Lovestrung: A friends to lovers romance

by Karen Ferry

  I took my dad’s hand as he was about to pass me and he stopped.

  “What is it, baby girl?” He crouched down and craned his neck, peering into my eyes.

  I bit my lip and squeezed his hand. “I hope he won’t be afraid anymore,” I whispered.

  “Come here,” Daddy murmured and placed the suitcase and backpack on the ground before he opened his arms wide. Willingly, I leaned into his strong body and he engulfed me in a tight hug.

  “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered in my ear. “You see too much, though.”

  I grinned as I pulled out of his embrace.

  “Maybe, but that’s not a bad thing, Daddy.”

  He nodded, his eyes dancing with mirth. “You’re right, it’s not.”

  My smile died down as my eyes flickered to the closed door. “I want to be his friend, Daddy. Do you think he’ll let me?”

  I felt his thumb press into my chin and turned my head back to him. I breathed deeply at the serious gaze that met me.

  “In time, I’m sure he will. But you have to give him that time, Penelope. Can you do that?”

  I thought about his question before answering, but I didn’t really have to think too long about it. The answer was crystal clear to me.

  “Yes. I can do that.”

  Because if there was one thing I knew right then and there, it was that I would do anything to be his friend. I’d stop at nothing until I made Ethan smile at me. I was only ten years old, but I knew that this boy would become someone special to me.

  I would be right…but I would also be so very wrong.

  1

  From Friends to Strangers

  Present Day

  I was busy contemplating murdering my friend, Ella, when my date for the night decided it was time to pay attention to me instead of the soccer game on the TV hanging above the bar.

  “So, your name’s Penelope, right?”

  I wanted to laugh when he took off his glasses to polish them on his flannel shirt and squinted at me, but I managed to suppress it. Normally, I wouldn’t give a damn about manners, but I figured it would be less painful – and less boring – to play nice for another half hour.

  Instead, I smiled sweetly at him and nodded.

  “Yes, but I prefer Pippa.”

  Honestly, what kind of a guy can’t remember the name of the girl he’s out on a date with?

  “Sorry,” he mumbled and pushed up his glasses that kept slipping down his nose.

  When he didn’t even try to start a real conversation with me, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was just shy and if I should take pity on him. But as I leaned toward him and opened my mouth to try to engage him in conversation, his gaze flicked back up to the TV, and I ground my teeth. I wasn’t an expert on first dates, but I was pretty sure that in order for this to work, you had to be more interesting than a soccer game.

  Clearly, that wasn’t the case for this guy.

  I decided I’d had enough. I had better things to do on a Friday night than being ignored by a random guy that Ella had set me up with.

  “Look, Cody,” I sighed. “Shouldn’t we spare each other a lot of regret and just call it a night?” I hopped down from the bar stool and started to rummage through my bag in search of my purse.

  A hand clamped down on my arm, stopping me.

  “Hey, wait,” Cody pleaded.

  Surprised to hear the steel in his voice, I raised my head and blinked at him.

  “Why should I? It’s clear you’re more interested in whatever is on that thing up there than me.” I shook my head when he opened his mouth. “Don’t bother. I have to go take my dog for a walk anyway.”

  For the first time since I’d met him, his eyes lit up with interest.

  “You have a dog?”

  I yanked my arm free of his hold and blew out a breath.

  “Yes,” I muttered.

  “What kind?”

  Note to self: don’t mention you have a pet when you’re trying to make a quick escape.

  “An English bulldog. And before you ask, his name is Bernie, he’s five years old, and I got him from the animal shelter about a year ago.”

  Finally, I managed to find the money I needed to pay for my drink. I hefted my bag on my shoulder and tucked my blonde hair away from the strap.

  “Goodbye, Cody,” I smiled and tipped my imaginary hat. “I’d say it’s been fun to meet you, but since I’ve yawned more the past twenty minutes than I did when I got up at six a.m. this morning, that would be a lie.”

  The mild interest in his eyes gave way to an unattractive frown, but I couldn’t care less. Instead, I turned around and strutted out the bar on my gorgeous stilettos.

  “Ugh,” I grunted as I turned left to go home. I pulled out my phone and decided to call Ella and give her a piece of my mind.

  “Hey, doll!” she hollered in my ear.

  “What the hell, dude?” I huffed. “I just ditched Cody at the bar. What on earth made you think we’d hit it off? He spent almost all the time in my company looking more at the TV than down my cleavage.” I shook my head. “And you know how great my boobs are.”

  “Bummer,” she sighed. “You do have great boobs, Pip. Why anyone would find a soccer game more interesting than them goes beyond me.”

  “I know! That’s, like, Dating Rule number one – if a pair of great boobs are in line of sight, all else should fade into the background.”

