Read Her Unexpected Detour Online
Authors: Kyra Jacobs
Her Unexpected Detour (20 page)
“Almost as smart as the one I’ve fallen in love with.” He brushed a thumb across her damp cheek. “Too bad she lives out of state.”
Kayla’s heart swelled with hope. “She does?”
“Yep. Damn Hoosier.”
A grin crept across her face. “Something tells me if you made her a good enough offer, she might be willing to consider it. Maybe even relocate.”
“And leave her old job?” he asked.
“Already done. Funny what love can give you the courage to do.”
He kissed her then, and the world around them seemed to fall away. Kayla no longer cared about what obstacles might lay ahead with her career or her father. With Brent by her side she felt ready to take on the world.
A car drove through the lot, splashing them with water from a nearby growing puddle. Their kiss ended as both gasped in shock from the icy deluge. Kayla clung to Brent in an attempt to stay warm.
“So,” he said. “I guess all she needs now is that good offer, huh?”
“Yep.”
“How about we go inside and I share that offer with you?” Brent looked toward her apartment building and back, then arched his right brow. “In great detail.”
Kayla gazed up at Brent’s handsome face, made even more so by the ornery grin tugging at his lips. Oh yeah, she was in love with this man. He had given so much of himself to her this past week, and she to him. Each had helped the other face their old nightmares, conquer them, and provide the strength to move on.
All of that had been enough to win her over. But any man willing to drive three hours to confess his love to her, and then, once there, do it in the pouring rain? Well, that man definitely deserved a chance at forever.
“Does this offer happen to include a hot shower?” she asked.
“For you, princess,” he said, swinging her up into his arms. “Anything.”
Epilogue
K
ayla stood in her empty living room, giving the space one last glance before heading to the main office and dropping off her keys. She was doing it—she was actually going to leave Indiana behind. While she hadn’t been in this particular—and overly pricey—apartment for long, she’d lived in the Fort her whole life. But it was high time she turned over a new leaf.
Even her father had agreed.
“Good grief, woman. Aren’t you ready yet?”
She turned to see Brent standing in the foyer, hands on hips and impatience written all over his flushed face. If she’d learned one thing about him these past few weeks, it was that Brent Masterson didn’t sit still for long. She’d break him of that, eventually. For now, she didn’t mind him keeping her in motion—at the inn, or in their bedroom.
“Be nice, I’m having a moment.”
He came to stand behind her and wrapped a pair of warm, strong arms around her waist. “Sorry,” he whispered. “I don’t think like a girl.”
“We’ll work on that.”
“No we won’t, that’s why I have you. So
you
can think like that.”
“And you’ll just think with your muscles, right?”
His breath washed over her as he pressed a kiss into the hollow beneath her ear. “Or maybe just one.”
“I’m trying to be serious here.”
“Me too.” He nipped at her earlobe. “It’s too bad the bed’s already loaded. We could have—”
“Don’t tell me you two are in here making out again? If this keeps up, we’ll never get on the road.”
“Shut it, Miles,” said Brent.
Kayla grinned. She’d missed having Tommy around these last few years, and the playful banter they used to share. In a few hours, she’d be living in the same town as him once again, along with her new beau and surrogate brother and grandmother. There would be plenty of banter to go around, that was for sure. Hopefully plenty of freelance advertising work to be found as well.
Brent tried to pull back from her, but Kayla hugged his arms against her, savoring the moment.
“You worried about your father?”
Her gaze shifted instinctively to the mantle where a picture of her family used to sit. “A little, but he swore to me he’d be just fine, and that I could call or come back for a visit anytime. Honestly, when I went to visit him last night I got the feeling he couldn’t wait for me to leave. Said he was going
out
.”
“Oooh, somebody’s old man had a date.”
Kayla shot Miles a dirty look. “It was with a friend. Who might also have been female.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” Miles waggled his brows.
“Speaking of which,” she asked. “How did yours go last night, lover boy?”
“You know, the usual. Dinner, dancing, came back to my place.” He shrugged. “She couldn’t get enough of me.”
“You keep telling yourself that, buddy,” Brent said.
“Be nice.” Kayla turned to throw him a look that said the same. “Miles will find love someday, too.”
“Oh, no I won’t.” He shook his head, backing away toward the door. “Love is definitely not in the future for this guy. Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Mmm hmm.” Kayla watched him disappear out the front door. “We’ll see.”
“Not if we don’t get on the road already.” Brent gave her belt loop a gentle tug. “Can we go now?”
“You really don’t like being away from the inn, do you?”
“No, it’s that I don’t like being away so long from you. These past few days without you were brutal.”
Kayla grinned. Coming home to pack after spending the two weeks helping with the inn’s successful season opening had sucked. Sleeping alone had sucked even more. It was funny how quickly she’d gotten used to sharing a bed with the brawny man before her. “Me too. Though you do realize that long road trips always wear me out.”
“Good thing I have a nice, comfy bed at my place.” Brent pulled her close and kissed her thoroughly. “We could always go back and rest. Or something.”
She stared up at the handsome man before her, still trying to believe that this was all real. That her luck had finally changed. Who would have thought an unexpected detour on a dreadful, icy day could bring her true love?
“Hmm,” she said. “How about ‘or something’ and then we take a nap together?”
Brent grinned. “Now there’s an offer I’ll never turn down.”
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Acknowledgments
I’d like to send a big shout-out to my wonderful beta readers Michele, Kelly, Shari, Jen, and Jessica. Your eagerness to read and offer feedback gives me the boost I need to keep writing every time. Thank you also to my beloved KickAss Chicks, who entertained, inspired, and comforted me during my edits and rewrites. To my agent, Dawn, thank you for your excitement about this series and all the hard work you do. Many thanks also to Alycia at Entangled who helped me craft
Detour
into an even more beautiful love story. And last, but not least, thank you to my wonderful, supportive cast of family and friends. I love you all!
About the Author
Kyra Jacobs
is an extroverted introvert who writes of love, humor, and mystery in the Midwest and beyond. Her romance novels range from sweet contemporaries to urban suspense, and paranormal/fantasy to YA. No matter the setting, Kyra employs both humor and chaos to help her characters find inspiration and/or redemption on their way to happily ever after.
When the Hoosier native isn’t pounding out scenes for her next book, she’s likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves to read, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan.
Be sure to stop by her website
www.KyraJacobs.wordpress.com
to learn more about her novels and ways to connect with her on social media.
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