Free Her Unexpected Detour by Kyra Jacobs Page B

John and me. Our children had grown and moved off.” Ruby looked across the dining room toward the sun streaming in through the nearest window and smiled. “John always said he bought me the inn because he knew I needed something to take care of. I would have settled for a puppy in those days, but he joked that we wouldn’t have to housebreak an inn. Though there have been times when the inn nearly broke us.”
    Her smile dimmed momentarily then brightened once more. “Business really picked up in the nineties, though, so we brought on a groundskeeper. Then a cleaning gal. When Miles finished college, he volunteered to oversee my finances. Truthfully, I think he’s after his inheritance.” Ruby leaned in close with a devilish grin on her face and winked. “Too bad I’m planning on spending every last cent myself.”
    Kayla couldn’t help but laugh.
    “These past few years he’s done a fine job of spending it for me, though,” Ruby continued. “New beds. New dishes. New paint. New landscaping. The boy’s run me ragged. And then he comes up with this cockamamie idea to bring in a chef—a chef! Whatever was wrong with my cooking, I asked.”
    “What did he say?”
    “That I work too hard.” Ruby scowled. “And that bringing in someone with the title of ‘chef’ would boost our occupancy rates. Bah! Titles and rates are for number crunchers, not innkeepers. Let me cook my own darned food.”
    “Well, I, for one, think your cooking is amazing.”
    “Thank you, dear.” Ruby sighed. “To be honest, though, Maddie is much better than I ever was when it comes to presentation. She has a way with all those artsy-fartsy sauce decorations. I suppose if that’s what people want—”
    “Then that’s what we’ll give them,” said Miles, strolling in from the lobby. “We aim to please. Speaking of which, Kayla, your tow truck just arrived.”
    “Oh.”
    She met Ruby’s gaze and watched as the spark in the innkeeper’s eyes dimmed. Or more likely, Kayla imagined it did. Ruby had hundreds, if not thousands, of guests, and she was just the latest one. And now, whether Kayla wanted it to be or not, playtime was over. Ruby had an inn to run. Kayla had a career to salvage, rent to pay, and a man who’d gifted her one amazing night to try and forget.
    “Great, thank you.” She slid out of her seat and forced a smile onto her face. “I’ll go and get my things.”

    B rent lowered the arm of his miter saw and watched another sliver float to the ground from a tricky piece of crown molding. God, he loved his DeWalt. Two years old and this baby still cut like a hot knife through butter.
    “You can come out now,” Miles called from the doorway. “It’s safe again.”
    Brent pushed his safety glasses up off his face and threw an annoyed look at his cousin. “Safe to do what?”
    “Leave the barn. Tow truck just left, she’s gone now.”
    Brent worked to keep his face neutral. He’d prepared himself all morning, knew it was for the best that she go. So why did he feel like someone had just knocked the wind out of him?
    Nice job, you idiot . You stood back and let your one bright spot in an otherwise dreary existence walk right out the door.
    He crossed the room and selected another piece of crown molding from the uncut stack. “Good. So now that you no longer have to worry about keeping up appearances, you ready to start helping me?”
    “I’ll have you know I was working inside, not socializing. Just because mine takes place behind a computer screen doesn’t mean it’s not work.”
    “If you say so.” Brent leveled a grin at his cousin.
    “Oh, great. You go and get laid for the first time in decades and now I get to suffer through your good mood?”
    “And that’s any worse than suffering through my bad moods?”
    “Good point. By the way, I swung by your house on my way back from town, fed your pooch.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Yeah, you owe me now.” Miles picked up a can of primer. “She still