Always For You (Always Love Book 1)

by Tawdra Kandle

  “Oh.” I bit the side of my lip. “Smith just got here. His moving truck dropped off all his stuff yesterday, and I’m sure he needs to unpack.”

  “I can work on that tonight. Not like I’m expecting company.” Smith dazzled Millie with a charming smile. “Can you lend me a stethoscope? I left mine at home.”

  “Of course. We’ve got extra. Now, if you come up front with me, I’ll give you a quick rundown of how we chart and bill.”

  The two left me, chatting like old friends. I shook my head and made my way to the office at the far end of the hall. It was a large room with two desks that faced each other; I hadn’t shown it to Smith yet, but I assumed Millie would.

  I’d just sat down and opened the first file to review when my phone buzzed. Ali’s picture, with the goofy face she’d made when I’d taken it, blinked up at me.

  “I’m at work.”

  “Is that any way to answer your phone?”

  “When I’m at work, yes.”

  “But I’ve been good for days, not calling to bug you while Smith was getting settled. Now I want the juicy details. Is he still hot? What did he say when he saw you? Does he think you’re still hot?”

  “Good God, Ali. You’re making this whole situation into a much bigger deal than it is. Smith got here, everything’s good. He loves the apartment. His stuff arrived yesterday, and today I showed him around the office. Millie put him right to work. What else do you need to know?”

  “Did he kiss you?”

  “Yes.” I paused for dramatic effect. “On the cheek. When he said goodnight.”

  “Reenie! You know what I mean. Does he have a girlfriend?”

  “Not that I know of. As a matter of fact, he said he was still single and looking.”

  “Fabulous. He won’t have to look very far, will he?”

  “Ali.” I leaned over to look out the door and make sure Smith wasn’t skulking in this end of the hallway. “You need to stop. Smith came here for a fresh start, and I’m so grateful he did. If he hadn’t agreed to go in with me on buying the practice, I’d have had to move. In case you’ve forgotten, there’s only one veterinarian office in Burton.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. But Maureen, it’s like . . . what’s that called . . . kismet! Like it’s meant to be. The two of you back together after all these years, both of you single, after the way you felt about him back then . . . I still remember the emails you sent me. And the phone calls. You practically had an orgasm every time the man walked down your hall. I don’t mean that metaphorically, by the way. I mean your dorm hall. Not your lady hall.”

  I shook my head. “Ali, I don’t even know what that means—and don’t try to explain,” I hastened to add as she started to speak again. “I was a kid. He was a college crush. He was the first guy I really fell for. But we were friends then, and we’re friends now, and that’s all it is. Are we clear? If you come over, are you going to be able to handle being an adult around him, or do I have to speak to my brother?”

  “Ha.” Ali huffed out the word. “Like that’s going to change anything. I’m not afraid of Flynn.”

  It was true. My brother was so completely gone over his wife that he’d probably end up taking her side and joining in on Operation Embarrass Maureen In Front of Smith. I swiveled my chair away from the door and lowered my voice. “Whatever. Listen, Ali. I’m being dead serious here. I know you mean well, but if you try to push things between us, it’ll end up backfiring. Smith will be uncomfortable if he finds out how I feel. How I felt, I mean. Back then. In college. And I need him both as a partner here at the clinic and as my tenant at the house. If he thinks I’m looking for more, he’ll feel like he either has to ante up or leave. So please, don’t put Smith in that position.”

  “Put Smith in what position?”

  The deep voice made me jump, and my heart skipped. I spun around, my hand flying to my chest. “God, Smith, you scared me to death! Don’t sneak up like that.”

  He smirked. “I didn’t sneak up. I came down the hall like a normal person. Millie sent me down to check out my office and to pick up a file from your desk. Fleming? The dog’s name is Sylvester.”

  “Oh, yeah, I have it here.” I flipped through the pile and found the right one. “Here you go.”

  He took the folder but didn’t move. Instead, he eased his ass onto one corner of my desk. “You didn’t answer my first question. What position do you not want me put in?”

  I became suddenly aware that Ali had gone very quiet on the other end of the phone. Listening, I was sure. Mentally, I snarled at her a line of curse words that would have sent my mother into permanent catatonia.

