“Don’t bring up the whole president of the debate team thing again?”
She had the audacity to snort. “That’s a given.”
“Did you like that I was on the debate team?”
“Watching you tear everyone apart with your awkward way with words?” she asked, as if the thought was ludicrous. Then she smiled. “Of course. What wasn’t to like about that? I loved it, actually.”
The tension he didn’t even know he’d been holding as he waited for her answer flowed away. God, he loved watching Neva. Her fingers stayed busy, flitting from toying with the hem of her napkin to tracing patterns in the condensation on her beer, to stroking up and down on her own forearms. What he would do to have those fingertips stroke him all over.
Damn. Carla had better play her part, and successfully, so Neva could be convinced once and for all that Peter had no interest in her sister.
Because he needed to kiss Neva again. Needed to finish what they’d started. Needed Neva in his bed.
In his life.
He jolted. That last thought was unwanted. He most definitely didn’t want someone in his life—and certainly not someone tied to Meadowview. He was leaving town.
And he definitely didn’t want to be tied to Neva Tipton, even though he wanted her in his bed so bad he was going through with this audacious charade he’d pulled together. Neva lived her opinion that people didn’t change. And being with someone so incredibly bullheaded in her beliefs wasn’t what he needed. Not at all. Besides, the only person he knew who hadn’t changed was her. Neva still wouldn’t accept help, she still thought poorly of her sister, and still believed Peter was in love with Carla despite the passion they’d shared the other night on the Community Center roof. Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn!
In comparison, Carla had changed significantly. She’d left behind her beauty queen days and built a successful business. She’d not only accepted who she was, but had embraced her sexual orientation.
And as for Peter? He was no longer an insecure geek, hiding from his own shadow because his father was a goddamned bully. He wouldn’t look back—only forward.
Yes, his life was a little empty by not having someone at his side, and yes, he wanted Neva Tipton with every fiber of his being, but he didn’t want a future with her. Or did he?
He shoved the thought out of his head. He wanted her in his bed for the next two weeks. That was it. That was the plan. And to get that goal he had to push forward with this batty idea he’d come up with, inane as it was. “Okay, so what’s next?” he asked.
“I need you to sign the lease, and to do that, you need to be successful. So follow what I tell you to do and stop questioning everything. I know my sister.”
“Seems like what you know are assumptions about your sister based on stereotypes of beauty queens.”
“Seriously, Peter?” she said dryly. “Are you trying to sabotage yourself here?”
“So I’m to order an exclusive Scotch for me and for her an expensive glass of bubbly. I’m to drop names, mention my accomplishments, compliment her looks…anything else?”
“You could bring up any exotic locales you’ve been to. Casually let her know how well traveled you are. That is…” She worried her lower lip. “Um, maybe you haven’t traveled…?”
“I’ve been around.”
She nodded, the movement tight and sharp. “If you had money, you could buy her a gift. Jewelry, presumably.”
“Presumably? You mean you don’t know for sure?”
“No. I didn’t mean that.” She blinked and looked away before adding, “Yes, buy her jewelry. My sister loves accessories. The bigger the bling, the better.”
He checked the time on his phone and stood. “Let’s meet at the fundraiser at seven.”
“Where are you going?”
“I have to run some errands and I need to buy an accessory.”
Neva frowned. “I didn’t mean buy her something now. I was thinking more along the lines of a third or fourth or even a fifth date. Why don’t you wait to see if she agrees to go out with you first?”
“Nah. No time like the present.” He leaned forward. Took her hands in his. At her sharp intake of breath, he ran his finger over the white-gold band with the inset emerald on her right ring finger. He’d noticed an identical ring on her sister’s finger. Emeralds were the birthstone for May, right? The Tipton twins’ birthday was May eighth. He didn’t remember seeing the distinct rings back in high school—
“Carla has the same ring,” he observed. “Who bought them for you two? And when?”