  Ella’s low laughter filled my ears.

  “Your so-called dating rules are weird, but in this instance, I’d have to say you’re right.”

  I pushed away my bangs from my eyes, wiping the perspiration away.

  “Never mind,” I grumbled.

  “Anyway, I just thought that it was time you stopped mooning about you-know-who.”

  Immediately, I tensed up and came to an abrupt halt on the quiet street.

  “We don’t speak about him.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “So, when exactly are you ditching the good town of Charlottesville and your best friend again?”

  Feeling more at ease by the change of subject, I started walking again.

  “Funny you should ask…I just bought my plane ticket to Rome this morning. My adventure begins one month from today.”

  “Are you really going to be away for a whole year?”

  The tremor in her voice made me a little teary, too.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “I hate those itchy feet of yours,” she groused, making me giggle.

  “I know you do, but this is something I have to do. You know that.”

  She sighed again in my ear, only this time she stopped pushing. I knew she was unhappy about my plans, but like every good friend – and she was one of the best – she supported me. Once she looked past her own hurt for losing me, as she called it, she’d be happy for me.

  Because she was right.

  I was the girl with itchy feet. Everyone I knew were aware of it.

  Obviously, I didn’t mean that in the literal sense of the word – that would be too weird and require me to see a foot specialist – but because of who my parents were.

  Or, more to the point, my dad.

  My father was Henry Montgomery, a renowned former explorer just like my grandfather had been. Dad had travelled the world most of his life until the day he met my mother, Vivian, was struck down by lightning and fell madly in love with her.

  His words. Whenever I asked Mama if she’d felt the same way, she rolled her eyes while muttering something unintelligible. But I knew better. While Dad was the dreamer and philosopher, Mama was the pragmatist – the sensible one – in our family. Even though she wasn’t a romantic, she could never hide the soft smile or the secretive look in her eyes when she went on to tell us children about the day she’d met our dad.

  Because of my heritage, I had a major case of wanderlust, and just like my dad and grandfather had, I longed to explore the world. To be an adventurer and to discover new things.

  I couldn�
��t see myself covering my body in tattoos like Dad had; or to get a big, gold hoop in my ear like Gramps, just like a pirate.

  But I wanted to see more than Charlottesville, Virginia.

  To wake up to the sound of church bells in Rome.

  Or to take a dozen photos of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

  Or to walk a stretch of the Great Wall of China.

  The world was at my feet.

  Too bad the same world held my childhood friend and crush, Ethan Collins, because not only was he my friend, someone I’d known for what seemed like forever. But Ethan was also my foster brother, and that was a whole can of worms that I wasn’t prepared to open. Sure, it had been my own fault – badgering him into giving me my first kiss when I was fifteen had started this stupid crush – but I had hoped it’d fade over time.

  Plus, he never saw me as anything else but a little sister – he’d told me himself when I was eighteen and I’d gotten the stupid idea to throw myself at him.

  Yeah. Not one of my finest moments.

  It might have been five years since that night happened, but whenever I thought about my poor attempt at seducing him, his rejection still stung.

  That’s why I was planning on getting rid of my roots and to start travelling as soon as I could.

  As long as I was near Ethan, I knew I’d never be able to get over him.

  And I needed to do that. I needed it badly.

  “Helloooo! Earth to Pip.”

  Ella’s impatient voice broght me back from my impromptu trip down memory lane.

  “Sorry,” I shook my head. “I’m here. I must’ve spaced out for a second there.”

  “That’s okay. So, want to come by my place, hang out?”

  “I would, but I have to go home and take Bernie for his walk.”

  “Okay, but if you change your mind, text me.”

  “I will. Bye, hon.”

  After we said our goodbyes, I went home to do exactly what I’d told her I’d do – if Bernie was up for it, of course. He tended to be the happiest when he could spend all day sleeping instead of moving his rather impressive butt.

  I hefted my bag on my shoulder and blew out a soft breath when I reached my home.

  Home.

  It didn’t feel like my home, though I had to admit that having to share a house with Gramps wasn’t such a bad thing, and that I should feel lucky I hadn’t had to pay rent while I’d been living here for the past two years. But, since I’d always known the day would come when I’d finally be able to travel, it had been the perfect arrangement for the both of us. I didn’t mind doing the grocery shopping or cleaning the house at all – the last part was surprisingly soothing – and I adored my grandfather. I loved listening to his stories about his travels, and the truth was that he needed someone to look after him.

  But home would always be the big log house close to Lake Anna where I’d grown up with my brothers, Parker and Max.

  And…Ethan.

  Enough.

  I mentally gave my behind a hard kick when my thoughts veered off in his direction, but it was difficult to do when I could hardly remember a time when he hadn’t been a part of my life.

