“We’re roommates,” the other two say in giggling unison. All three girls lean in.
Behind the bar, Levi bites his knuckle. I can practically feel Shay’s eyes burning holes through my back from down the bar. And I know Carter and Jake are around here somewhere too. We just wrapped up a board meeting to discuss potential investors for the new bottling plant. I’m not counting on Ralston coming back around—I’m not sure if I even want him to.
I’d rather my siblings not witness my pathetic attempts to let these girls down gently. I’m going to take so much shit for this later. “I’m sorry, ladies. I’m busy.”
“Brayden?”
I turn from the trio and have to blink when I see the blonde standing three feet behind me. The worried pucker between her whiskey eyes, the dimple in her right cheek. It’s like looking at a picture from my past.
“Hi,” she whispers.
I blink again, then shake my head and half expect her to disappear entirely. But she’s still standing there, as real as anything after ten years.
I consider my ability to prepare for the unexpected one of my biggest strengths. I always have a plan B and keep my cool when things don’t go as expected—because nine times out of ten, they don’t.
But I wasn’t prepared for this. Sara was nowhere on my radar for tonight or any night, and the whole world slides out from beneath my feet as I take in the woman in front of me.
“Are you going to say anything?” she asks.
I open my mouth then close it again, unsure there are any words for what I’m feeling right now.
Good to see you?
Where the hell have you been?
Do you know how badly you fucked me up?
“You always said you were going to open this place.” She tugs on a lock of hair—an old nervous habit I remember well—and looks around. “It looks like your dreams are coming true.”
I’m vaguely aware of someone coming to stand at my side. When I force myself to pull my gaze off Sara, I see Shay standing next to me. She looks down her nose at Sara with a curl of her lip that tells me she’s biting back the instinct to pick her up and toss her into the snow.
“Hey, Shay.”
Shay’s eyes are cold. “What are you doing here?” Maybe I should be glad she’s asking the questions I can’t seem to get out, but I’m not. I wish we weren’t here at all. I wish I could deal with this—with Sara—alone, somewhere there aren’t dozens of people shamelessly eavesdropping.
Sara has the good sense to lower her eyes. “This is a bad time. I should have . . .” Her gaze flicks to the door before coming back to me. “Can we talk?”
“He’s busy,” Shay says, my little sister acting like my fucking bodyguard. Fantastic.
I shoot her a look that tells her to back off. Shay rolls her eyes but walks away to give us space.
“Not right now, of course,” Sara says. “I know you probably need . . . to think about it. But can we? Maybe have dinner next week or something?” She fishes a business card from her purse and hands it to me. “I have a new number.”
I grunt. No shit.
“You don’t have to decide now, and I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to see my face again, but I would really like the chance to talk.” She swallows. “To explain.”
Molly
Shay rushes into my office, wide-eyed and flushed. “We have a situation up front.”
“What kind of situation?” Jake asks, already standing to jump in. I was wrapping up for the day when Jake and Ava stopped by my office to say hi.
Shay shakes her head. “Not with the bar. Sara Jeffers is here. For Brayden.”
That name means nothing to me, but judging by the way Jake’s jaw drops, I’m guessing she’s someone from their past. From Brayden’s past.
Ava frowns. “The Sara?”
Sometimes I forget that Ava’s been an honorary Jackson since she was a kid. She grew up next door to them and knows the ins and outs of their family history like her own. “Does someone want to fill me in?” I ask.
“Sara is Brayden’s ex,” Jake says softly.
I frown, and a memory clicks into place. The night Brayden came to New York, his bartender friend said something about him getting over Sara. “So his ex-girlfriend is here. Why are you all acting like someone died?” I don’t mean to be insensitive. I’m sure it might be awkward for him to see her again, but Brayden’s an adult. Surely a gorgeous, successful guy like him has plenty of ex-girlfriends.
Shay, Jake, and Ava all exchange a long look that tells me there’s so much more to the story than the Jackson siblings are telling.
Shay folds her arms, then turns to me. “Molly, wanna do me a favor and head to the taproom?”