Guy Next Door (9781460341179)

by Tippens, Missy

  Chloe’s silvery blue eyes lit up. “I was dying to talk to you about it last night, but didn’t think I could say much with Mom and Burt around. I’m so excited for them.”

  “Yeah, I’m happy, too. Obviously, Luke isn’t. We argued.”

  Chloe rolled her eyes and tsked. “You’ll make up before the day is over. I mean, seriously, you two should go ahead and marry each other. I don’t know how you’ll ever wed other people. Your poor spouses would have to share you too much.”

  Darcy’s stomach plunged. Her cheeks scorched as if someone had lit them with a blowtorch. “Maybe if we felt that way about each other, but we don’t. We’ve never been anything more than friends.”

  One perfectly shaped brow arched higher than the other. “Absolutely no attraction? For real?”

  “Never.” If you didn’t count the odd connection they’d had the past few days. Which, she was sure, was one-sided.

  And if you didn’t count the major crush she had on him in high school. And college.

  “I think you two need to rethink your relationship.”

  “That’s what we’re doing. Like you said, it’s probably time to let it go. To prepare for moving on with our lives.”

  Chloe shook her head as she waved and walked away. “That’s not what I said. But you believe what you need to believe. Now, I’ve got to finish a display of these great new handbags.” She lifted a large tote out of a box. “You need to get one of these now. They’ll be all the rage in the fall.”

  Ignoring her sister’s sudden change of topic, Darcy jammed her hands on her hips and huffed. “Are you sure you can’t help Luke?”

  “I’m positive,” she called with her back to Darcy while arranging the new bags. “I’m too busy right now.”

  And Darcy wasn’t busy?

  She honestly had no one else to ask to replace her on the auction committee. She’d have to meet with Luke tonight to inform him, and to find out what he was going to do about it.

  * * *

  Getting the brush-off was no fun. Especially when it was from his own father.

  Luke had spent the entire day at home, catching up on work and dealing with the roofers, assuming his dad would show up at some point. But it was eight-thirty in the evening, and Burt hadn’t made contact all day. He’d apparently gone to the office extremely early and had stayed for the duration. Clearly avoiding Luke.

  If Luke stood any chance of getting his dad to move to Nashville, and thus ending the relationship with Noreen, he needed to try to make peace with him. The two of them needed to work on a plan to honor his mother at the auction.

  Luke also wanted to run an auction donation idea past him, so he called his dad’s cell phone.

  “What can I do for you, Luke?”

  At least he took my call. “I wondered if you’d be home for a late dinner.”

  “No, I ate at Noreen’s. Will be here a little longer.”

  Luke’s stomach growled as he nestled the phone against his shoulder and opened the refrigerator. “Okay. I’d like to call a truce and talk when you get home. Also wanted to see if you and Noreen might donate a week at the lake house for the auction.”

  His dad hesitated. “So you’re acknowledging we’re a couple?”

  Luke ground his teeth together. “I’m asking since you’re co-owners. We’ve had a major donation fall through, and I thought y’all might agree to help.”

  A woman spoke in the background before the sound was muffled. The two of them held an indecipherable discussion, muted by a hand.

  “Luke, dear, this is Noreen,” she said a moment later. “Why don’t you come over and eat? We have plenty of leftovers. And you can tell us about your idea for the lake house getaway.”

  Apparently, she’d commandeered the phone. He could imagine how that conversation had gone. His dad would not be pleased at the moment.

  Luke had hoped to have a private conversation with his father. Now, that wouldn’t be possible.

  “Thanks. I’ll be right over.”

  By the time he’d walked out his door and stuck his head inside Noreen’s back door, she had made a plate of food and popped it into the microwave.

  “Come on in,” Noreen said, all smiles, the quintessential hostess. She’d always made him feel welcome, offering their house as his second home. And now, even after the way he’d behaved yesterday, she acted as if nothing was amiss.

  He felt bad, but it didn’t change his opinion of their relationship. “Thanks. I appreciate the dinner.”

  Luke glanced over at his dad, who sat stoically at the table as if Noreen had threatened him to act civil. Luke nodded his head. “Dad.”

  “I saw the roofers came today.”

  “They did. They finished the back. Will finish the front tomorrow.”

  “Does it look good?”

  “Yes, sir. They’re doing a fine job. Hard workers.”

  The microwave dinged, and Noreen directed him to the table across from Burt.

  “Thanks.”

  She set a plate of delicious lasagna in front of him.

  Luke explained the loss of the ski chalet vacation package while intermittently blowing on his food to cool the gooey cheese on top. “So, would you two be willing to donate the use of the lake house for a week?”

  Burt, his eyes serious, nodded. “We would. Especially if it’ll honor your mother and help the kids she so loved.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “There’s one condition, though,” Noreen said. “We’ll need you and Darcy to drive up and open the house for the season. We won’t get a chance to go before July.”

  That job would fall on him now. “Sure. I’ll be glad to do that.”

  She set a glass of sweet iced tea in front of him and joined them at the table. “The problem will be finding a time when Darcy can get away for a day.”

