Free Loch and Key by Shelli Stevens Page B

the mix of pink daisies and red roses. Before she opened the card, she dipped her head to breathe in the lovely scent. Maybe it was a way to stall before opening the card. They had to be from Carl, who hadn’t stopped calling or leaving messages.
    In the messages he was most apologetic and embarrassed at his behavior on Friday night. She’d almost felt sorry for him, until in one of the last messages he’d asked—with a slightly whiny tone—if Brett had made a move on her.
    None of your fuckin’ business, Carl .
    Her lips twitched as she pried open the envelope and pulled out a card. Before she could read it, several pictures fell out and hit the desk. Frowning, she picked them up and noticed one seemed quite dated. There was a little boy of maybe seven and girl several years younger.
    The girl was crying over a scoop of ice cream that had fallen off her cone, and the boy was pointing and laughing.
    Interesting. Her lips quirked as she flipped to the next one. A picture of the same kids, a few years older at Disney World, riding the Dumbo ride together.
    The boy was starting to look somewhat familiar. She glanced at a couple more before arriving at the last one. She drew in a ragged breath as she starred at the grown man and woman, standing on Deception Pass Bridge, with the man’s arm around her shoulders.
    Setting the pictures down, she finally read the card that clearly wasn’t from Carl.
     
    The woman you saw me with at Safeway was my sister. She was out visiting from Louisiana.
    Look, I know I screwed up. I never even gave us a chance based on my asinine assumption that you were looking for something serious.
    I can’t get you out of my head, and I want you like I’ve never wanted another woman. To the point where there have been no other women.
    Please, Kenzie, give me another chance. Those two kisses were just the beginning. You know we’d be explosive.
    ~Brett
     
    She stared at the phone number below his name, knowing he’d left the ball in her court. Her pulse quickened and her stomach was doing little flips.
    And what did he mean by no other women? She snorted and tossed the card down on top of the pictures. Surely he didn’t expect her to believe that he hadn’t slept with anyone recently? He was a sexy man in his prime, a chief in the Navy. Women likely threw themselves at his feet.
    What kind of shite line was that?
    “Everything all right back here?”
    Seeing her brother enter the back room, Kenzie scrambled to her feet and collected the pictures and card.
    “Fine. Everything’s just fine.”
    “Good.” Aleck nodded, his expression unreadable. “Who are the flowers from?”
    “Flowers? Oh right, these flowers. They’re from Sarah. She knew I wasn’t feeling well the other day and sent them. Emily helped pick them out.” Lie. Crap but she was lying to her own brother, what was wrong with her?
    “Oh aye? That’s right decent of her.”
    His words went along with it, but she knew her brother well enough to realize he was suspicious. If it had been another situation, anyone else, she might have admitted the truth. But she saw no point in dragging Brett into her brother’s life, especially seeing as they’d gotten off to a bad start.
    Besides, even though the note and flowers were a nice gesture, it still seemed like a bad idea to try and get involved with Brett. Maybe she wasn’t looking for a ring right now, but as he’d guessed, she wasn’t exactly looking for a one-night stand either.
    “I should get back up front. Thought I’d just rest my feet for a bit.” She struggled to gather the flowers, card and pictures in her hands and scooted past him.
    Out in the pub again, she moved behind the counter to stuff the pictures and card into her purse. Only the card wasn’t in her hand.
    Shite .
    Alarmed, she spun on her heels to race back to the office and grab the card, which must’ve fallen out of her grasp.
    Aleck pushed open the door before she could get anywhere near it. He held