Guy Next Door (9781460341179)

by Tippens, Missy

  Tears pooled in her eyes and quickly overflowed.

  “Whoa. What’s wrong?” Darcy never cried. Never. “What did I do?”

  She hopped up and stood facing him, swiping at the tears as if furious at them for daring to fall.

  Luke’s lungs squeezed until he couldn’t breathe. He stood and ran his hands over her shoulders, smoothing the cottony material. “What’s going on?”

  She sniffed and dropped her forehead to his chest. “Oh, Luke, I’m making a mess of this.”

  “Talk to me.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and took several shallow breaths. “You know how I like my marshmallows.”

  “Yeah.”

  “No one else knows that. No one. And you don’t even like the burned part.” She grabbed hold of his shirt and sobbed, her shoulders heaving.

  Wrapping his arms around her, he rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head.

  “That’s something friends know about each other,” he said, knowing good and well he was telling a half-truth. Yes, friends knew that kind of thing.

  She was much more than a friend now.

  He pulled away far enough to lift her chin and look into her eyes. “Darcy, I—”

  “I’m in love with you,” she whispered.

  Luke stilled. “But—you and Bryan…the date…”

  “He did ask me out again. But I told him I couldn’t. Because of my feelings for you.”

  His heart pounded like a gavel to the ribs. He and Darcy had said they loved each other off and on through the years before long trips or extended time apart. As he looked into her eyes, he knew this time she didn’t mean the words casually, the way they’d said them their whole lives. The revelation released the vice on his chest, allowing him to take an almost-normal breath.

  Sniffing, she swiped at her tears. “Before you made a decision about joining your dad’s practice, I had to make sure you knew I love you.”

  Like warm molasses her words eased inside him, offering healing, peace, contentment. All his life he’d wanted to hear those words from her, and he’d never realized it until this moment. No wonder he’d run anytime he heard the words from anyone else. He’d known the declaration would only mean something coming from Darcy.

  Everything finally made sense. The two of them belonged together. Always had.

  Tears stinging the back of his eyes, Luke pulled her tightly to his chest.

  * * *

  “I’m sorry,” Darcy said, muffled by his shirt, embarrassed to have fallen apart on him.

  “Don’t be.” He swallowed hard, hard enough she could hear it.

  Could Darcy do it, take a lesson from Luke’s playbook and yank that bandage off, dive right in?

  “You know, I used to imagine you were my Prince Charming riding up on a horse—well, bike, and was terrified you’d realize I loved you.” Like she was terrified at the moment. Only now, it was a thousand times worse. “I’ve been crazy about you most of my life.”

  A slow, tender smile formed and grew until it reached his eyes. He reached out and touched her cheek. “You ruined me for other girls, you know. I ran every time they said they loved me. All because somewhere deep inside, I knew I didn’t want those words from them.”

  She sucked in a breath, and a sense of hope fluttered to life.

  He cupped her cheek, running a thumb along her jaw. “I realized earlier today that I’ve always wanted those words from you, only from you. I asked you here so I could tell you.”

  Searching his face, she found the smile of her old friend, the same sparkle in his eyes. And also a new contentment and happiness she’d never seen in him before. “What are you saying?” Darcy held her breath, searching his eyes for the truth.

  “I love you, too,” he said. “I think I always have. I was just too blind and stupid to know it.”

  Her best friend, the love of her life, swooped in, holding her tightly, secure in his arms.

  His warm lips moved over hers, kisses interspersed with whispers and promises.

  “I was so afraid I would only have that one kiss,” she said, breathless. “Now I want more.”

  He rested his forehead against hers. “Me, too. I promise to always be there for you. Please say you trust me to be a better man. Loving you makes me a better man.”

  She knew deep inside, at her very core, that he would honor that promise. “Of course I trust you.”

  He trailed kisses along her jawline, to her forehead, landing back on her lips. “I want to spend my life here in Appleton,” he said between kisses. “I plan to join my dad’s practice as soon as I’m free to leave Tennessee.”

  As her heart soared, she playfully batted her eyes at him. “So does that mean you’ll be asking me out? On real dates?”

  “Definitely. No more of this best friend stuff.” Gazing at her lips, he ran his thumbs over her cheeks and inched his way closer. “We’re a couple now, Darcy. You and me.”

  She quickly closed the gap, wanting to shout with the joy and wonder of God’s goodness.

  Epilogue

  Darcy watched Noreen, who sat at the mirror in the bridal room wearing a cream colored silk suit while Chloe put the finishing touches on their mom’s hair. “Mom, you look gorgeous.”

  “Thank you, honey,” Noreen said. “Now, it’s time to go. Don’t want to keep Burt waiting.”

  Standing side by side, the three of them looked in the gilt-framed mirror. Chloe and Noreen with their light blond hair and silvery blue eyes. Darcy so different with her dark coppery hair and Dad’s deep blue eyes. Three women so different yet each beautiful in her own way.

