Circle of Friends Complete Collection

by Susan Mallery

  He glanced at the tangle of plants on the coffee table. “Just don’t bring anything home. You’re already at risk of becoming a pod person.”

  She laughed. “My plants know I love them. They’d never hurt me.”

  “You say that now, but wait until you wake up with a thorn growing out of your neck and stalks instead of arms.”

  “I’m not worried. What about you? Tell me about your work.”

  “I can’t believe you’re interested in carburetors and timing belts. You’re too much a girl.”

  “Excuse me?” She raised her eyebrows. “Are you saying because of my gender, I’m not into cars?”

  “Are you?”

  “Well, no, but I could be if I wanted.”

  “Sure you could. So are you seeing anyone?”

  The shift in subject startled her. “You mean like a guy?”

  “I’m comfortable with your relationship with the plants.”

  She fought against the need to spring to her feet and glare down at him. “I wouldn’t have slept with you if I’d been seeing someone else. How can you even ask? Are you seeing someone else?”

  “I told you, I was off women until you came along and tempted me. It’s not an unreasonable question.”

  “It is to me. I’m not that kind of person.”

  She regretted the words as soon as she spoke them. Gee, wow—talk about a moral code. She wasn’t the kind of woman to sleep with one man while dating another, but she would bring a guy home from a bar and have sex with him.

  “I’ve never done anything like that before,” she murmured. “I shouldn’t have... “

  Carter slid across the sofa and touched her arm. “Hey, no beating yourself up. It’s not allowed. Sometimes things happen and we deal with them. That’s what we’re doing right now. Dealing.”

  “But you think I’m awful.”

  “I don’t. I think you got swept away, just like I did. Of course, I blame you for that.”

  She made a sound that was both a laugh and something way too close to a sob. No tears, she thought. Not over this. She preferred to save her crying for something more tragic. While she didn’t know how she felt about being pregnant by a man she barely knew, no one had died. They would get through this.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  He moved back to his side of the sofa, which was both good and bad. She liked having him close and touching her. Of course that would only lead to trouble.

  “So we get to know each other,” he said. “Then we make some decisions about how we’re going to handle the baby.”

  “I agree.” She picked up her bottle of water and looked at him. “You never proposed.”

  His reaction was almost comical. His whole body stiffened. His eyes darted from side to side and he looked ready to bolt.

  “Did you want me to?”

  She was impressed by how calm he sounded as he asked the question, and she did her best to hide her smile.

  “It is traditional,” she pointed out.

  His gaze narrowed. “You’re screwing with me.”

  She felt the corners of her mouth turn up. “Maybe a little.”

  He grinned. “I like that in a woman.”

  * * *

  BY THE TIME they finished dinner, there was a whole lot more that he liked about Rachel. She was smart, and she was funny. She held her own when he pushed back and yet he could make her blush without trying.

  “I would have expected lots of dance trophies all around the place,” he said when they’d cleared the table and returned to the living room. “Didn’t you say it was your secret passion?”

  “It was. I had big plans to be a professional ballerina. If that didn’t work out, I was willing to go be on Broadway.”

  “I’m sure New York theater was delighted to be your backup plan.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I know. The arrogance of youth. Eventually I figured out I wasn’t going to be a professional dancer, so I switched dreams.”

  There was something in the way she said the words that told him the decision hadn’t been an easy one. “You kept on dancing, though.”

  “Sure. I take a couple of classes every week. More in the summer. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep them up.” She touched her stomach as she spoke.

  He eyed her belly and wondered when she would start showing. All his sisters had kids, but he’d never paid much attention to their pregnancies except to hope they had boys—which they never did.

  “Any symptoms?” he asked.

  “Aside from panic? Not yet. I’ll be making a doctor’s appointment to find out what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I know to avoid alcohol and medications. Neither is really a problem for me. Aside from that, I’m in the dark.”

  “Me, too.”

  “You’re a guy. That’s expected. Shouldn’t I have some maternal instincts that are activated just by me being pregnant?”

  “Maybe they wait for the baby to be born.”

  She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I hope so, because otherwise, I’m pretty clueless.”

  “There’s time.”

  “That’s what I tell myself.”

  He looked around at the bright colors on the wall and the little touches like candles and bowls of stuff that smelled. “Your place is nice.”

  “Thanks. I like to decorate. Your house was nice, too. I only saw the living room, but it wasn’t bachelor pad central.”

  “My sisters,” he said by way of explanation. “They meddled.”

  She smiled. “In some cultures, that would be called helping.”

  “Yeah, well, in some cultures they’d ask first. But I didn’t mind too much. They had some good ideas. I did most of the work myself. I remodeled the kitchen and did all the painting.”

  “Really? You know how to do that kind of thing?”

