Equity (Balance Sheet #3) by Shannon Dermott Page A

I’ve never seen him behave that way with any woman.”
    Figuring I had nothing to lose because both his parents seemed to want to give me a pep talk, I said, “He hates me.”
    His laugh was brusque. “Lass, that’s love causing all his confusion.”
    “I don’t think so. I think he just doesn’t want me here.” My words were as final as they sounded. I wouldn’t believe anything else. “Besides, he and Keely are making up for lost time.”
    “Keely,” he said, and it was with humor that made the name sound preposterous. “That lass has been following Kalen for the last decade. He puts up with her as a sister, nothing more.”
    “It didn’t look that way,” I rebuked. We pulled up in the driveway. I turned in my seat, thinking I’d better do this before we got inside and I was talked out of it. “Is there an inn nearby?”
    “Aye, lass,” he said, sounding weary. “Don’t leave. The lad will come to his senses.”
    I gave him my biggest doe eyes. “I can’t stay here.”
    Defeated, he sighed. It was a moment or two in hopes I suspected that I would change my mind before he said, “Let me make a call inside.”
    When I opened the car door, Moria was already standing there. “Is everything okay?”
    I just nodded and headed for the stairs. I could hear Ennis explaining before he switched to what Moria had told me was Gaelic. It didn’t take long for me to get my things together. I hadn’t unpacked because I planned to stay somewhere else with Turner anyway. Neither man deserved the uncomfortable tension that would surround us if we were all in the same place.
    By the time I got downstairs, Moria seemed beside herself. However, she only asked me to stay once. After I gave her a definite no, Ennis said that there was one inn nearby. It was located near the private airport I’d flown into. The owner of the airport also owned the inn. His wife operated it. However, with no guest, she’d gone to stay with her sister for the night. Ennis would drop me by the airport. The owner was waiting for one more arrival before he shut down for the night. Then he would walk me over to the inn and get me settled.
    I hugged Moria because she’d been nothing but nice. I hated to leave her hospitality. But I would have left by tomorrow with Turner anyway.
    As much as I felt bad about taking Ennis away from his bar, I was grateful for the ride. On top of that, when we arrived at the small airport, he walked me inside the tiny building that must have been the brains of the operation. I barely remembered the place from arriving a day or so ago. My head had been so messed up, I’d barely paid any attention to my surroundings. The darkness that filled the spaces now didn’t help my memory.
    Ennis held the door as I stepped inside. An older man with a wisp of brown hair was talking to another man with a crop of red hair on his head.
    Both men turned in our direction when a jingle above the door alerted them to our presence.
    “Ennis,” the man behind the counter began.
    “Fergus, this is the young lass needing a room,” Ennis said.
    Fergus nodded in my direction before switching into what I thought was more Gaelic. The other man gave me a smile before he was drawn into the conversation. I think they’d switched to English, but their brogue was so thick I still didn’t understand. I knew they were talking about me, when they all looked at me.
    The conversation died and Ennis said, “I’ll be on my way.”
    I thanked him for everything and sent more thanks to Moria before he left. When I turned back from the closing door, Fergus said, “I’ll only be a few more minutes.” 
    I nodded and took in the stark interior of the building. The front of it was made of a wall of glass. All I could think before chuckling to myself was the better to see you with my dear . There were a couple of metal chairs in the corner opposite the side door we entered in otherwise it wasn’t very inviting.
    “Are you headed back to