Neva sucked in another breath, jagged and shuddery. She ripped her hands out of Peter’s and shoved them under the table. “Charm school is over. Stick to the lessons, Peter. Or I’m done.”
He’d hit a nerve. The urge to press Neva about her reaction built up in him, but it was up to Neva to share what that nerve was. “You’ll for sure be there?” he confirmed. Neva had to be at the fundraiser to observe the scene he’d set up with her sister.
Because then, once she saw him and Carla in action, Neva would finally understand there was nothing between him and her sister.
He had to hope.
Seemed like as of late there was a lot of that going around Meadowview.
“I still hate socializing, but yeah, I’ll be there.”
He grinned and restrained himself from pumping a fist in the air. “I’ll see you at seven. And make sure Carla shows.”
Neva softened then. “I will,” she said quietly.
“No. I’m not going.” Carla slouched on Neva’s couch, arms and legs both crossed, swinging a foot.
Neva bit her lip to keep from yelling. She’d raced back to the farm after her meeting with Peter, crossing her fingers the entire way that Trudy had brought her sister back and that Carla wasn’t wandering somewhere around Meadowview. She’d arrived to see her sister lying on the couch, messing about with a cell phone. Why hadn’t Carla told her she had a cell?
She shook her head. The fact her sister could afford a cell phone was beside the point. More importantly, why wouldn’t Carla agree to go to the fundraiser?
What had their mother told her about how to manipulate her sister? Oh, yeah.
“Carla wants what Carla can’t have,” she’d said.
“Pretend you want something and Carla will go after it,” she’d said.
“Carla isn’t smart enough to call your bluff,” she’d said.
No. Neva wasn’t going to manipulate her sister the way their mother had. And yet…she couldn’t exactly tell the truth, could she? At least, not without hurting Peter.
And she so very much did not want to hurt Peter.
The realization she deeply cared about Peter hit her hard. Struck her in the chest, forcing the air out of her lungs. Regret surged in on an inhale. She’d done little to show Peter how much he still mattered. The friend she’d lost had come back to her and all she’d done was act like a brat. First, by refusing his help when he offered to give her a hand getting out of the rushing water. Second, she’d accused him of following her when he came upon her on the Community Center roof. And finally, she’d gone all frosty bitch on him when Carla reappeared in her life.
Yes, her twin’s sudden presence after six years of avoidance had thrown her for the proverbial loop. But she shouldn’t have taken her jumbled emotions out on Peter. Especially this morning, when he’d shown up at her house with a prospective client and then offered to entice the neighborhood porcupine off her property.
Regret continued to flood in—regret at how she’d treated Peter, how she’d run from him years before without an explanation, regret at being so jealous that he liked her twin more. The least she could do to make up for her constant state of bitch was to help him win the girl of his dreams.
She cleared her throat. “You know how Peter used to have a crush on you back in high school?”
One of Carla’s eyebrows quirked upward. “Of course I knew. Everybody and their dog knew. How could I no
t? I mean, he was always over at our place to hang out with you but he’d spend his time staring at me and getting underfoot.”
“Well…um…wouldn’t it be good if, during your visit here in Meadowview, that you, you know, were extra nice to him?”
Carla’s eyes suddenly went wide. “Oh my god!” she exploded. “Do not tell me you’re asking me to sleep with your neighbor out of pity!”
Neva’s jaw dropped. “Why would you even think such a thing?”
“Because you just told me to!”
How on earth could her sister have come to such a conclusion? Neva ran what she’d said through her mind. When she heard her words in her mind, realization dawned. Oh. That’s how. She started giggling. “Oh, no. No, no, no!” she said through a fit of laughter. “I didn’t mean it that way—not at all!”
“Good.” Carla harrumphed. “I was beginning to wonder if your ethics had completely abandoned you. I mean, you’re different from before, but no one can be that different.”
“What I meant was, he’s leaving town soon and he’d like to reconnect, with us both. And I think it would be nice for him if you hung out with him—just a little—before he takes off. Just so he doesn’t think he’s still some geek kid back in high school.”