  “I can do it. No problem.”

  “Think how fun it would be for the two of you to spend some time together at the lake,” she said.

  How could he explain that they wouldn’t be spending any more time together? At least not until they worked out their differences. If he’d overreacted yesterday, he owed her an apology.

  Noreen leaned closer and put her hand on Luke’s arm. “I’m worried about her. She seemed stressed last night and this morning, was poring over financial paperwork and then mentioned she wanted to give me more privacy. I’m sure it’s over the fact that Burt and I are seeing each other.”

  “She could probably use some reassurance,” he said, recalling Darcy’s worries and the drive to pay off the student loans. And now he’d added to her stress over the auction.

  “She needs you, Luke. At least while you’re home,” Noreen said.

  “I’ll check on her.”

  Relief flooded Noreen’s face. “Oh, good. I feel better knowing you’ll look out for Darcy, like always.”

  “Did I hear my name?” Darcy stood in the doorway. When she spotted Luke at the table, her eyes widened. “Oh, I didn’t realize we had company.”

  “Not company,” Noreen said with a laugh. “Burt and Luke.”

  “Hey, Darcy,” Luke said. “Your mom was nice enough to invite me for some of her amazing lasagna.”

  He hadn’t seen Darcy since yesterday, and she looked strained. Tired. Worry put a little crinkle between her eyebrows. He hated that he’d put it there.

  “I texted you. Was planning on heading over to your house once I changed clothes,” she said.

  “Oh?” her mom asked. “Are you two going out?”

  Darcy’s gaze darted to his, as if to question how much their parents knew. “Um, no. We’re discussing the auction.”

  “I’m so pleased that you two are working to honor Joan,” Burt said. “She would be proud.”r />
  “Actually, I’ve handed the reins over to Luke. We were going to meet tonight to discuss the transition.”

  “Why?” asked Noreen.

  “I’m too busy,” she said, giving the most likely excuse.

  “You loved working on that project,” Burt said.

  “I just don’t have a moment to spare right now.”

  Noreen, who’d always been very perceptive, the mother who was never fooled, slid her attention from Darcy to Luke and back. “You were doing fine before Sunday. There’s more going on here.”

  “Actually, there is.” Luke ignored Darcy’s scowl, opting to reveal the full truth—or rather the version of the truth that involved their parents. “We’ve found it difficult to work together after the disagreement yesterday. We were going to meet this evening to discuss Darcy’s replacement.”

  Burt stood and leaned his fists on the table. “That’s ridiculous. You can’t let my relationship with Noreen—which is our business—stand in the way of a charitable project.”

  Darcy sighed. “You’re not standing in the way. Luke will do a fine job carrying out the fund-raiser.”

  “He needs your help, Darcy.” Noreen blinked tears from her eyes. “Besides, you can’t let us spoil your lifelong friendship.”

  “I’m afraid your relationship will ruin yours and Dad’s longtime friendship,” Luke said.

  Burt raked a hand through his hair. “Luke, I thought you came here tonight to talk, make peace.”

  “I did, but I hoped you’d see reason.”

  Burt shook his head, disappointed. “Noreen, thanks for dinner, for trying to fix this.” He backed away from the table.

  She hopped up, stopping him. “Stay. We need to work this out.”

  “I do want to make peace,” Luke said. “But I won’t stand by and watch you hurt Granny.”

  “And you think Darcy quitting the auction committee won’t hurt Grace?”

  Though Burt had a point, Luke wouldn’t back down on his stance over the inappropriate relationship. “Look, I know you two care about each other.” He turned to his dad. “Noreen is amazing, has always been like a second mom to—” He cleared his throat, took a breath. “It’s too soon, Dad. I’m afraid you’re not ready, might not know what you want or need.”

  “Son—” Burt huffed out a breath and stared at the ceiling, trying to control his emotions.

  They were both too raw to have this conversation. “Darcy and I need to talk. Privately.”

  “How about out back?” Wide-eyed, Darcy opened the door, motioning him outside.

  He stared at his dad a moment longer. “I haven’t told Granny anything yet. It’s not too late to end the relationship before she finds out. And then later, if you still feel the same, maybe—”

  “Noreen and I aren’t ending anything.”

  Staring into his dad’s determined eyes, Luke realized Burt was serious about not backing down. Luke’s gut clenched, and frustration zipped through his veins. “Then you need to tell Granny.”

  Burt crossed his arms. “This is no one’s business but our own. I’ll tell her when we’re ready to go out in public together.”

  “If you can’t be seen in public together, don’t you think that’s an indication it’s too soon?”

  Something flashed in Burt’s eyes, but he didn’t retreat.

  Luke shook his head. “I’d like permission to tell her now, before she accidentally finds out.”

  “Fine.”

  Luke hated the look of hurt on Noreen’s face. “Noreen, are you okay with me telling Granny?”

  She nodded and gave him a gentle smile. “I want to do whatever makes you most comfortable.”

  A soft hand took hold of his. “Come on,” Darcy said.

