn’t it?” He shakes his head. “James always had an odd sense of humor, but asking you to handcuff yourselves together for money? Well that’s just a bit over-the-top, even for him.”
We whip our eyes to him.
“Did you say money?” I jolt up in my seat, my heart pounding as Kayla’s gaze zeroes in on him like he’s the only thing in the room. She grips the edge of the bar and leans in.
“Well… yes,” Eddie says. “The letter James wrote explains how to find the money he left you two.” He wrinkles his brow. “Did I forget to mention that earlier?”
“Yes!” we say at the same time, loud enough to turn a few heads at the bar.
“Oh, my. I could have sworn…” Eddie rubs his mouth. “What a mistake. Well, I apologize. But that’s what the will said. If the two of you agreed to be handcuffed together, you could pick up James’s letter and follow his instructions to the money he left you.”
Kayla’s eyes grow wide. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Eddie nods.
“Holy shit,” I mutter.
I’m so elated right now I could shout. Old Man Turner left money, for me, and all I have to do to get it is lock myself up to his super-hot daughter for a few hours?
Hell To The Yes.
Kayla’s mouth hangs open in shock as she whispers, “I can’t believe this.”
“There are a few caveats, of course,” he continues. “You’d have to stay handcuffed until you found the money, and you’d have to share the money—”
“Sure. Yeah. Of course.” I nod impatiently. “So how much money are we talking here? Three zeros? Four?” I lower my voice. “Six?”
Eddie shakes his head. “I’m not allowed to disclose that information. James felt that you knowing the amount would negate his purpose in leaving it to you.”