Guy Next Door (9781460341179)

by Tippens, Missy

  “This is between Noreen and me.”

  “This mess will involve Granny and everyone in town who knew and loved Mom.”

  Darcy could understand how Luke felt, but he needed to back off, to cool down before trying to discuss the situation.

  She went to him and hooked her arm through his. “Come on. Let’s sit down over dinner and try look at this rationally.”

  “Rationally? I think I’m well within reason to assume my dad wouldn’t get involved with my mom’s best friend so soon.”

  Burt took another step toward his son, his face florid.

  “Don’t,” Noreen said, stepping between the two men, pushing them apart.

  Darcy tugged on Luke’s arm, pulling him toward the back door.

  “What’s burning?” Chloe called in a chipper voice as she popped into the kitchen from the front hall, all freshness and blonde sunshine in a room overflowing with tension­…and smoke.

  Mom rushed to snatch the bread out of the oven, setting off the smoke detector. As the obnoxious beeping sound rang through the kitchen, Luke stormed out the back door, slamming it behind him.

  Chloe stood there, her blond silky hair perfectly smooth, in a perfectly fitted sweater set from her expensive boutique. A sweater set Darcy had admired but couldn’t afford.

  “Is Luke upset because I showed up?” Chloe asked, smoke from the burned bread swirling around her head as she grabbed a newspaper and fanned the blaring detector. The alarm finally shut off. Chloe gave a dainty cough.

  “No, he’s angry with me.” Burt headed toward the door.

  “Burt, wait.” Noreen stepped around him to open the back door, wafting it back and forth to clear the smoke out of the room. “Maybe Darcy should go after him.”

  Darcy hadn’t taken Luke’s side on the issue and knew he would not want to see her at the moment. She let out a heavy sigh.

  “I’m certainly not going after him,” Chloe said in response to the sigh.

  “I’ll go.” Darcy marched next door and let herself inside. Quietly, moving room to room, she located him in his dad’s wood paneled study staring at old family photos that filled one wall.

  “Are you okay?”

  When he didn’t answer, she stepped up behind him and put her arm around his waist.

  “Don’t.” He shrugged her off.

  Pain tweaked her chest. “I know you’re mad at me, too.”

  “You should have backed me up. You know this isn’t right.”

  The pain on his face made her stomach tighten into an aching knot. Why did she always hurt so badly when she knew he was hurting? “I know their relationship is way too soon. And the loss of your mom is still fresh. I totally get that.”

  “Then why are you so gung ho about them seeing each other when you should be discouraging it?” His eyes flashed, challenging her to do what he thought was right.

  She probably should. Yet she couldn’t, not when her mom was finally living again. “I can’t help it if I want my mom to find someone who makes her smile. And what better man than your dad?”

  Crossing his arms tightly in front of him, he stared at a large family portrait. “I’m not faulting Noreen as much as I am my dad. I think you should worry about her. There’ll be talk.”

  “I believe their church friends will be happy for them.”

  He shook his head. “They’ll be shocked. Maybe angry.”

  “No, I live around here, remember? I know these people.”

  This time when he tried to shake off her touch, she held tightly to his arm, trying to offer comfort.

  The muscle of his forearm tensed, then relaxed. He turned to look at her. “You’re being naive.”

  “You’re being stubborn. You shut me out the moment I took Mom’s and Burt’s side instead of yours.”

  “You should side with me on this. Ending their relationship now will be best for everyone.”

  She huffed in disgust. “And you know what’s best for everyone? No, you’re just concerned you won’t be able to convince your dad to move to Nashville.”

  Irritation flashed in his eyes. “Darcy, if you think that’s all I care about, you don’t know me at all.”

  For some reason, the comment made her throat ache. “I guess I don’t anymore.”

  He stepped into her space, so close she caught the scent of his soap and could feel his breath tickling her bangs, so close she had to look up to meet his eyes.

  “What’s wrong between us?” he asked. “Something’s off, and it has nothing to do with our parents.”

  The look in his eyes—heat, frustration, determination­—sent her heart racing, her breath hitching. He was going to dig until he found out exactly what had gotten into her.

  A stupid, dangerous, poorly timed attraction.

  She needed to say something instead of standing there struck speechless by his nearness and the intense look in his eyes.

  The powerful urge to simply pour it all out, to tell her good friend how she used to feel about him, how she feared she would feel again if she wasn’t careful, pulsed in her head. If she told him, then maybe they could laugh it off and get past this awkwardness. Putting the craziness out in the open would help strengthen her resolve.

  She reached up and laid her hand lightly on his chest. “Luke…”

  His eyes sparked, and then he stepped away, his expression turning icy.

  The rebuff sent a shock wave of cold through her body, cold enough to knock her back to her senses. What had she nearly done? She could have ruined their friendship if she’d told him.

  “I don’t know how we can work together on the auction with this mess with our parents,” he said. “I’ll tell Granny I can’t do it after all.”

  Pain seared inside her chest. How had she been so foolish as to let old longings creep up on her again?

  Lord, help me be careful.

