“So, how was it seeing her again?”
“Oh just fucking fantastic.” He gave a harsh laugh and pushed the empty glass to his brother. “Nearly as fantastic as taking a foot to the balls, I’d imagine.”
“That lovely? Was she mean? Did she go and hurt your feelings?” Aleck teased good-naturedly.
“No.” Ian hesitated, unable to share the humor. “More like I hurt her. I probably said some things I shouldn’t have.”
Aleck nodded. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time either one of you has let your temper best you. You want another drink?”
“No.” Ian thrust a hand through his hair. “Wait, aye. One more.”
His brother grabbed the bottle and poured another glass. “I’m sorry. But let me guess. She’s fallen toward the ugly side and is as warm and cuddly as a porcupine?”
“Perhaps on the porcupine bit, but she’s not ugly.” He drank the second round. “She’s prettier now, if you can believe it.”
“Hmm. I’m trying to remember her. Short?”
“Petite. And she’d punch you in the stomach if she heard you call her short.”
“Which is probably as high as she can reach,” Aleck mused. “Long black hair, I think?”
Ian nodded.
“Aye, I remember her hair. She was a pretty thing. Quite exotic. She had that hint of olive skin, but blue eyes. I’m surprised you captured her interest. Back then she was too innocent for the likes of you.”
And maybe still was. He’d calmed down considerably from what he’d been in his teen years. But he wasn’t an idiot. Ian knew his reputation on the island, and his bad boy image hadn’t fully gone away. Then again, he hadn’t done much to dissuade it.
“Will you see her again?”
“I doubt it. I don’t think she cared much for seeing me today, to be honest.”
“Aye, well you didn’t end on the best terms. Am I right?”
No. They certainly hadn’t. Just the memory of it was like taking a two-by-four to the chest. His jaw clenched against the wave of guilt and pain. Both emotions had been violently at war that day—as much as they still were now. Beneath those two emotions had been another one. Bitter disappointment. And it was always there. Hot and dark, running a river of anger through his blood.
He didn’t think about it much. Couldn’t go there in his head, because it was all such a mind fuck.
“There’s a reason the past is behind you.” Aleck’s quiet words resonated through the warm haze the Glennfidich had left.
“Aye. And it’ll stay there, no need to worry about that.”
“Good. No need to be digging up old dirt. Besides, you’ve got Gina now. I’d almost wager you’re serious about her.”
Ian’s lips quirked. Almost serious meaning he’d been casually dating her for two months. Or really, they’d mostly just hooked up. Though in his world, that was nearly a lifetime.
The only exception had been Sarah. They’d been together for almost seven months. His half-smile faltered and he shook his head. That didn’t mean much—only that he’d been young and stupid.
“Damn, Ian. Who shit on your parade?”
The soft feminine question had him glancing up and giving a slow grin to Delonna, the bartender scheduled to work the swing shift.
“A fourteen-thousand-pound elephant, if you’d believe it,” he murmured and gave her a glance over. “Hello, Delonna.”
Her wavy blonde hair was drawn up in a ponytail and her blue-green eyes were narrowed on him with open curiosity.
She was young, maybe twenty-three, and an absolute stunner. She always brought in a good amount of tips on the nights she worked. Or at least she had when they’d worked together years ago. Who knew how she did now, though he assumed just as well. He hadn’t worked at the pub in years. Except for helping out if he was available now and then on a busy day.
He’d asked her out several years ago. Once. And she’d turned him down gently, using the “better off friends” line. It had been hard not to take offense at the time, even if nowadays she was just like another little sister to him.
“Seriously. You look all brooding and scary. Like, more than normal. Are you and Gina fighting?”
Gina. No, they hadn’t been fighting. Hell, they hadn’t even spoken in days.
“No, we’re doing grand.” Though grand might’ve been pushing it.
“He ran into an ex-girlfriend,” Aleck called out from the other end of the counter.
Delonna glanced down his older brother’s way. “Really now? That can have the potential to wreck anyone’s day.”