The Rockwell Legacy Box Set

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

After dinner that night, Kai felt so restless that he hopped in his truck and drove into the town of Rocky Peak. With a population of only ten thousand or so, it offered little beyond the basics. Three grocery stores, a gas station, a post office, a bus stop, a combined police and fire department, a ski shop, a used bookstore, two churches, four restaurants, and three bars.

One of which belonged to his brother Jake.

Jake had bought the Last Chance Pub from an old-timer who’d nearly run it into the ground. But Jake insisted it had “good bones,” and now that he’d spent so much time and money fixing it up, Kai had to agree.

It had the feel of an old London tavern, with a polished mahogany bar and candle sconces providing low, elegant light. Of the three bars in Rocky Peak, The Last Chance was the one you’d consider bringing a woman you were trying to impress.

But not Nicole, because apparently she didn’t drink. Kai had forgotten to ask her why. So many questions still burned in his mind after their “one day.” He wanted to know more about her broken engagement, more about those ‘other commitments’ that slowed her down while she was getting her certification. More about the way her hair smelled, more about what made her smile.

Face it, that one day with Nicole made him want another one. And then most likely another one.

He sat at the bar, nursing a ten-year old Laphroaig left from the original owner’s stock, until Jake finally had a break between customers. His brother came over to him, wiping his hands on a bar towel, a warm smile in his gray-green eyes. His hair was long; its thick waves brushed his jawline. Kai noticed the appreciative female glances that followed his brother across the bar.

“The place looks great, Jake,” Kai told him. “Sorry it took me so long to get down here.”

“No worries. It wouldn’t exist without you, so I’m just happy you’re here.”

Kai had provided some of the startup funds when Max had balked at the idea of financing a bar. Jake had paid him back within three years, but he still planned to claim the investors-drink-free card.

“So how’s it going up there? You and Max blow the roof off the lodge yet?”

“Nothing but peace and quiet.” Kai touched his whisky glass to Jake’s tankard of foaming ale. “Here’s hoping it lasts.”

They both took a sip. “And Nicole? What’s your take on her, now that you’ve spent some time around her?”

Kai shook his head, waiting for the smooth burn of the whiskey to subside. “Not sure yet. Sometimes she seems like a compassionate person who wants to do some good in the world. Her ideas for the lodge aren’t bad, per se. Most of them,” he amended, thinking of her crazy spa plan.

“That’s what I thought, the two times I met her. My impression was “kind and hot.” He grinned. “You didn’t mention the “hot,” so I guess she’s not your type.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Jake lifted his eyebrows.

“Because I don’t have a type,” Kai finished. “Types are too limiting. I like to keep an open mind.”

Jake laughed and they clicked glasses again. “So what aren’t you sure about? Any danger signs you’ve noticed?”

“Not exactly. I’ve noticed that when she talks about herself, she’s very vague. She only gives the minimum amount of information, the least she can get away with. No specifics. If she slips up and reveals something, she panics. She hides it well, but I can tell.”

Jake threw his head back and laughed, drawing more glances from the women in the bar. “You’ve been paying close attention, my brother. Told you she was hot.”

Kai snorted as he took another sip. “That’s what I’m here for, remember? I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t notice these little details.”

“Sure,” Jake agreed readily. “Details matter. Like you can never really trust someone with brown eyes, so that right there—”

“Her eyes are blue. Sort of a light blue verging on turquoise color. But definitely not brown.”

Jake was laughing so hard he had to rest his hands on his knees. “Glad you’re on the case, bro. You’re busting this thing wide open.”

“Shut the f**k up.”

Jake’s phone rang. Saved by the ringtone. “Izzy,” he said right away. “Guess who’s sitting at my bar talking about blue eyes?”

Kai could hear her shriek all the way on his side of the bar. Jake listened to her, nodding and smiling, then handed the phone over to Kai. “She wants to say ‘hi.’ Among many other things.”

“Hey, Iz.” Kai greeted her as soon as the phone made its way to his ear. “Your twin is looking good. Just ask the unusually plentiful women at this bar.”

“Oh, I know, it’s ridiculous. Don’t they know he’s a big goober who drools when he sleeps?”

“I’ll make sure to spread the word.”

“I can’t believe you’re there and I’m not around to witness it! Did you make up with Dad?” He heard the nervousness behind her question.

“Why does everyone think I’m going to revert to my teenage rebel self as soon as I’m in the same room as Max? I’m a grown man now. He’s not on my ass all the time about stupid s**t. We’re good now.”

“That’s so great, Kai. You know he was really sad after you left. Jake wouldn’t let us tell you because he said it would be a guilt trip. But he was.”

Kai fiddled with his bar napkin. The topic of his departure made him uncomfortable for many reasons. “It probably sucked having his best worker leave.”

“Best? I used to chop more wood in an hour than you did in three. I could have been a pro. And just think, now I do surgery. Funny when you think about it.”

“The world’s first chainsaw surgeon,” he teased. “Hopefully the only one.”

“God, I still can’t believe you’re back in Rocky Peak and I’m in the freaking Sudan. I’ve never been so homesick! Normally I’m too busy to miss home, but just thinking of you there, with Jake and Gracie and Dad, I’m so jealous. Are you guys going to watch Griffin’s race?”