  Drawing strength from the cold dose of reality, she found the necessary words, words she should have spoken sooner. “Grace would be disappointed if you quit. I’ll find someone to take my place.”

  Unable to look at him for fear of showing her hurt, she turned and hurried away.

  What would she tell Mom and Burt and Chloe?

  The truth, she supposed.

  That Luke wouldn’t listen to her. That he apparently didn’t want to be around her at all.

  Chapter Four

  “You did what?”

  The next day, Luke’s grandmother stared at him, mouth agape, forehead wrinkled. He couldn’t blame her for being angry. He already felt like a jerk for the way his conversation with Darcy had gone the previous evening, for the hurt look he’d put on her face.

  Still, Darcy had quit and he needed to get his grandmother to agree to rejoin the auction committee. He had to pull together the event to help fund his mom’s pet project.

  “I didn’t kick Darcy off,” he said. “We mutually agreed it’s probably not a good idea to work together right now.”

  Grace narrowed her eyes, and if looks could skin someone alive, he’d be a mere skeleton at the moment.

  “You had to have done something. Darcy was excited about helping the children. She’d worked hard to solicit donations. She would not up and quit.”

  No, she hadn’t quit. He’d forced her hand.

  Because something in her eyes had scared him to death. For an instant, he’d feared she might say something that would change their friendship forever. Something that could ruin it.

  “Granny, what’s done is done. Please, I need you to help me finish planning the auction. You know everyone who donated and can help me round up the items. Plus, the Haleys cancelled, so we need another high-bid item.”

  Her face fell. “No. You don’t mean it. We had expected to make a bundle off that
ski chalet trip. Now we won’t nearly meet our increased budget.”

  “See why I need you?”

  “I’ll certainly try to find another donor. But you still need Darcy to help you pull off the auction.” The confusion and frustration in her eyes turned to hurt. Her eyes filled with tears. “I simply don’t understand. You and Darcy are so close. How could this happen?”

  Your son-in-law went off the deep end, he wanted to say. But he didn’t dare tell Granny. Not yet, anyway. If he could persuade his dad to give up the ridiculous romance with Noreen, Granny might never need to know. They could keep the relationship a secret from everyone.

  Even if Burt and Noreen came to their senses, it still wouldn’t change the strange attraction he’d been having to Darcy.

  “Sometimes friends drift apart,” he said, trying to convince himself more that Granny. “I live in another state now. We’re not in contact nearly as often as in the past.”

  The flesh-filleting stare returned. “Instead of letting go, you should be working to rebuild your friendship. You don’t just give up something so precious.” She leaned closer and poked him in the chest. “In fact, I think you’ve taken her for granted all these years while she’s been totally devoted to you. Helping you in school, tending you when you were sick or injured, cheering you on in sports, tolerating your many girlfriends.”

  Sure, Darcy had always been there for him, but hadn’t he been there for her, too? Although, lately, she’d probably initiated more phone calls than he had.

  His conscience nagged at him that he’d forgotten her birthday last year. Thankfully, he’d remembered two days later and made up for it by sending a gift.

  Still, he’d forgotten. And now he’d pushed her away because of a desperate look in her eyes.

  A look that, really, could have meant anything.

  Maybe he’d jumped to conclusions. Maybe she’d been upset over the conflict between him and their parents. Or maybe she’d been worried about him and the pain it caused.

  Pulling out his cell phone, he said, “I do need to call her. Find out if she’s found a replacement yet.”

  “No, you need to tell her you want her on the committee. She’s a kindhearted young woman who needs to know you value her.”

  His grandmother was wrong, there. Darcy knew he valued her friendship. They’d had disagreements before. They would weather this one, as well.

  If Granny wouldn’t help on the committee, he had to find someone. He needed to talk to Darcy.

  * * *

  I would if I could, Darcy.

  I’m sorry, but I can’t.

  Sorry, but I’m learning to say no, even if it is a worthy cause.

  If only you’d asked me last month.

  Well, she would have asked for a volunteer last month if she’d known she’d be in this predicament.

  Darcy tossed her cell phone in her purse and walked out the door of the hospital. For the past half hour, she’d heard a variety of excuses as well as direct no’s. She had hit up everyone she could think of from their small congregation to take her place for the fund-raiser.

  Now it was time to head to Chloe’s boutique to beg her sister to take over the auction work. After the way Chloe had refused to even go after Luke yesterday during the big blowup in the kitchen, Darcy didn’t hold out hope Chloe would agree. Which was why she’d saved her sister as a last resort.

  Darcy parked outside Chloe’s Closet, the small shop in downtown Appleton. The building stood strong, an old opera house that had been remodeled decades earlier but still held old-world charm. Chloe rented a small space for her specialty boutique that carried high-end women’s clothes, gifts and items for the home. A shop Darcy had never been able to afford, even with Chloe offering items at cost.

  Business for Chloe had been good, but she hadn’t yet been able to afford to hire any employees. She told Darcy if she insisted on working an extra job, then when it came time to hire someone, Chloe hoped to lure Darcy away from Glenda’s.