Carla’s expression softened. “Are you two back to being best friends?”
Neva swallowed. She shook her head.
“Too bad. You made a great team. Seems like you lost something really special when you stopped being friends.”
“That’s in the past.”
“Your friendship? It could be in the future, too. And the present. You guys should be friends again.”
She was trying to be Peter’s friend here, but her sister just didn’t understand. But then again, how could she? “So you’ll go to the fundraiser with me tonight? Hang out with Peter?”
Carla slowly shook her head. “No. I have something I need to—”
“What? What is so important you can’t come hang out tonight, of all nights?” Frustration stabbed at her, a sharp and unwanted sensation that left her chest tight.’
“None of your business.”
“Carla.”
“Besides, I already talked to Peter. In his truck, when he drove me to the…uh…bus stop.”
“I know. But tonight’s different.”
Carla scrutinized her twin. “Different how?”
Neva shrugged.
“Oh. I get it.” Carla sighed, a long exhale. She passed a hand over her forehead and let it rest there, covering her eyes. “This would have to happen on tonight of all nights,” she muttered under her breath.
“Please, Carla,” Neva said hollowly. “This means a lot to me. It would mean a lot to Peter, too. Just say you’ll come.”
Carla’s expression held a concern that hadn’t been there a few moments before. “Tell you what. You go and I’ll try to join you there a little later, okay? This thing starts at what, seven o’clock? I’ll try to be there by eight, all right?”
The situation wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do. Peter was waiting. And Neva needed to give back to him. Because she owed him. Not only because of the whole Drag Neva Out of an Irrigation Ditch episode, but because she’d abandoned him years before. She’d been a sucky friend then, but she could be a good friend now.
“Don’t be late,” was all she said.
“Not tonight, darling. I have a headache.”
Peter held the phone to his ear as he perused the aisles at Camden’s Grocery. “Carla?”
“Of course it’s me.”
“How’d you get my number?”
“I copied all my sister’s contacts off her phone when she wasn’t looking. Why did you have to rope me into this idiotic plan of yours, and why did you have to set it up for tonight?”
He chuckled. “I take it Neva told you about the fundraiser.”
“My sister is taking rather desperate measures to ensure my attendance. I’m assuming she’s refusing to take no for an answer because of your plan. She almost begged me to go.”
“Uh, yeah. I did set things into motion for tonight. You’d be at the fundraiser, I’d try to pick you up—by the way, your sister gave me the absolute worst advice on how to charm you. You’d act all ecstatic and like you’re totally impressed with me. You’d ask me out—and then I’d quite loudly turn you down. Make some declaration about how your sister is amazing and wonderful and how could I have had such blinders on?” He squeezed past Ned and Jim, who’d moved their political “discussion” from the pub to the aisles of the grocery, and reached for a bottle of champagne.
“And Neva would be there to see you make the realization that really, it’s her you want, after all.”
“Yep. Exactly how we’d mapped it out.” He put the bottle back. Too pricey for his purpose tonight.
“You mapped it out. I’m an unwilling player in your grand scheme. And I’m not even sure it will work. Do you think she’d be that gullible?”
“Neva won’t believe the truth. So I need to show her what’s real. And what’s real is that there’s nothing between you and I. But there is something between me and Neva.”
A heavy sigh came over the line. “This is bad timing, Peter. I have an international conference call coming in at seven with a new client in Australia. It’s important.”
Hell. He swiped a hand over his face. “I should have checked with you first. Look, if it doesn’t work for tonight, that’s fine.”
“I told my sister I’d try to make it, but I’d be late. Let’s just see where things take us, okay?”
He agreed. After ending the call, he stared at the different brands of sparkling wine in front of him. Finally, at the bottom of the wine rack, he found exactly what he was looking for. Smiling, he grabbed the dusty bottle and made his way to the cash register. Neva would be quite surprised when she saw how he was implementing her charm school lessons.