  He nodded. “My mom worried about me growing up without a father and with only sisters in the house so she was always sending me off to spend the weekend with my friends and their dads. I learned to do basic carpentry, change oil in a car, ride a motorcycle. I don’t think she was too excited about that last one.”

  “Not many mothers would be. But that was good of her, to take care of you that way.”

  “She’s all right.” He wasn’t going to have a discussion about how much he loved his mother. That was too twisted for the already complicated situation. Time to get back to the one thing that had been on his mind since before dinner.

  He leaned toward Rachel. He knew she’d been kidding before, but he wasn’t sure if she’d been hinting. “Did you want to get married, Rachel?”

  Her eyes widened as she shook her head. “No. It’s okay. No proposals are required. Really.”

  That was a relief. “So what do you want to do?”

  She bit her lower lip, which probably meant she was confused. Most of him got that. But the real male part of him interpreted that little movement as an invitation. Sort of a “come kiss me” kind of invitation.

  He wanted her. Even knowing she was pregnant didn’t change that. He wanted to touch her and taste her and claim her. That single night together had been a good start, but there were so many things they hadn’t done.

  “What we’re doing. Talking. Figuring it out without making any rash decisions.”

  “I can avoid rash,” he said.

  She smiled. “Have you ever been married?”

  “No. Not my thing.”

  “Is it the fidelity issue? Being with just one woman?”

  “I’ve only ever been with one woman at a time,” he said. “Never cheated.”

  He’d never wanted to. It wasn’t as if he needed more women in his life.

  “You’re not that into mar
riage, either,” he said, remembering that she’d been engaged twice but never married.

  “I will be,” she told him. “It wasn’t right before.”

  He almost asked what would make it right, because that’s what he had trouble with. How did anyone know when it was right?

  “Will you stay here?” he asked, nodding at the apartment.

  “I haven’t thought that far ahead. There are two bedrooms, but... Gee, now I have to think about moving. I guess the baby will want a yard.”

  “Not the first week.”

  She laughed. “Good point. I have time.”

  “If money’s an issue, I could help.”

  She shifted on the sofa. “Okay, we’ve officially crossed into uncomfortable territory. Let’s avoid talk of moving and money for a while.”

  “Fair enough.”

  She shook her head. “Carter, I’m really sorry this happened. I didn’t mean to mess up your life. Or mine.”

  “We’ll make it through. Kids aren’t that bad.”

  “You don’t actually know that.”

  “My sisters are doing fine and between them they have a bunch.”

  “So you’re an uncle.”

  “Many times over. And now that they’re married, there are finally guys around.”

  “There aren’t that many women in your family.”

  He looked at her. “I only have nieces.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “No. Chances are you’re having a girl.”

  She smiled. “I’d like that.”

  Under other circumstances, the relaxed body language and gentle smile would have been his cue to move in for a kiss and whatever else was being offered. Under these circumstances, that wouldn’t be the wisest move.

  Instead he stood and stretched. “I should get going. Thanks for dinner.”

  “I only heated it. I should thank you. And your sisters.”

  “I’ll tell them you had seconds. That’s thanks enough for them.”

  “Everything was great. Thanks for bringing it.” She followed him to the front door. “We didn’t really get anything resolved.”

  He smiled at her and fought against the need to feel her mouth on his. “Sure we did. I know you’re a sucker for tiramisu and that dancing on Broadway was your second choice.”

  She swayed toward him. “You know what I mean. About the baby. But you’re right. We have time. I...” She ducked her head, then looked at him. “I know neither of us wanted this to happen, but since it did, I’m glad it was you.”

  She blushed bright red. “I mean, you’re really nice and I know you want me to think you’re dangerous, but you’re really not and I think you’ll be a good dad. That’s all I meant. Nothing, you know...”

  “Mushy?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. Mushy.”

  He gave in because after that little speech, how could he not? He put one hand on her shoulder, leaned toward her and lightly brushed her mouth with his.

  Her lips were as warm and soft as he remembered. His body went on instant alert, but he ignored the wanting and drew back.

  “I’ll give you a call the first part of next week,” he said. “We’ll do this again.”

  “I’d like that. Night, Carter.”

  “Night.”

  He walked to his truck and climbed inside. It was barely ten on a Saturday night and he didn’t feel like going home.

  He made a U-turn and headed the couple of miles to the Blue Dog Bar. Once he arrived, he parked a street away and walked in through the kitchen entrance, so he wouldn’t be seen by anyone up front.

  George stood by the deep fryer where most of the snacks were made. “Hey, Carter. What’s up?”

  “Not much. Is Jenny around?”

  “Sure. Watch this. They need to come out when the buzzer sounds. I’ll go get her.”

  Carter monitored a basket of what looked like chicken wings until George returned with Jenny in tow.

  “Hey, you,” she said. “How are things?”

  “Okay. Can you take a break?”