  “Uh, sorry. I’m talking to my sister-in-law.” I pointed to the phone in case he didn’t understand what I was saying. “And she . . .” I cast my mind wildly for any plausible explanation.

  “Tell him I wanted to invite him to dinner tonight, but because he’s not moved in yet, you were afraid he’d feel pressured to do something he didn’t want to do.” Ali supplied me with an excuse.

  “Uh, she’s having a dinner tonight, and she wanted me to ask you to come, too. But I know you need to unpack and get settled, so I told her not to put you in the position of having to say no.”

  Smith raised his eyebrows. “For real? I’d love to go and meet your friends.” He grinned and used the folder to bop me on the head. “What’s this obsession with me unpacking? I promise, I won’t live in boxes forever. Please, wicked stepmother, may I go to the ball tonight?”

  On the other end of the phone, Ali giggled. “I like this guy already. Okay, party at the farm tonight. I’ll call Meghan and tell her she’s having company.”

  I pasted on a smile and put the phone down for a minute. “Of course you can do whatever you want to do. I just didn’t want you to feel pressured. Ali says she can’t wait to meet you.”

  “Excellent. I’ll get the details from you later.” He shot me a grin over his shoulder and walked away, leaving me with an enticing view of his very fine backside.

  “Ali, as God is my witness, I’m going to kill you.” I hissed the words into the phone.

  She laughed. “No, you’re not. You’re going to bring your new friend to the farm tonight and let us all check him out. And when the two of you get it together and officially become snuggle bunnies, you can thank me.” She was quiet for a minute. “Now Meghan, she may kill me. I hope she and my brother didn’t have plans tonight.”

  “This whole mess is your idea. Why don’t you have it at your house?” Ali and Flynn had built a small house on the Reynolds’ farm property, and they lived there during the months they lived in Burton.

  “I don’t have the room. Not for ten people.”

  “When did this dinner get to be ten people?” I counted possible guests in my head.

  “I can’t have a dinner party without inviting Rilla and Mason. And they’ll bring Piper. I wonder if Mason can get away from the bar tonight. I need to call Rilla.”

  “Is she going to want to come out? She’s weeks away from delivering.”

  “Yeah, and Mason is like a crazy man, he’s so protective of her. Well, I’ll just have Flynn drive her out here if Mason’s working. Let’s say seven, okay? I gotta go call Meghan.”

  And she was gone. I held the phone in front of me, staring at it, feeling like this day had just spun out of my control.

  “Tell me who’s going to be there tonight. Who’s going to be checking me out?”

  I shot Smith an alarmed glance. “Checking you out? What do you mean?”

  He shifted in the passenger seat of my truck. “You know. New guy in a small town. Your family and your group of friends from high school meeting a college friend. There’s bound to be judgment.”

  “Nah. They’re all very laid-back and welcoming people. You’ll be fine.”

  Smith didn’t look convinced. “Your brother’s going to be there.”

  “And?”

  “And . . . aren’t brothers notoriously overprotective of
their sisters?”

  I shrugged. “Not Flynn. First of all, he’s my younger brother. And second, he hasn’t been around long enough to go into brother-mode. He was away for a long time, and since he’s been back, his life has been a little, uh, tumultuous.”

  “Okay, you’ve got to explain that. I mean, if it’s not a big secret.”

  I tapped the brakes as we approached an intersection, slowing to a stop. “It’s not a secret. Do you remember when we were still in school, and my brother left town right after he graduated from high school?”

  Smith scrunched up his face. “Vaguely. I remember you were pretty upset when you came back that fall.”

  “Yeah. Flynn had always planned to leave, but Ali was going to go with him. The night before they were supposed to leave, they had a huge fight, and Flynn took off without her. What neither of them knew was that Ali was pregnant.”

  “God.” Smith shook his head. “That’s rough. What did she do?”

  “Well, she didn’t come to me for help, that’s for sure.” It still smarted, even though it’d been over a year since I’d found out that my former best friend’s child was actually my niece. “She married one of Flynn’s friends. It didn’t work out, of course, so Ali and Bridget were living with her brother Sam on their family farm all these years.” I took a left turn. “Where we’re heading right now, by the way.”

