Page 13 of Killian

“I was interested. I still am, but I was too afraid to text you.”

Killian laughed. “You were brave enough to kiss me, a stranger, but too scared to text me? Which I’m glad you finally did.”

“I wasn’t sure you were going to look at the text since you were talking to another woman.”

“Vanna owns Timeless Treasures. I was in her shop a few weeks ago to look for something for my mother’s birthday. She loves antiques.”

“I see. Did you find something?”

“I did. I knew what I was looking for. My father told me she’d been trying to find a glass butterchurn. Vanna just happened to have one.”

“I love antiques too. I know what kind of butter churn you’re talking about. I’d love to have one.”

“Talk with Vanna. She’ll either have one or get it for you.”

“I’ll do that. Do your parents live in Clifton?”

“No, they’re in Helena. Along with my brother.”

“Do you only have one sibling?”

“Yes. What about you?”

“I’m an only child, but I have a cousin that I am very close to. We grew up together. We’re the same age. Our fathers are brothers.”

“Have you always lived in Clifton?”

“No. I’m from Spokane, Washington. I came here to visit a few years ago. Before I met my ex-boyfriend, but after we broke up, I wanted to start over, I remembered how much I had loved this town, and I made the move. I was actually looking for a place to open a coffee shop. I owned one back home, so I knew that’s what I wanted to do here. I lucked out because Chelsea just happened to be selling hers. There’s an apartment above the shop, but I moved into a townhouse recently. I’m renting it from Abbie McBride for now. I’m not sure I want to buy it yet.”

“So, you’re renting from Creed’s wife?”

“Yes. I almost forgot, he’s a livestock agent too.”

“Creed is the reason I ended up here. I transferred from the Helena office after I assisted him on a case. I loved it so much that I told his boss if there was ever an opening, I would be interested in transferring. I’m trying to convince my brother to transfer as well.”

“He’s an agent too?”

“Yes, ma’am. Our father was also an agent.”

“Is your brother older or younger than you?”

“Older.” He grinned. “By three minutes.”

“You’re twins?”

“Fraternal. We have similar features, but you would never guess we were twins, plus our birthdays are different.” Killian grinned.

“How?”

“He was born two minutes before midnight on November thirtieth, and I was born a minute after midnight on December first.”

“That’s unreal. What’s his name?”

“Kian.”

“Kian and Killian. It doesn’t get more Irish than that, does it?”

Killian chuckled. “Our parents immigrated here from Ireland. They were both born and raised there, but my father wanted to move here shortly after they got married. He’d been in law enforcement there, but once he came to the States, he got interested in becoming a livestock agent.”

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