Neva found herself having fun at the fundraiser, despite her earlier concerns about being around so many people. She looked around the interior of the old brick theater, taking in the good-natured crowd, the web of white lights that twinkled across the ceiling. The place was fun, funky, and beautiful. In the auditorium, seats had been removed and now small tables stood, small clusters of people gathered around each table. The fundraiser had a silent auction, with items and services provided by the community, all up for bid.
So far, Neva had placed a bid on a basket of soaps and lotions handmade by Chessie and ten cubic yards of compost for her crops.
Her long skirt caught on the edge of a table. She bent to check for a snag. The multi-colored peasant blouse she wore went nicely with the black stretch tube skirt. She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail and tied a bright teal ribbon around it, then slicked on some lip-gloss.
When she’d dressed, she’d worried about what outfit to wear to the event—dressy or casual—and was relieved to find her outfit worked well for the occasion. Carla had always been the one who knew how to dress appropriately. Their mother had made sure of it, taking the “pretty” twin to all sorts of social functions and to the mall to buy yet more clothes and makeup.
Neva, on the other hand, was usually in either sweats and a T-shirt or jeans and a T-shirt. Both outfits worked well for when her father had a break in his work schedule and wanted to go for a run around the track or out for a hike or fishing.
No wonder she didn’t much like socializing, she realized. She’d been trained to be an introvert.
At least tonight, she wasn’t acting all socially awkward and hiding out on roofs. Tonight she was having fun.
Or at least she would until Carla or Peter showed up. Then, the action would commence and she’d have to shut her heart as she watched the man she hungered for go after the sister she didn’t want.
Carla hadn’t shown up yet and neither had Peter, but Neva was happy to take her mind off Peter by socializing without him. The townsfolk were warm and kind, and surprisingly, her chest hadn’t squeezed in tight an
d she could breathe fine. No panic setting in the way it usually did when she was in crowds.
And she was even being social—willingly. So far she’d accepted an invitation to attend the sheriff and his new wife’s barbeque party they were hosting over the weekend, and had agreed to go over to Chessie’s on Friday to check out her bath and body business. Then, Trudy had found her, and introduced her to Sadie Sawyer, the woman who ran the Modern Playwrights Festival and who was in charge of the fundraiser. Sadie promptly invited Neva to her Labor Day party. Her social calendar was more full than it had ever been in her life.
The fun Neva was having was tempered when she remembered what she was doing here in the first place: she was about to help the man she was totally hot for sweet-talk her sister.
Peter’s comment about Carla and him making cute babies prodded for attention in Neva’s mind. She tried to push the thought away, but it was like a bur in a pair of lace panties. It took her a moment to realize why…she hadn’t pictured Peter and Carla having a baby. Oh, no. In her mind it was her curled up next to Peter on a soft couch, a baby cradled in her arms…and, in turn, Peter cradling her in his arms.
She and Peter would have made beautiful babies, but that was neither here nor there, because Peter was about to try to score Carla, and with Neva’s help.
Suddenly she wanted Peter to crash and burn in his quest.
But then she didn’t, she scolded herself. Because what kind of a friend would she be if she wanted someone she cared about get hurt?
Something else dawned on her…in her mind she’d referred to herself as a friend to Peter. The realization of what she’d agreed to sunk in deep—slapping her upside the head, and hard.
This idea of Peter’s was stupid.
Actually, his plan was well thought out (well, sort of) but what didn’t work was the fact Neva had feelings for him. Wait…feelings? Sure, she wanted to go to bed with Peter. But when had feelings become involved? Oh, no. As much as she’d tried to fool herself, she still had strong feelings for her high school friend. Not good. She’d done her part in giving Peter a few pointers in exchange for his signature on the lease, but a crop of apples was not worth the cost.
Charming the One: (Meadowview Heroes # 3) (The Meadowview Series Book 7) Page 12