“This is very true,” she said as another genuine laugh escaped her mouth. Five minutes with this guy and she already felt a hundred times better. No wonder everyone fell under his spell.
And another one bites the dust.
Oh no…no, no, no. Something funny fluttered low in her belly…something she was in no way prepared for. Not with any man, but especially not with this man.
“I should go in now. I don’t want one of the kids to wake up and not find me in the house.” Nor did she want to do something incredibly stupid…well, something else incredibly stupid.
“Okay.” Tripp moved first, getting to his feet before turning to her and holding out his hand.
She grabbed it, in no way oblivious to the tingles that shot up her arm as their palms slid against each other. He helped her up to her feet, and she wasn’t the least bit surprised that she was just a tad unsteady. What she was surprised by was when his hand let go of hers and landed on her hip.
“You going to be all right?” He took a step closer and reached up to her forehead with his free hand. His fingertips traced her hairline and caught a few strands that had fallen across her face. He brushed her hair back and behind her ear as he looked into her eyes.
“Yeah.” She nodded, taking a deep breath. But that deep breath had been a bit of a mistake, because all she smelled was Tripp.
There was the lingering scent of soap—either laundry detergent or body wash, she wasn’t quite sure which—making him smell fresh and clean. There was also a hint of something else filling her already foggy brain.
Good Lord, no wonder she’d plastered herself to him when she’d had her little meltdown. Even subconsciously she’d been trying to inhale him. It was then that her eyes dropped to the tear-soaked shoulder of his shirt.
“I didn’t mean to…” she gestured at the spot, “cry all over you.”
“It’s not a problem.” He shook his head. “Though I will say, I’d like to have a conversation with you that doesn’t involve screaming or crying.”
“Deal.”
“So we have a truce, neighbor.”
“No.” Beth shook her head. “Friends before neighbors.” She grabbed his forearm for balance as she stretched up onto her tiptoes. The scruff on his jaw rasped against her lips as she placed a kiss on his cheek.
She pulled back to look at him, and for just a second she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes…something that bordered on desire. Nope, that couldn’t be right. It was just a reflection from the light. Fluorescents could be tricky little bastards.
Her hands fell away from his body first and he followed her lead, letting go as he took a step back.
“Thank you for everything, Tripp. Earlier with Grant…and for talking to me now.”
“Anytime.” He nodded as he took another step back, swooping down and snatching the forgotten pizza box from the ground before he straightened. “Get some sleep. Everything will be better in the morning.”
“Oh, don’t say that. You might jinx me.”
“Nah.” He shook his head as he grinned at her. “It will be. Good night, Beth.”
“’Night, Tripp.”
And with that he turned around, stopping at the trashcan to toss the pizza box before he headed off to his house.
Beth wasn’t sure how long she stood there, staring after the man who’d disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter Four
The Caveman Phenomenon
Without fail, whenever anything happened that required the need for Beth to talk it out, her first thought was always that she wanted to talk to her sister.
Almost a year without Colleen and Beth’s immediate reaction hadn’t changed one little bit. How could it? Her sister had always been the first person she’d turned to for advice, even when their mom was alive.
It was Colleen who Beth went to when she had her first kiss. Colleen who learned about Beth’s first boyfriend while they shared a pint of ice cream. Colleen who took Beth shopping for her prom dress. Colleen who consoled Beth during her first bad breakup…and her second…and her third…and her fourth. Colleen who Beth talked to leading up to losing her virginity…and afterward. It was Colleen who took Beth out for her first legal drink at a bar.
She’d been Beth’s constant sounding board. Only a phone call away, or an hour drive when a little extra counseling was needed…counseling that had usually included a glass of wine…or three.
After the backyard, the kitchen was Beth’s second favorite room in the house. It had been remodeled to perfection. Colleen’s dream laid out in every detail. The appliances were all stainless steel, set into cabinets that were stained a natural vintage oak, and topped with tan and white granite counters. Chair railing ran across the back wall, painted light gray above and dark gray below.
A table for six—the planks stained a similar light brown that matched the kitchen cabinets—sat in front of a wall of windows that looked out to the backyard.
That was where they’d always sat and talked when Beth came over—Colleen’s sanctuary. And though it would never, ever, be the same without Colleen, those counseling and wine sessions still very much happened these days.
Case in point: Melanie Hart was currently sitting at the dining room table with Beth, sipping a glass of Pinot Grigio.
Beth was more than blessed by the friends she had in Mirabelle. Some she’d known for decades, while others were newer to the fold. But every single one of them had her back. She wouldn’t have gotten through the last year without them.
Not a chance.
“So Tripp just went out there in the middle of a lightning storm?” Mel asked, indicating the lake behind the house with her wineglass.
“Yup.” Beth nodded, not needing to look out at the lake that had been her biggest nightmare the day before. It had been just over twenty-four hours since everything had happened, and the fear of it was still tying her stomach in knots.
“No second guessing? No questions asked?” Mel shook her head, her blond corkscrew curls bouncing slightly at the movement. “No stopping? Just bam: ‘I am man. Watch me save.’”
