Rowan’s brows arch up as he winces. “You saw him?”
“First thing off the ferry,” I mumble, taking a large sip of the beer in front of me.
“Thanks for the heads up, by the way.”
He gives me a rueful look. “You wouldn’t have come to Dad’s thing if I had.”
“Nope.”
“Sorry, Ives,” he mumbles, twisting the bar towel in his hands.
“Forget it, I’m over it,” I say quickly, shrugging nonchalantly. I look up to see both siblings looking at me dubiously and I roll my eyes.
“Guys, it was eight years ago.”
And I’m still hanging onto it, as much as I’ll deny it if you ask me again.
“You guys were close, Iv-”
“Rowan,” I shrug again, taking another big gulp of cold beer. “It’s not a big deal. He was my high school boyfriend. And I’m very happy with Blaine now.”
Rowan holds my gaze another moment before he nods slowly. “Okay, okay, fine. No harm no foul then?”
I sigh, grinning at him. “No harm no foul.”
“Whiskey to celebrate?” He beams at me as he holds up the bottle again and I make a face.
“I’m in,” Sierra pipes up.
“Adults only, kid.”
She flips our brother off as he and I crack up.
“You guys go ahead, I’m going to call Blaine.”
“Yeah where is that guy anyways?” Rowan looks up from the two shots he’s pouring for Sierra and himself.
“Long story,” I wave my hand, frowning at the shitty signal on my phone.
“The back office actually has the best service,” Rowan says, raising his shot and clinking it against Sierra’s. “Quieter too.”
I leave my siblings to their whiskey as I push my way through the crowded bar towards the back hallway - past the “Yankees Piss Off” sign on the men’s room towards Rowan’s office. It’s quiet after I shut the door, and I’m dialing Blaine as I sit in my brother’s desk chair.
Straight to voicemail.
I frown and send a quick “Miss you!” text with a stupid little kissy-face emoji, and then sit back to stare at the phone. I perk up for a second at the little blinking dots that alert me that he’s typing something back, but after a minute, they disappear.
I scowl, my shoulders slumping as I get up from Rowan’s desk.
The door slams open.
“Alright asshole I fixed that keg line for-”
Silas pauses, halfway through the door to the office, and about a foot away from me, wiping the grease off his hands as his eyes lock onto me.
“-You.”
Chapter Ten
Silas
Well, so much for clearing my head.
This town’s too small, cause here she is all over again.
I’m wiping the grease and the grime off my hands from fixing the tap line I took it upon myself to fix when I first pulled up behind O’Donnell’s.
Ivy’s glaring at me, shaking her head. “I should get going.”
“Didn’t know you’d be here,” I mutter, my eyes locked on hers, dipping down over the swell of those lips, the curve of her jaw, the pulse in the hollow of her neck.
“It’s my brother’s bar, Silas. What are you doing here?”
Her brow wrinkles as she looks at dirty towel in my stained hands - this new clean, primped and manicured version of the small-town girl I used to know with skinned knees and torn jeans.
“Just fixing some stuff for Rowan is all.” I shrug. “Least I could do for him putting me-”
My mouth snaps shut the second I see the dawning realization on her face, but it’s too late.
Oops.
“You’re staying with my brother?” Her jaw drops, her look accusatory.
I shake my head. “No, not at his place with the whole Sarah thing going on.” I jerk my head behind me. “He’s got a cot in the back store room here I’ve been posting up at.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re living at O’Donnell’s?”
There’s something cutting about the words that makes my jaw tense. “I’m not living anywhere in this fucking town,” I growl out. “I told you, I’m just here for-”
“Yeah, no, got it.”
She grabs her bag and the beer off of Rowan’s desk. “Well, I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow for the website,” she waves her hand absently as she glances at her phone. “Shoot for Instagram, some calls to make.” She pushes past me into the hallway, but I turn and snag her arm.
“Look, hang out for one-”
She whips her hair back as she whirls at me, her eyes pulling back to mine, her look fierce. “I don’t have time for grimy dives like this.”