Shutting off the Chevelle’s engine, Kellan muttered, “Hmmm,” and cracked his door open. I opened mine as well, wondering if maybe Gavin and his kids were here. He was visiting from out of town. Maybe he’d rented the car? Although I found it hard to believe that Gavin would show up without asking Kellan if he could come by first. Plus, he would have needed directions to Kellan’s house. And I really doubted that a rental car would have a bumper sticker on it that read: If you’re gonna ride my ass, at least pull my hair.
Knowing the driver was female and probably one of Kellan’s many, many ex-whatevers, I reluctantly followed Kellan to the front door. God, if some chick had shown up wearing only a long coat while my parents were here . . . I was going to die.
The front door was unlocked and Kellan stepped through. Reaching back for my hand, he escorted me into our entryway. Kellan’s home wasn’t the largest. From the front door you could turn right to go upstairs to the bedrooms, turn left to head into the kitchen, or go straight ahead to the living room. My parents were currently sitting on Kellan’s lumpy living room couch, a deep scowl fixed on my father’s face. My mother was trying to contain it, but I could tell she wasn’t happy either.
I wasn’t sure if their disappointment was over my impromptu elopement or if they were irritated by the person lounging on Kellan’s comfortable chair, a chair that held a large amount of sentimental value for me since Kellan had given it to me when we’d broken up. It meant a lot to me that Kellan had cared enough to think of me at a time when I really didn’t deserve his kindness. Some strange girl sitting on it sideways, dangling her high heeled legs over the armrest, made my stomach tighten.
Hearing our entrance, the girl tilted her head back so she could see the door. When Kellan got a good look at her, he muttered, “Shit,” and glanced down at me with a worried expression. The tightness in my stomach shifted to ice as I wondered who this girl was.
Clenching my hand, Kellan walked into the living room so we could greet the new arrival. When we came into her view, she looked up at Kellan and narrowed her eyes. She had long black hair with equally dark eyes. She made them seem even darker by covering her lids with smoky gray eye shadow. Her lips were painted bright red and were pursed in an irritated, but erotic, pout. She was gorgeous, but I’d been expecting that. Most of Kellan’s conquests were.
Her face full of contempt, her voice low and husky, she bit out, “Well, fuck me, Kellan Kyle.” Amused at herself, she smiled and added, “Oh, wait, you already did.” As her scowl returned, my expression darkened; I already disliked this person.
Ignoring her comment, Kellan acknowledged my parents first. “Martin, Caroline.” Then he shifted his gaze back down to the rude girl lounging on my favorite chair. “Joey.”
My brows shot up my forehead as I stared at the girl glowering at Kellan. Joey? As in, the ex-roommate Joey? The girl who had lived here just a few weeks before Denny and I had moved in . . . over two years ago? I never thought she’d come back. What the heck was she doing here now?
Face tight, Kellan echoed my thoughts, “What are you doing here?”
She hopped to her feet. Crossing her arms over her ample chest, she lifted her chin. Eyes fiery, she snarled, “Where the hell is all my stuff, Kellan?”
Kellan’s mouth dropped a little and some anger seeped into his expression. Holding my hand a little tighter, he replied, “You’ve been gone for two years. I tossed it.”
I bit my lip to stop myself from cringing. I had actually tossed her stuff. Joey had run off in a huff after Kellan had slept with her then immediately slept with someone else. He wasn’t always the sweet, loyal lover that he was now. Kellan had insisted that Joey didn’t care for him, that she was just possessive. He’d offended her by sharing his bed with another woman . . . even though she’d been sharing her bed with other men.
Denny and I had used her furniture when we’d moved in. After our bad breakup, the furniture had felt tainted to me, like the ghost of my ex-relationship had somehow infused into the dark wood. To purge the home, I’d had all of her stuff taken away. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that, since it wasn’t mine to toss, but I’d wanted it gone so Kellan and I could start fresh. I probably should have expected that decision to bite me in the ass.
Her face theatrically outraged, Joey shoved Kellan’s shoulder back. “You what? That wasn’t yours to get rid of, asshole!”
Face heated, Kellan took a step forward. “You ran out. It’s not my problem if you left everything behind!” Eyes disdainful, he scanned her face. “My house isn’t your personal storage unit.”
She scoffed and raised a hand dismissively. “Whatever, Kellan. I don’t need your temperamental crap. If you don’t have my stuff, then you can just pay me for it.” She smirked. “Fifteen hundred should cover everything.”
I made a strangled noise and Joey twisted her head to glare at me. “Who the hell are you?” She raised an eyebrow. “Kellan’s flavor of the hour?”