“I am man. Watch me save?” Beth repeated, unable to fight the smile that worked at her mouth.
“You know, when they get all caveman.” Mel waved her free hand in the air as she brought her glass to her mouth and took a sip.
“Bennett do that very often? Go all caveman?”
Mel glanced over at the living room and Beth’s gazed followed. The kids were in there watching Mulan. Nora and Penny were on the sofa, snuggled up under a fuzzy pink blanket, while Grant sat in front of the coffee table putting together a puzzle of the Grand Canyon.
They were all thoroughly occupied and not paying attention to the conversation going on in the kitchen.
“Sometimes.” Mel grinned hugely as she waggled her eyebrows. “Depends on the situation. But he has been known to throw me over his shoulder and carry me off to the closest flat surface.”
A year ago Beth wouldn’t have begrudged anyone on having an active sex life. But that was because a year ago Beth had had an active sex life. Good Lord, she missed it. Missed losing herself in the intense passion. Missed those real and intimate moments. The anticipation beforehand, the pleasure of it all during, catching her breath afterward. She missed a man’s hands on her body…missed the connection…missed all of it.
The last year had been lonely for many reasons; there was no doubt about that. And try as she might, there’d been times when she hadn’t been able to stop herself from thinking about the really good sex she’d had with her stupid dickhead ex.
Though the image she was having right now of a man carrying her off to a flat surface wasn’t Mick. Nope. It was a different man entirely…
Now Beth normally wasn’t a betting woman, but she’d put a lot of money on the line that Tripp Black probably knew exactly what he was doing in a lot of hands on scenarios in life.
Talented hands or not, she needed to stop with all of her betting
and fantasizing and anything else that involved that particular man. Because really, imagining sex with him was dangerous. Unlike her friend, regular orgasms just weren’t going to be a reality for her.
Honestly though, Beth didn’t begrudge Mel’s sex life at all. Those regular orgasms—and what was no doubt still really hot sex—were part of the fact that she and Bennett were trying to get pregnant…had been trying to get pregnant for well over a year now.
Mel had always been a positive person, probably the most positive person Beth knew. But what with all of their friends popping out kids like no one’s business, it was starting to wear on Mel.
About a month ago, on one of the weekends that Papa Wallace had taken the kids, there’d been a Friday night when Beth and Mel had cracked into a bottle—or two—of wine. They’d talked about a lot of things, Mel’s current struggle being one of them. It had been pretty damn difficult sitting across from her friend and watching her cry.
Beth could only imagine the frustration that the couple was going through, especially because the fertility specialist hadn’t found anything wrong with either of them. For all intents and purposes, they should be pregnant.
That had sure been fun for Mel to hear.
“So anyway,” Mel said, bringing Beth back to the moment. “What was it like to see him in action?”
“Well, he’s very…take charge. Which was good as I wasn’t exactly thinking straight, and you know, was more than slightly terrified.”
“Understandably so,” Mel nodded.
“But when Tripp found Grant in the boat…I knew Grant was in capable hands, knew Tripp was going to get both of them off that lake.” She paused for a second, pulling herself away from that very vivid image. “You know, he brought the boat back.”
“What?”
“I woke up this morning to find it tied up on the bank, paddles and everything. He must’ve gone out this morning to get it all.”
“Hmmm.” Mel grinned as she set her glass on the table. “You’re talking about Tripp a lot differently today than I’m used to.”
“And how do I normally talk about him?”
“With annoyance…mild displeasure…extreme hostility.”
It was true; Mel had listened to Beth vent about the man on more than one occasion. And even though she’d listened, she’d always stood firm on the fact that Tripp was a good guy and Beth just needed to give him a chance. But really that was to be expected of Mel. Besides very few exceptions, she pretty much saw the good in everyone.
“Yeah, well, that was before.” Beth reached for the wine bottle and topped off both of their glasses.
“Uh-hunh.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.” Mel shrugged. “Something’s just different.”
“Well, of course it is…we’re friends now.”
“Ohhhh, your friends now?” Mel’s eyebrows rose high. “That’s a new descriptor.”
“We came to a truce.” Beth shrugged in an attempt to show it wasn’t a big deal at all.
Mel wasn’t falling for it. “A truce? When was that?”
“Last night…we…uh…we had a conversation.” Beth looked at her wineglass, running her forefinger around the rim and not exactly looking at Mel as she started that part of the story. “I was upset…”
“Obviously,” Mel agreed.
Beth finally glanced up. “I might’ve cried all over him.”
“Well, this is getting more and more interesting.”
“Interesting? It was humiliating!”
“I’d assume so. But you know what, embarrassing yourself in front of a guy isn’t always a bad thing. When Bennett and I started dating, I got a migraine and threw up in front of him. He handled the whole situation like a champ.”
“Well, see, you had a couple of things going for you there. First, Bennett is Bennett. And second, the two of you were dating at the time.”
“I would hope that Bennett is Bennett.”
“You know what I mean.” Beth shook her head. “He’s a good guy.”
