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Kris stalked to the kitchenette and yanked open drawers until she found the dish towels, then tossed one to each man. She’d tell Effy to put them on her tab. While she was there, she filled a third with ice and set it against her face.
“Shut the door.” She waved with her free hand. “Then we’d better have a seat.”
They did as she ordered, though they continued to stare at each other like two dogs with one bone. That she was the bone in question should have been amusing but wasn’t.
Both men had headed for the chair, but when she plopped onto the couch they changed direction and sat next to her, one on either side.
The fit was a tad cozy. Kris considered getting up and taking the chair herself but feared that if she did that, they’d only wind up grabbing each other, then falling on the floor, flailing around, and breaking more than their noses.
“Would you sit there, Marty?” Kris pointed at the chair.
Her brother wasn’t happy, but he moved.
Kris hadn’t seen Marty since she was eighteen, and he’d been only a year older. She’d thought him full grown then, but she’d been wrong. He’d gained a few inches and a few pounds. His hair was also different. She remembered it being light brown, and it was in places. But the blond streaks suggested he’d been either working outside or visiting a salon.
Several puzzle pieces suddenly came together. “You’ve been asking about me in Drumnadrochit.”
Marty lifted one shoulder, then lowered it. He also lowered the bloody dish towel. His nose had stopped bleeding but had started swelling. It also listed to the side.
She glanced at Liam, who stared at Marty in speculation. Liam’s nose, though flecked with blood, seemed just fine.
“He’s the one who’s been slinking about asking fer ye?”
“Apparently,” Kris murmured. “The question is why?”
“Why do you think, Squirt?” She started at his use of the nickname only Marty had called her, probably because she’d hated it so much. “I was worried about you.”
“Squirt,” Liam repeated. “I think that might be an insult, aye?”
Kris sighed. It was. But she wasn’t going to tell him that.
“American term of endearment,” she said shortly, and Marty smirked. “You didn’t call. You didn’t write.” Marty’s smirk faded.
Or show up once in the past seven years, goddammit.
Her brother glanced away. “I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”
Did she? Kris wasn’t sure.
“She certainly didnae want to see ye creepin’ about outside her bedroom window in the middle of the night,” Liam muttered.
Kris straightened. “What?”
“I saw a shadow slip past, so I went to find out who it was, opened the door, and—”
“Grabbed me by the throat,” Marty finished.
“What did ye expect, sneakin’ around like ye were? A handshake?”
“I was just checking to make sure the door was fixed.”
“You left the note for Rob?” Kris asked.
Marty shrugged again.
“He’s been skulking about a lot longer than tonight,” Liam murmured.
Marty ignored Liam and kept his gaze on Kris. “I saw someone following you.”
