Page 59 of Stolen Kiss

Chapter Nineteen

Jason

He pushed the door open of The Anchor pub and walked in. Fires burned in the three fireplaces on three of the walls. Dark wooden tables were dotted around with stools, bench seats and chairs. Most of the tables were occupied with half drunken pints and empty packets of crisps and nuts. Most of the occupants looked his way. Those who knew him nodded, and he nodded back. He didn’t have time to talk to any of them. He wanted to speak to only one person.

Archer had told him he’d seen Keith in the pub and he pulled on his coat and came into town. He couldn’t see his brother anywhere, he was taking Erica to the pub to keep easing her into island life and to take the edge of the Hollywood star sheen.

He stopped looking for his brother and sister-in-law when he spotted Keith at the slot machine. Weaving through the tables, nodding to more people he made it to Keith’s side.

“We need to talk,” Jason said in a low voice.

“The fuck we do,” Keith replied.

Keith sounded like he’d had a few drinks. Not drunk but way off sober.

“I think we fucking do, Keith, you lied to me.”

Jason had kept his voice low so he wouldn’t be over heard but Keith wasn’t playing the same game.

“Why don’t you just fuck off up to that big house on the cliff and stay the fuck away from town. You’ve been on this island for four fucking months and now you want to talk. Too fucking late,” Keith said and shoved him.

“Hey, if you two are going to beat the shit out of each other, do it outside.”

Jason swung his head to the voice. It was the barman. Jason nodded and grabbed Keith by the material of his jumper at the neck. Keith wasn’t sober to react quickly enough and was led three paces before he shrugged out of the hold.

“What you gonna do? Kick the shit out of me? You couldn’t throw a punch to save your life a decade ago.”

“Things change, let’s go,” Jason said and grabbed Keith’s arm. It surprised Jason that Keith let him. The patrons cleared the way until Jason shoved him out the door. Jason had the muscle but Keith was still strong because as soon as they got out onto the pathway, he punched Jason on the cheek. Jason retaliated and punched back, clocking him in the eye, knocking Keith on the floor.

“Why did you lie? Why did you lie to your sister and your best friend? I was your fucking friend.”

The rage he was feeling was directly aligned to Keith’s nonchalance. He was still sitting on his ass rubbing his face.

“What does it matter it was a summer fling? It meant nothing,” Keith said rubbing his jaw and jumping back up like he was on a surfboard chasing a wave.

“I loved her,” Jason yelled. “I love her.

There was a collective gasp, but he was too angry to see who was watching.

“The fuck you did. You believed me when I sent the message. If you loved her, you would’ve chased her down, made her say it face to face.”

It was exactly what Heidi had said to him. It twisted the knots in his gut. He should’ve come back on his first leave, but he thought too much time had passed.

“You were very convincing,” Jason said through gritted teeth.

Jason saw Keith’s eye start to swell and wasn’t sorry. He would have a black eye in the morning. Jason seemed to fare better with Keith’s weak punch.

“I tried calling you but you changed your number and then I called your house and your parents hung up on me,” Jason said.

Another gasp went around him but he still didn’t look.

“Look at you. All precious and high and mighty. Jason fucking Turner, second in line to own this entire island and can’t work out who is playing him.”

Jason stepped forward and punched him again. Keith fell to the floor on his arse again but didn’t bother to get up.

Jason was breathing deeply desperately trying to hold in his rage. His best friend had just admitted to lying to him.

“Heidi is my sister and you’re not good enough for her,” Keith shouted at him.

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