“And so is Tripp. Something you’ve now witnessed.”
“Yes, I know, but please reference point number two.” Beth held up two fingers. “Tripp and I aren’t dating.”
“You could be.”
“Come on.”
“No, you come on, Beth.” Mel shook her head. “Don’t tell me you don’t think that man is attractive as sin.”
“You checking out Tripp Black? Do I need to tell your husband?”
“Oh, please.” Mel waved her friend off. “My husband has absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to my eyes. They don’t wander. What they do is pick up on something that I see to be a potential relationship between two of my friends.”
“Speaking of your husband, where is he this evening?”
“Nice subject change. I’ll let you get away with it tonight, but only because I’m feeling generous at the moment.” Mel grabbed her wineglass from the table and took a sip before she continued. “Some new video game came out this week and he’s currently trying to master it with Hamilton.”
“How is Hamilton?” Beth asked, unable to stop her eyes from traveling to the living room and landing on her niece.
Yes, Beth saw Hamilton regularly, the day before being the most recent, but it wasn’t like she asked him about Nora. He wasn’t going to confide in her regarding that topic. And it wasn’t like she could do anything to fix it. Didn’t change how damn frustrating it was that after thirteen years of friendship, Nora was ignoring Hamilton when she needed him the most.
“He misses her. He doesn’t really bring it up very often with me and he probably talks to Bennett about it fractionally more. I think it’s weird for him, you know? They’ve always been in and out of each others’ lives and now…nothing.”
“I know. This whole thing is so damn frustrating. I don’t know how to help her.”
“The therapy working at all?”
“Marginally.” Beth nodded. She and her dad had come to the conclusion that the kids needed to start seeing someone last fall. “It isn’t like I expected this to be fixed overnight or anything, but I really hoped there would be a little bit more improvement.”
“I bet. At least her grades aren’t suffering. She isn’t sabotaging herself, which is something I’ve seen before in similar situations.”
Mel was a math teacher at the high school, and she just so happened to be Nora’s. Yup, she had two close friends that were teachers to her kids, which made it that much easier to always know what was going on with them in school.
“I know you worry about her,” Mel continued. “I worry about her, but she’s a good kid. She’ll figure it out sooner or later. And even if she is pushing pretty much everyone away, at least she isn’t pushing the two most important people away.”
Beth turned to the living room just as Nora reached out and ran her fingers through Grant’s hair.
It was true. Nora loved her little brother and sister more than anything. She’d blamed herself for what had happened with Grant out there on that lake. Didn’t matter how many times Beth told her it wasn’t her fault. Grant had known better; there was no doubt about that. He knew he wasn’t supposed to go out on that lake. But he’d done it anyway.
And really, it had been Beth’s fault. She was their parent now. She was the one who needed to be watching out for these kids. She was the one taking care of them.
So in the end, whether Mel tried to play matchmaker or not, Beth didn’t have time for other things…like relationships. She’d been burned before…she didn’t need to deal with that again. Besides, if she were to get into a relationship, it wouldn’t be just her heart on the line. There were the kids to factor in now. And they were a pretty big factor.
It was safer this way, not getting involved.
Safer and lonely.
* * *
There were few things Duke loved more than a car ride. He sat in the back seat of Tripp’s truck, eyes closed and big tongue loll
ing as the open window blew air into his face. His lips were pulled back by the force of the air in such a way that it appeared he was grinning.
It really was the simple things in life.
Tripp was just hoping that this current calm state didn’t go anywhere, especially as they were heading to the veterinarian. If there was any situation for Duke to be in his scared-of-everything mode, it was at the vet.
The last time they were here Duke had lost his balls…or more accurately, had had them taken away. But when Tripp parked the car, the dog looked more disappointed at the loss of the steady breeze coming through the open window than at the location.
The St. Francis Veterinary Clinic was pretty much right at the center of downtown Mirabelle, and about a ten-minute walk from the fire station. It was set up in a three-story, Victorian house painted a dark blue with an identical sage-green house sitting right next to it.
The green one was the home of Dr. Paul Laurence and his wife Delilah. They’d been the owners of both buildings for the last sixteen years. For the first fourteen, Dr. Laurence had been the only vet in Mirabelle. Sure, there were more scattered around Atticus County—and some of the town’s five thousand residents did take their animals elsewhere—but Paul had been a pretty busy man running the place on his own.
Now he had help at the practice. He’d hired on Dr. Finn Shepherd about two years ago. Finn was a Mirabelle native, only leaving town for the time it took him to get his degree. He moved back pretty much the moment he’d graduated. Tripp had a close group of friends in Mirabelle, but these days he hung out with Finn the most. Probably because they were the only two bachelors left in their circle.
Well, that and their dogs were siblings.
Finn’s dog Frankie had been abandoned at the firehouse last year with Duke. She was just as big as her brother, but where Duke was evenly colored with white and brown, Frankie was mostly white. She also wasn’t a spaz.
Tripp got out of his truck and rounded the other side. When he opened the door Duke leaned forward and licked his neck before nuzzling him.
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