  “Girls, I’m unimaginably happy. And I feel as if your father is looking down on us, giving his blessing.”

  Darcy nodded, a lump in her throat, tears pooling in her eyes. “I think so, too.”

  She and Chloe walked arm in arm as they followed Noreen out of the room and to the ceremony. When they arrived at the back of the sanctuary, the wedding director lined them up. Darcy and Chloe would walk their mother down the aisle. Burt and Luke would be waiting.

  As the strains of Pachelbel’s Canon started and they moved toward the groom, Darcy caught Luke’s eye. He was devastatingly handsome in his tux, making her heart flutter with his untamed hair and broad shoulders.

  Luke’s gaze never wavered as she walked toward him. I can’t believe this man is mine. As she and Chloe arrived escorting their mother, Luke held out his hand for her. She joined him at the altar as their pastor spoke of joining two families in love and in memory. The three “children” hugged Burt and Noreen and then took their seats.

  Granny, as Darcy now called Grace, waited for them in the pew. They joined her and watched together as Burt and Noreen said their vows.

  When the service was over, the small gathering of their closest friends moved to the fellowship hall for the reception.

  “You look like a princess today,” Luke whispered in her ear as they stood off to the side and watched their parents greet guests. His lips wandered to her neck. “And smell good, too.”

  Would he always make her weak-kneed over his kisses? “You look so handsome, I’ll be fighting off women all day.”

  He tilted her chin up. “I only have eyes for you.” His lips met hers, gently, quickly. “Let’s go outside for a minute.”

  With her heart beating a mile a minute, she followed him to a small garden behind the church. “Now, a proper kiss, please,” she said.

  “Oh, you know me. I’m all about proper,” he said, his voice deep, rumbling.

  The man was anything but proper, but she didn’t say so as he wrapped her tightly in his strong embrace and descended for a proper kiss. A kiss that left her breathless.

  “Luke,” she said, and it sounded airy.

 
He growled and raked kisses toward her ear. “Yes, my love?”

  “We can’t stay out here too long. We’ll be missed.”

  He smiled as he tore his lips from hers. “I’m glad you’re keeping me on track.” Gazing into her eyes, he took a deep breath and reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out an aged, dried chain of clover.

  Her mouth dropped open. “Is that the flower crown I made for you when we were kids?”

  “It is. I saved it, pressed in my Bible.” He placed it on her head. “I always pictured you wearing it, the princess in those stories you used to tell back when you dreamed of your Prince Charming.”

  “You said I was crazy. That no guy would ever do something gross like kiss a girl and ask her to marry him.”

  His smile turned into a wolfish grin. “That was when I thought girls had cooties. Now I find I like the idea of kissing and marriage.”

  Her very own Prince Charming knelt on one knee. She sucked in her breath, and all her imaginings of knights and princes flashed through her mind.

  Luke pulled a small antique-looking velvet box out of his pocket, and she gasped. “What are you doing?”

  He flipped open the box, and inside sat his mother’s engagement ring, five round diamonds set in a platinum band. A ring Darcy had always admired.

  Little did she know all those years ago when he came charging up on his bicycle to protect her, that she’d already fallen for the man she would one day marry.

  She blinked away tears, focusing on his earnest expression. “Oh, Luke.”

  “Darcy, the past couple of months have been the best of my life. But I want more. I want to wake up with you by my side. I want you to have my babies. I want to commit to spend the rest of my life with you, loving you, cherishing you.”

  Swallowing past the knot in her throat, she nodded. “I want that, too.”

  “Then will you marry me?”

  Darcy’s heart filled to bursting. “Yes! Oh, yes.” She threw herself into his arms, sitting on his bent knee, and kissed him deeply, once again pouring all her love into it.

  He placed the ring on her finger and then caressed her cheeks with warm hands. “I didn’t realize what I had in front of me all the time we were growing up. I do now, and I promise to love you as long as I live.”

  “And treat me like a princess?” she couldn’t resist saying, teasing him with his proposal of royal proportions.

  He touched the clover crown on her head. “You’ll always be my princess.”

  He was definitely her Prince Charming. Always had been. Always would be.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from A HOME FOR HER FAMILY by Virginia Carmichael.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for taking this journey with me to the fictional town of Appleton, Georgia. I hope you’ve enjoyed the story of Darcy and Luke, friends who became so much more! As is so often the case, this story was written while God was teaching me about something in my life. At the time the idea took root, God was reminding me that I needed to be fully present in the lives of my family members. You know, sometimes we get so caught up in problems and busyness we forget to appreciate the people right under our noses. God is good and has blessed us with people to love and care for.

  I hope reading this story has renewed your desire to be present, to appreciate your family and friends and to reach out in love. Please keep your eye out for my next story set in Appleton!