  “Already told Dan I’d be gone for a few minutes.”

  Jenny followed him into a small breakroom in the back. At this hour it was empty. They settled on some plastic chairs placed around a round table.

  “Dan was a little hurt,” Jenny said. “You know he hates it when you talk to me instead of him.”

  “He’s a typical guy, same as me. How is he going to help?”

  “He’s not,” Jenny said with a grin. “But he has delusions of grandeur.”

  “Is that why you married him?”

  “I couldn’t wait for you forever, darlin’.”

  “I don’t remember you waiting at all.” He leaned back in the chair. “You called my mother.”

  “I know. I was there.”

  “You’re supposed to be my friend. That means being on my side.”

  “There’s a baby now, Carter. You don’t get a side.”

  “Still, you could have waited.”

  “Actually I called more for Rachel than for you.”

  He didn’t question how Jenny knew Rachel’s name. Her sisters were close to Jenny and would have filled her in on everything they knew.

  “Rachel’s fine.”

  “I wanted to be sure,” Jenny said. “I have to tell you, I’m surprised. You were always compulsively careful.”

  There was something about the way she said it. “Was that a problem for you?”

  “Not a problem, more of a symptom. You made it clear you wouldn’t be trapped and while I wasn’t interested in that, a woman likes to think a man can be swept away from time to time.”

  “Look what happens when he is.”

  Jenny nodded. “You don’t seem too angry.”

  “I’m not. I’m...” He wasn’t sure what he felt. He’d always liked kids and had thought he’d want them in his life. It was the whole marriage thing he couldn’t relate to.

  “Think I have what it takes to be a good father?” he asked lightly, although he was deadly serious about the question.

  “Absolutely,” she said. “You’ll be great. You know your mom thinks you should marry Rachel.”

  “I think she mentioned that. What do you think?”

  “That a baby changes everything. For what it’s worth, marriage is pretty cool.”

  “I can’t believe you’re happy with Dan when you had me.”

  She laughed. “He loves me and you never did. Besides, you’re not all that.”

  “Sure I am.”

  “Okay, yes you are, but you were never the one for me and I wasn’t the one for you.”

  He didn’t think he had a “one” but there was no point in saying that to Jenny.

  She stood, walked around the table, then bent over and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re going to be a daddy, Carter. It’s time to stop playing and grow up.”

  “I’m plenty grown-up.”

  “You’re still fooling around. Look at what you’re doing with your life. Get a real job.”

  He frowned. “I have a real job.”

  “You know what I mean.” She touched his earring. “You’ve always gotten by on charm and looks, that body and a great personality. Now it’s time for some substance.”

  “Ouch.”

  “I only say this because I love you. I have to get back to work.”

  She left the breakroom. Carter stayed where he was.

  Jenny had always been able to say the words. For her, professing love was as easy as folding socks. But not for him. Oh, he knew he loved his family and cared about his friends. But love, romantic love?

  Not even once.

  He told himself it didn’t matter. That he was sti
ll a great guy. He almost believed it, too. Only he couldn’t figure out why his heart had never been touched and what about him would change if it was.

  * * *

  RACHEL PICKED UP the containers of paint and carried them to the sink. The mess was indescribable, but it had been worth it. Her class had met all its goals for the week and because of that, they’d been able to pick their reward. Unfortunately for her, the reward had been finger painting. Both she and the room were now brightly colored and smudgy, but the water-based product would wash off and she and her class had had a great time together. She’d even created a finger-painting masterpiece of her own, although she had no idea what she was going to do with it.

  She’d just finished washing off the tables when she noticed three men walking toward her classroom. They’d come through the play area, so they were visible through the large set of windows in her room. All three were in uniform, two from the local police and one in what looked like a firefighter uniform.

  Her first thought was that they were coming to arrest her, only she hadn’t done anything wrong. Her second was that her apartment had burned down. She met them at the door.

  “Is it bad?” she asked fearfully. “Is everything gone?”

  The firefighter smiled. “Everything’s fine. You’re Rachel Harper, right?”

  Everything was all right? “Yes, that’s me.”

  “Good,” one of the cops said. “We’d hate to welcome the wrong person into the family.”

  Rachel blinked. “Excuse me?”

  One of the guys nudged the other two. “This works better if we introduce ourselves. I’m Frank and I’m married to Liz. This is Adam. He’s with Merry.” He pointed to the other police officer. “Gordon’s married to Shelly. This is complicated enough without worrying about last names. You can learn them later.”

  It took her a second to figure out what they were talking about. “You’re married to Carter’s sisters,” she said more to herself than to them.

  Gordon, the firefighter, said, “The family is kind of crazy close, but that’s what makes them so special. Our wives have been talking about you, so we thought we’d come down and introduce ourselves when things were quiet. It will make it easier to get to know the family.”