  How had Luke’s life turned into this mess? His father wouldn’t move to Nashville with Noreen in the picture. Clients had already left the firm where he’d invested his life savings in a mortgage and others might follow. He and Darcy were at odds. Even Granny was upset with him.

  And now he’d have to go tell this news to Granny.

  Darcy led him outside, her hand a comfort when everything around him seemed to have fallen apart.

  Chapter Five

  “I can’t believe Dad won’t listen to what I’m trying to tell him,” Luke said as he dropped into the metal two-person seat.

  The old-fashioned patio glider, white with lime-green trim, was probably as old as Darcy and had rested on the far side of their back patio as long as she could remember. The outside lights were off, so she and Luke sat bathed in moonlight.

  With one leg folded underneath her, Darcy angled to face him. “Your dad can’t believe you won’t listen to him.”

  “I just can’t deal with this, with him having feelings for someone besides my mom. Even if it is someone as nice as your mom.” Luke let his head fall backward and groaned.

  “Ah, I see. So you’d rather him still be at home, depressed and despondent.”

  When he looked up, she grinned, trying to defuse the situation with humor.

  “You can be irritating, you know,” he said, lifting one corner of his mouth in what promised to be a smile.

  “Yeah, one of my many talents.”

  She wanted to take his hand again, to reassure him. With the way she’d been feeling lately, she couldn’t. Whenever he touched her, things got dicey.

  Time to talk about the auction. “I couldn’t find anyone to join you on the committee. I’m sorry.”

  “Granny said she’d search for another donor, but claimed she couldn’t help otherwise.”

  Darcy pushed with her foot, setting the glider in motion. “Maybe you can manage. At this point, you’re mainly picking up donations.”

  “And trying to find the big replacement. Our parents have donated a week at the lake house, but it’s not going to bring in nearly what the ski trip would have. Any suggestions?”

  She shook her head. “We hit up everyone already. What about someone in Nashville? Or do you know anyone in Atlanta?”

  “I’ll think on it.”

  How had everything gotten so complicated?

  As they sat side by side on the glider on which they’d spent many hours of their life, all the strange feelings she’d been sensing between them seemed silly.

  This was Luke. Her best friend. Sitting beside her in the spot he’d always held, talking out problems like they’d always done.

  Luke rested his arm along the back of the seat, not quite touching her. She could feel the heat radiating from his skin.

  “Will you please work with me on the auction?” he asked, looking surprised, as if he hadn’t thought through the request before speaking.

  Though her heart raced, she guarded against revealing her own surprise. “Feeling desperate?”

  “Actually, no. Though, granted, I want to make the event successful.”

  “Then why?”

  “Because I made a mistake in saying we shouldn’t work together.”

  Luke Jordan didn’t apologize often, and she would milk this one for all it was worth. “Oooh, the attorney admits to the jury he was wrong.”

  His mouth inched up into a half smile. “Yeah. There’s a first for everything, huh?”

  “So why the change of heart?”

  “Because we’re friends. No matter what our parents do. No matter how weird it—” He stopped midsentence, and something sparked in his eyes.

  “Weird?” The moonlight reflected off his eyes as she held his gaze. The glider stilled.

  With the hand lying along the back of the seat, he reached out, pushed her hair over her shoulder, a gesture he’d done many times over the years. Only this time, he lingered as he rubbed her hair between his fingers.

  She drew in
a deep, controlled breath, then slowly leaned away, sliding away from his grasp. She had to be careful.

  As if he sensed her discomfort, he crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re friends. No matter how weird our parents are acting.”

  Oh, okay. So they were back to talking about their parents. Probably a good thing. A safer topic than other strange feelings she feared he would bring up.

  “I do hate leaving you in the lurch,” she said.

  “Then let’s forget what we said yesterday. Work with me on this. Dad and Noreen need us to open the lake house for the season. If you can manage to get off work and go with me, maybe we can have a little fun with the cleaning.”

  She sagged in relief, and once again sent the glider into motion with the push of her foot. “Okay. I’ll help you.”

  “Will you also go with me to tell Granny about Dad and your mom?”

  His concern for Graced touched her. “Why me?”

  “I think when you see how it affects her, you’ll change your mind about our parents.”

  She widened her eyes at him. “And then take your side?”

  He laughed as he stood, pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in a friendly hug. “It’s good to be home, to be here with you.”

  With initial contact, she stiffened but almost immediately relaxed and slipped her arms around his waist. If they were going to work together, she would have to chill. Would have to act like she always had. “It’s good to have my friend back.”

  Yeah, she’d been a fool. All was well with Luke, everything back to normal. To help hungry kids, she could manage working with him without getting hurt.

  * * *

  The next afternoon, Luke followed Darcy up his grandmother’s front steps, placed his hand on her lower back and reached around to tap on the door. “We have to break the news about our parents gently.”

  This was the moment. The moment when Darcy would see she was wrong about their parents, would change her mind. And, yes, as she said last night, would take his side.

  She glanced at him, wariness in her eyes. From his touch?