  Thank you so much for reading my book. I love hearing from readers. Please tell me what you think about The Guy Next Door. You can visit my website, www.missytippens.com, or email me at missytippens@aol.com. If you don’t have internet access, you can write to me c/o Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.

  Missy Tippens

  Questions for Discussion

  When the story begins, Darcy O’Malley is struggling to pay off student loans, preparing to support herself. Have you experienced a time when you had your security yanked out from under you or feared change? How did you handle it?

  Luke Jordan has established a life for himself in Nashville. Do you think he was smart to stay in Tennessee and make his own way? Or do you think he should have swallowed his pride and asked to join his father’s practice?

  What do you think was the theme of this book?

  Can you think of examples of times you may have taken those around you for granted? If so, what could you have done differently?

  Why do you think Luke dated woman after woman, always breaking up when one got too serious or mentioned love?

  Do you think Darcy lacked self-esteem? What do you think parents can do to help build self-esteem?

  Share about one of your good friends who you can tease with and depend on like Luke and Darcy could with each other.

  Read and discuss the Bible verse at the beginning of the story. How did it relate to the story?

  Do you think friendship is a good basis for romantic love?

  How did you feel about Burt and Noreen’s relationship? Did you think their relationship was anyone else’s business?

  Have you ever taken part in a ministry or organization that helped others? If so, describe. If not, can you think of somewhere you can join in to help others?

  Have you ever met someone like the girl Darcy called the Mean Girl? Why do you think people act like that? How can we have compassion yet stand up for the target of their meanness? Do you think telling someone you love them is risky?

  Have you ever been striving so hard to succeed or prove yourself that you lost sight of what’s really important? Share what you learned.

  Who in your life do you appreciate and why? Tell them today!

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

  Enjoy six new stories from Love Inspired every month!

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

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  Chapter One

  “We’ve got a crisis of epic proportions.” Jack Thorne dodged a flying soccer ball and motioned toward the Downtown Denver Mission’s cafeteria kitchen. “One of the big industrial food choppers went on the fritz.”

  “That’s a disaster on a regular day, but right now…” Gavin grimaced and left the rest of the thought unfinished.

  “Maybe we should lend a hand.”

  Jack could see the kitchen staff working frantically, sacks of vegetables and potatoes on every surface. The kids hated to skip a single practice and as the coach, he loved the team’s commitment. But with Easter brunch in two days, he wondered if they should just give the kids the evening off. “Not that I have a problem with chopping fifty pounds of potatoes, but there are twenty little kids over there to think about.” Gavin nodded toward the players honing their instep kicks, shrieks of laughter echoing around the gym.

  “Good shot, William!” Jack clapped for a little blond boy who managed to send the ball somewhere close to his partner. “What’s worse, missing practice or missing Easter?”

  “The mission will celebrate with or without mashed potatoes. But if you feel that badly, maybe you should make a corporate donation of a large food processor.” Gavin grinned, stepping out of the way as a little girl chased a wayward ball. “Just sneak it into the stack of paperwork you sign on a regular basis.”

  Jack snorted. Being the vice president of Colorado Supplements wasn’t quite the way people pictured it. Sure, he was the boss’s son and the one p
oised to take over the state’s biggest business, but he didn’t have much say on what happened around the place. He was only a figurehead, a desk jockey who was paid to show up and smile. “The paperwork would take months. Easter is in two days. Marisol is losing her mind this very minute.”

  The mention of his day job made a sour taste rise up in Jack’s throat. He’d always known he wasn’t cut out for the business world, with its emphasis on the corporate ladder, endless meetings and miles of red tape. And he’d known for even longer that his father planned to turn over the business to his only son. Some called it being groomed from birth, but that was only a miniscule portion of the whole picture. Family expectations, being force-fed his college education and his own years of nodding weakly at every suggestion had helped Jack climb the corporate ladder. Right into the vice president position. The only way out looked like a long fall back to earth and a lot of hurt feelings.

  A soccer ball soared alarmingly close to Gavin’s head and he ducked, laughing. “I think Grant already called in the mechanic. Let’s hope he gets it fixed, or the workers will be pulling an all-nighter.”

  Jack shook himself out of his depressing thoughts. He waved an arm and jogged toward the lines of kids partnering up near the edge of the gym. Spring was coming, Easter was in a few days and his life was changing. No. Correction: he was making life-­changing decisions, taking power back into his own hands, learning to be true to his individual purpose in life.

  He drew in a long, deep breath and let it out slowly. God was good, all the time. He knew what he had to do and prayed that his father would forgive him for it.

  The gym doors swung open and Lana, the secretary, entered, arms propelling her wheelchair with swift movements. Her purple-tipped crew cut gave the impression of someone with an ingrained toughness who didn’t take any guff. That was all true, but Lana’s tender patience was the perfect counterpoint to her no-nonsense attitude. In short, she was the best person to act as gatekeeper to such a large homeless center.