Kai glanced at Jake, who pointed to the television discreetly mounted in the corner. “Yeah, Jake’s going to show it at the bar. On this tiny-ass TV he has. Will you be back by then?”

“No, not yet. I have a few more weeks here. But I’m dying to get home and see everyone!”

Kai smiled, warmth expanding inside his chest. He hadn’t really expected his return to inspire this much joy in his siblings. He’d been in constant touch with them all—well, mostly—and had seen them often over the years. He loved to show up out of the blue and take them out for some random fun thing like whitewater rafting or a flight seeing trip. He’d celebrated Izzy’s med school graduation with a surprise trip to the Caribbean.

So it wasn’t as if he’d been a stranger all these years. What difference did it make that he was back in Rocky Peak? Was it because of Max? Because their estrangement had been hard on his siblings?

That thought gave him a hard pang. He couldn’t change the past, but he could be different going forward. Or he could try, anyway.

After he hung up with Izzy, he waited for Jake to finish a round of refills at the bar. Every time Jake served someone, he also spoke to them, listened, smiled. The best bartenders were like that—they offered a friendly ear, a sympathetic shoulder. Good advice.

Maybe he should pick his brother’s brain about Nicole.

When he came Kai’s way again, Kai had a question all ready for him. “I noticed that you’re doling out advice along with the shots. I could use some.”

“Let me guess. About Nicole?”

“Yes, about what my next step should be. I think she’s holding something back.”

Jake refilled his glass with another splash of Laphroaig. “Really, holding something back from the stranger who showed up out of the blue to scrutinize her motives?”

Kai laughed as he accepted his drink. “You have a point there. But I’ve been cool, I swear. Except for the first time, with the fireplace,” he corrected himself. Then thought some more. “And the time with the antlers.”

Jake threw up a hand. “I do not need to know about the time with the antlers. Sounds kinky. Have you done any other poking around? Online, say?”

“No.” Kai made a face. “She has such a common name I didn’t see the point. I did check the resumé she gave Max, and her drivers license. Everything looked legit. But maybe I should take it deeper.”

“Personally, I think you should just talk to her. But if it would put your mind at ease, yeah. Google her. Stalk her online. What could go wrong?”

Kai laughed and took a slug of his Scotch. There was nothing wrong with googling someone. Everyone did it. He’d once googled himself, just to see what came up. If Nicole had nothing to hide, she wouldn’t mind if he googled her. And if she did have something to hide, he wanted to know about it. For Max’s sake, of course. Not because he was more and more intrigued by her.

He spent the rest of the evening flirting with a botanist studying high-altitude wildflowers. After he stumbled out of the Last Chance into the chill of midnight, he walked a few blocks to clear his head.

Flirting had been fun, but it hadn’t chased Nicole from his thoughts. She was always there, percolating in the background with her clear blue eyes and her hopeful smile.

He pulled on his knit hat to keep the chill off as he walked. Quiet reigned in the little collection of homes that formed Rocky Peak. At this hour, everyone was snuggled into bed. Windows dark, vehicles tucked away. It was so quiet his own footsteps seemed obnoxiously loud. The only thing noisier was the stunning star scape suspended overhead. The sheer brilliance of the stars spoke as loudly as a marching band. Here we are. Glory be. Sing back to us.

Shaking off the silly thought, he spotted a bench in the little playground next to the elementary school. After he’d settled into it and his head had stopped spinning, he pulled out his phone. He didn’t have to wait to google Nicole. He could do it right here on his iPhone.

After sorting through many wrong Nicole Davidsons, he finally found someone that matched the Nicole he knew. She’d gone to elementary school in Bellingham, where she’d won a spelling bee at the age of eleven. There was even a photo of her with her trophy and her missing two front teeth.

She’d graduated from college in Eugene, Oregon. With honors. So far so good.

Then something sad. Her mother had died of cancer. The obituary was very brief and mentioned two surviving children, Nicole and her sister Bridget. Nothing about a spouse.

Kai tried to remember if Nicole had ever said anything about a sister, but drew a blank. Not that she had any obligation to talk about her sister. Still, it seemed odd, considering all the family stuff they’d discussed.

From his fuzzy brain he dredged up the name of her fiancé. Roger. What would happen if he googled Nicole and Roger? He snickered as he typed it in. Probably not much.

Boy, did he get that wrong. He quickly pulled up dozens of gossip items, an engagement announcement, and a thorough writeup of their breakup.

Roger was Roger Vance. He ran one of the country’s biggest hedge funds. Wealthy as f**k. He was thirty years older than Nicole. And there was tons of speculation about their relationship—none of it favorable to Nicole. She was painted as a clever, working-class gold-digger who’d wormed her way onto his fancy Queen Anne property and then lured him into her bed. She was referred to as “arm-candy,” as a fortune-hunter, as a wannabe trophy wife.

Shit. Maybe his “worst case scenario” had been right all along. Maybe she was looking for another meal ticket. It had almost worked with Roger Vance. If they’d married, she would be worth millions now. Instead she was laboring as a home health aide for a cranky old man. A cranky old man who just happened to own a lodge worth millions. Sure, the lodge had fallen on hard times. But that didn’t change its value.

Hadn’t she asked if Max had ever dated anyone else? Maybe she’d been digging for clues!

Jesus. What was going on here?