Free Under New Management by June Hopkins

way.” Mollie watches for reactions in both men to this statement.
    As Kieran raises an eyebrow but reveals no other emotion, Jack is traumatised. His gorgeous face falls dramatically; he looks so sorry for himself she wants to throw her arms around him and say sorry.
    “Ahhh Molls, don’t be like that,” he says sadly. “I know I was a bastard to you, but I did adore you, you know that and I had that trip arranged for years. You know, you helped me plan most of it, didn’t you?”
    She feels her heart jump slightly at the knowledge that he remembered that, especially considering he was stoned during most of the planning.
    Pulling herself together and giving herself a mental slap (she is so not going down that road again) she changes the subject.
    “So, cousins eh? You never let on you had a rich, good looking cousin Jack.”
    Kieran smiles slightly at the compliment. “Don’t worry Mollie, Jack never mentioned he had a beautiful girlfriend for three years either.”
    Mollie laughs, “Well Jack, seems like you have been holding out on everyone. That’s not like you at all is it? I’m glad to see you haven’t changed.”
    Jack looks hurt again. “Blimey what’s this, pick on Jack night? Give me a break you two.”
    Kieran laughs now and grabs Jack in a head lock, rubbing his hair, which causes the golden locks to stick up with static.
    Pulling away Jack quickly tries to smooth his halo, “Mate, not the hair.”
    Lou is still squirming by Mollie’s side. She is beginning to wonder if Dan has spiked her cocktails with an hallucinogenic drug: two drop dead gorgeous guys here in Sedgwick, amazing.
    Jumping in front of Mollie she shoves her hand out at Jack.
    As Jack takes it she says, “So anyway, nice to meet you Jack. I have heard an awful lot about you over the years and peered at many a photo of you, too.” Lou swings her long hair and waggles her eyebrows at him.
    Jack, never one to pass up an opportunity, steps up. Tightening his grip on her hand he turns on his charm offensive, “Lou! Yea of course, ditto. You are still looking ravishing, it has to be said.” He eyes her seductively up and down and lifts her hand to his smiling mouth, kissing her knuckles before he lets it go gently.
    Lou colours up instantly and Mollie sighs - he is pretty hard to resist.
    As Jack and Lou strike up a conversation Mollie moves around them to speak to Kieran. “So Kieran, where’s the connection then? Your dad, his mum, brother and sister, or the other way round?”
    “Right first time,” he tells her with a little more restraint, which she picks up on instantly. He picks up his drink from the bar and takes a long swig as he plays for time.
    Kieran is pissed off to say the least. He remains cool and confident on the outside, but what a bummer. He would love to break the rules and wake up next to that blonde hair on his pillow in the morning. Mollie really is very attractive, what red-blooded male wouldn’t? But he didn’t do Jack’s leftovers. He had done on a number of occasions a few years back, normally unwittingly. It was difficult not to back then as they moved in the same circles; hard not to step on toes if you wanted any sort of sex life.
    All things considered though, he had found that where Jack had been he tended to leave an unexploded minefield of hurt, confused women in his wake.
    Mollie had stated, like all the others, that Jack had broken her heart and what with her ex-husband and his recent actions, well she couldn’t be in a good place emotionally. She would take a long time to get over that level of hurt.
    Kieran had to admit to fancying a casual fling with her. However, messing with the already raw emotions of a local woman in a small town, a town in which he was starting what should be a lucrative business, was not good for PR.
    He could just imagine the headlines in the local paper, ‘new owner of Sedgwick Hall takes advantage of heartbroken local girl’. That would really help get the hotel