  Whether she worked there or not, someday, Darcy would be able to buy cute clothes from Chloe’s Closet…once she had all her loans paid off, and had bought a home.

  A goal she could fully focus on now that Luke had booted her off the auction committee.

  She’d looked forward to knowing her small contribution might help feed a child on the weekends during the school year. Had felt good about doing her part.

  As long as Luke and the new recruit completed the work and raised enough money, then Darcy would have to be satisfied.

  She sighed as she walked inside the store. Front and center sat a display stacked with patterned shorts and colorful, sleeveless knit tops. Shelves along the right-hand wall displayed everything from jewelry to candles. Photo frames and other gift items stood artfully displayed on the other wall.

  “I’ll be right with you,” called Chloe.

  Darcy ran her fingers over a gorgeous silky dress in a summery coral color. Chloe had displayed it with the perfect chunky necklace and classic leather clutch. If she wanted to better serve her own customers at the mall, Darcy should spend more time browsing here. Though Glitzy Glenda’s only sold accessories, Darcy could learn from her sister. Chloe had a real knack for fashion.

  A buzz sounded. She dug inside her purse and found a text message from Luke.

  Have you found a replacement yet?

  She huffed as she typed back, Still working on it. He sure was impatient. Finding someone to take over an event that was coming up in less than two weeks was not easy.

  Her phone vibrated again, this time a call. From Luke. “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  Silence. Awkward silence.

  “So you haven’t had any luck finding anyone?” he asked.

  “No. I’m at Chloe’s shop now to ask her.”

  Silence rang on the other end. “Have you tried anyone else?”

  “Everyone I know. There are no takers since it’s last minute. Although, one friend did offer to help the day of the auction.”

  Silence again. Darcy waited for several seconds, refusing to fill the space.

  “We need to talk,” he said.

  “I can’t right now. I need to talk to Chloe and then hurry to Glitzy Glenda’s.”

  “Closing tonight?” Tension vibrated in his tone, reaching her across the line, stretching her nerves taut.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but no. I get off at eight.”

  “That’s a relief. We’ll talk when you get home.”

  He assumed she would agree. Of course, why would he ever doubt she’d be available anytime he wanted her to be? They’d been there for each other their whole lives.

  The wedge of hurt in her chest reminded her that their relationship wasn’t the same after yesterday.

  She had to be stronger, to protect herself. “I don’t know if that’ll work out. I’ll text you before I leave work to let you know.”

  “Um, okay.” Surprise tinged his voice. “If that won’t work for you, then maybe we can set up something for tomorrow.”

  “We’ll see. If all goes well with Chloe, then maybe we won’t need that meeting.”

  Chloe waved and headed Darcy’s direction.

  “Gotta run,” Darcy said. “I’ll text you tonight.”

  After he told her goodbye, and they ended the call, Chloe approached looking as cute as ever. Not a single strand of her silky light blond hair was out of place. The ends, neatly trimmed at standing monthly appointments, meant split ends weren’t a problem for Chloe.

  Though the two of them had their share of squabbles growing up and had struggled with their relationship while Chloe dated Luke, they’d managed to grow closer in recent years.

  “New dress?” Darcy asked. “I love it.”

  The teal linen
made Chloe’s eye color pop. “Yes. Came in on Friday.” She twirled in a circle. “I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure, thought maybe it made me look thick in the middle.”

  The straight sheath fit her like a glove, skimming in the right places to highlight her curves. Curves Darcy would kill for. “You could never look thick.”

  “You’re so nice and slim, you don’t have to worry about sheaths clinging in the wrong place.”

  Darcy used to think Chloe said things like that to get compliments. The older they got, the more she realized Chloe really had moments of insecurity.

  Unbelievable.

  “Here you go.” Chloe handed Darcy an envelope. “I figured you’re here to pick up the gift certificate for the auction.”

  “Thanks. Actually, I came because I need a big favor.”

  Chloe wrinkled her perky nose and groaned. “Please don’t ask me to do anything at the hospital. You know the smells freak me out.”

  Darcy laughed, remembering the times she’d had to help Chloe outside for fresh air before she passed out. “No, this is for church. I need you to take over working on the auction committee for the Food4Kids program.”

  After an audible exhale of relief, Chloe smiled. “That’s not as bad, but isn’t the event coming up soon?”

  “Two weeks.”

  “Why can’t you finish?”

  Darcy looked away and ran her finger over a nearby blouse. “Things have gotten a little tense between Luke and me. He needs someone else to help him.”

  A peal of laughter burst out of Chloe. “You’ve got to be kidding. Can you really see Luke and me working together?”

  No, Darcy couldn’t. That didn’t change the fact Luke needed someone. Anyone. “You two will do fine when you’re working toward a goal. And you’ll be an asset because you know local business owners. You can round up more donations, which we desperately need after losing the ski trip.”

  Chloe waved off the suggestion. “No. You and Luke just need to work out your differences. You’re never mad at each other for more than five minutes.”

  Only this time, the problem was different. They weren’t having a squabble over what movie to see or where to go for college spring break. “This is bigger. He’s furious about Mom and Burt seeing each other.”