  “So when did Flynn find out about the baby?”

  I smiled without any real humor. “Last year when my dad died. Flynn came home for the first time, and Ali told him. It was rough, but they managed to work out a parenting relationship. Which then turned into something more, as you might’ve figured out.”

  “They’re happily married now?”

  I nodded. “Very. They live here part-time, so Ali can still help with the farm, and the rest of the year they’re in New York. Flynn’s a staff photographer for World Wide News.”

  “Gotta love happy endings. Who else is going to be there? Ali’s brother, you said?”

  “Yeah, Sam and his wife Meghan. She’s not from Burton. I met her when she came here to teach art a couple of summers back. Meghan stayed with the Reynolds while she was teaching—she was part of some special program—and I guess she liked the accommodations, since she’s been here on and off ever since. She and Sam got married last May.”

  “Another happy ending. Sounds like they’re going around.”

  I twisted my mouth. “Apparently.” Slowing down, I navigated us down a dirt driveway. “This is the Reynolds’ farm. It’s been in their family for generations.” Out of habit, I continued past the big farm house and around to the back. I’d been parking here since Ali and I had become fast friends in high school. Being two years older didn’t bother me; Ali was fun, smart and had a wicked sense of humor. The years when we’d been estranged—after she’d married and then divorced Craig—had been painful. Things were better between us now, of course; they had to be, since she was part of the family. But the hurt was still there. The missing years had left scars that hadn’t entirely healed yet.

  We climbed out of my truck and headed for the back door. I didn’t bother to knock; I hadn’t when my friend Ali had lived here, and it wasn’t any different now that Meghan did.

  “We’re here.” I called out the greeting, but it wasn’t strictly necessary, since everyone was in the kitchen. Bridget jumped up from the table where she was drawing and threw herself at me.

  “Auntie Reen!” Her small arms formed a vise around my legs. “I missed you.”

  I bent to scoop her up, even though she was really much too old to be held. “I missed you, too, munchkin. And didn’t we talk about you growing while you’re up north? You were supposed to stop that nonsense.”

  She giggled, and I was struck by how like her mom she was. “I can’t help it. It just happens.”

  “It does indeed.” Ali wandered over, hand on her hips as she regarded us. “Bridge, go help Aunt Meg set the table, please.”

  My niece wriggled to the floor and took off for the cabinets. I shook my head, chuckling. “Does that child do anything slowly?”

  “Not if she can help it.” Ali dried her hands on a dishtowel, tossed it over her shoulder and held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Ali. You must be Smith.” Her eyes sparkled as he shook her hand, and dread rose up in my stomach. It was going to be a long night.

  “Nice to meet you. Thanks for inviting me tonight.” Smith glanced at me. “Maureen’s told me a lot about you.”

  “Oh, I just bet she has.” Ali laughed and sent me a teasing grin. “It’s great to meet you, too. At last.”

  I widened my eyes, hoping she got my lay off vibe. If she did, I couldn’t tell, since she ignored me.

  “At last? I’ve only been in town three days.” Smith cocked his head.

  “Oh, I just mean that I remember when Maureen used to talk about you all the time. When you were in college.” Ali must’ve felt my glare finally, because she added quickly, “She talked about all of her friends back then.”

  “Oh, yeah, sure.” He nodded. “Well, I’m glad to be here. Buying into the practice and having a ready-made house waiting for me here, too—it’s been the perfect set-up.”

  “Isn’t it just?” Ali’s lips curled into a coy smile. “Okay, let me introduce you to everyone. The foxy redhead with the arm full of dishes over there is my sister-in-law Meghan. The guy at the stove frying chicken is my brother Sam, who’s married to Meghan. You already met my little darling, Bridget. And my husband Flynn—”

  The door opened behind us. “And your husband Flynn is right here.” My brother stepped into the kitchen. “I brought the preggo.”

  Said preggo waddled into the kitchen behind Flynn, scowling at him. “Go ahead, mock the pregnant woman. Not like I have feelings or anything.”

  Flynn hooked one arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head, which only reached the middle of his chest. “Aw, I’m just kidding you, sweetie. You’re beautiful.”

  I hugged her, too. “I’m so glad you came tonight. I haven’t seen you in ages.” I glanced at Smith. “This is Rilla Wallace. Rilla, this is Smith Harrington.”

  “I’m happy to meet you. Welcome to Burton. I’m sorry to be rude, but I’m going to sit down.”

  “Here you go.” Meghan pulled out a chair. “How’re you feeling? And where’s Piper?”

  “She stayed home with Mason’s mom. The kiddo’s obsessed with old movies right now, and the two of them had plans to watch Meet Me in St. Louis. And as to your first question, I’m feeling enormous.” She sank down with an exhaled puff, and I hid a smile. Rilla was in her early twenties, but with her long blonde hair, enormous blue eyes and short stature, she looked a little like a fifteen-year-old who’d swallowed a beach ball.

  “Well, I’d agree with Flynn. You’re gorgeous. Glowing and all that.”

  She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “That’s what Mason keeps saying, but then, he has to be nice to me, since he’s my husband.”

  “And he’s the one responsible for getting you in this condition.” Flynn winked at her, and Ali swatted his shoulder.

  “Behave yourself. Geez. Don’t tease her.”

  Flynn spread his hands in front of him. “Hey, I only speak the truth.” He slung an arm around me and kissed my cheek. “Hey, sis. How’s everything going?”

  “Great. Flynn, this is Smith Harrington. Smith, my brother Flynn.”

  Smith stuck out his hand, but my brother only tightened his arm around me and narrowed his eyes. “You’re the guy living with my sister?” His voice bordered on being accusatory.

  The glance Smith flickered my way was replete with I-told-you-so. “I’m the guy living in your sister’s apartment, yeah. I mean, the apartment she’s renting to me. Upstairs.”

  “In her house. Under the same roof.”

  “Well, I guess, in theory.” Smith stuck his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans. “But I promise you, man, I don’t have any impure motive
s. I’ve known Reenie since we started college. We’re really good friends. That’s all.”

  Next to me, Ali made a strangled noise in the back of her throat. Numb disappointment spread through me as I realized that no matter how much I’d lectured myself against expectations when it came to Smith and me, hearing him say that that for all intents and purposes, he thought of me as a sister was a crushing blow.

  “Is it hot in here, or is it just me?” I fanned myself with one hand, speaking to no one in particular. “I think I’ll just step outside for a minute. I feel a little lightheaded.”

  Without waiting to see if anyone responded, I opened the screen door, stumbled down the two steps and walked around the corner of the house, out of sight of anyone looking through the kitchen windows. When I got there, I leaned against the wooden siding, gripping my knees and closing my eyes. Damn. I hadn’t meant to rush out of the kitchen like that, but it was as if I couldn’t breathe in that room. Since I’d set eyes on him again, stepping out of that ridiculous yet totally sexy car, I’d been back in the same frustrating, exhilarating loop that had defined my college existence. I’d subconsciously catalogued every glance, every touch, no matter how incidental or small, and every word he spoke to me. And now, with just one casual sentence, he’d put me in hell.

  “Maureen.” Ali’s voice cut through my fog of misery. “God, honey, I’m sorry. Flynn’s an idiot. Men in general are idiots.” She came to stand next to me, propping herself against the house in an identical position. “It didn’t mean anything. He was just saying that because Flynn was pushing him.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “He said it because that’s how he sees me. It’s always been the same way. Good old Reenie, good old buddy. Good old pal. One of the guys. Someone he treats like a sister. That’s all.” The air quotes I gave the phrase were filled with bitterness. “And I’m a goddamned moron for even thinking he could ever see me any other way.”

  “Reenie, no. That’s not true.” Ali laid a tentative hand on my shoulder. “Give it some time. He just needs to get used to the idea.”

  “Oh, yeah? And how would you know anything about that? You fell in love when you were a freshman in high school, and he loved you right back. I know things didn’t go smoothly for you the whole time, but you always knew he was the one, right? And he felt the same. I have no idea how that feels, Ali. None. I liked Smith from the minute I met him, and I wanted more, and it’s absolutely crushing to know he’ll never think of me as anything other than a friend.”