  But enough was enough. I needed to move on and forget him, once and for all.

  Quickly, I took the three steps up to Gramps’ place and opened the door.

  “I’m home,” I shouted as I closed it behind me. “Gramps? Where are you?”

  “In the kitchen,” I heard his rumbling voice from the back of the hall and quickly shuffled out of my shoes before going in that direction. I frowned when I took a whiff, my mouth watering at the spices drifting in the air.

  “Since when did you learn how to cook?” I laughed but then came to a complete stop in the doorway when I saw it wasn’t my dear old grandfather at the stove.

  Oh, for the love of…

  There he was – the object of my obsession – with his back to me, and cooking for me and my Gramps from the looks of it.

  “Hey,” he said, his voice so low I could barely hear it. He tilted his head in my direction but only glanced at me briefly before whatever he was cooking got his attention.

  Surprised at seeing him, I could only nod once.

  I felt like a little girl now that my feet were bare because of his size – I’d always felt like a midget whenever I stood next to him because he was well over six feet tall and I was a mere five foot three – but now, seeing him at the other end of the kitchen, it made me realize that it wasn’t my lack of height that made me feel like that. It was him, plain and simple. He exuded a quiet confidence, commanding the room he was in, but was never arrogant. In fact, he listened more than he spoke, which was probably why pretty much all animals were drawn to him. But it was also the reason I became either tongue-tied or babbled like a maniac whenever he was near. That, and his good looks – it was unfair to all womankind. His almost-black hair cut low at the sides and longer on the top, flopping into his eyes constantly. His long, straight nose, high cheekbones, and a jaw that looked like it was cut like a diamond made my toes curl with want. His full lips that I bet knew exactly what to do to a woman…yeah, I was pretty obsessed with his lips.

  Damn him for looking like a model. It was so unfair.

  His presence made me hyperaware and I blinked when the sound of Gramps chuckling reached my ears, breaking me free of my trance. Looking at him sitting on a high chair at the kitchen island, his wheelchair next to him, was all I needed to remind me to become unstuck.

  Quickly, I walked to his side and hugged him.

  “Hey, Gramps.” I released my hold on him and leaned my hip against the island. “How was your day?”

  “Ack, the same as usual.” He shrugged and then looked at Ethan manning the stove. “Ethan dropping by was the highlight of my day.”

  I glanced briefly at Ethan, not allowing my eyes to linger at the way his black T-shirt stretched across his lean muscles.

  “I didn’t know you were coming, Ethan,” I raised my voice when he poured something in the wok that made the oil sizzle and crackle.

  “Thought it had been too long since I was last here.”

  “It’s a long drive all the way from Blacksburg to have dinner,” I mused. I tilted my head, puzzled that he didn’t look at me, but shrugged it off when he didn’t say anything else.

  “It’s good to see you,” I said instead before turning my attention back on Gramps. “I’ll go set the table for us.”

  “I take it your date didn’t go so well since you’re home already?” he smirked.

  I sighed and shook my head.

  “Your assumption is correct, Gramps.”

  He smiled at me and took my hand, squeezing it lightly.

  “I’m glad you’re home.”

  Loud snoring from the corner of the kitchen made me chuckle and I went to greet Bernie who was lying on his back – as usual – all four paws in the air, and I bent down to rub his belly.

  “Looks like our evening walk will have to wait, hey, big boy?” I crooned when he sighed, tongue lolling out of his big mouth.

  “Dinner will be ready soon,” Ethan said.

  I craned my neck to look up at him from my crouched position. He looked down, a frown between his eyes that I couldn’t understand. I wanted to be brave enough to stand up, go to him, and erase the line with my thumb while joking that if he didn’t stop with the frowning, it’d be perpetually inked on his skin.

  The old Pippa would’ve done that.

  Now? Not exactly.

  “Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious,” I answered softly and straightened up.

  Leaving it at that, I quickly washed my hands at the sink next to him and then went about setting the table. As I walked between the kitchen and the dining room, I couldn’t help but hear the low frustration in Gramps’ voice grow whenever he asked Ethan a question and mostly got monosyllabic answers.

  “Do you want me to help you down, Gramps?” I asked when I came back to the kitchen a last time.
/>   Ethan was already next to Gramps, easing him into his wheelchair.

  “No need. I’ve got him.”

  My eyes lingered on his arms around Gramps’s shoulders, and I could literally feel the way my heart melted at the care he took with the patriarch of our family.

  Stupid, traitorous heart.

  “Thank you.”

  Ethan just nodded and went back to the stove. Mesmerized, I watched him sprinkle some seasoning into the wok. Now that my initial shock at seeing him had worn off, I was starting to get a little annoyed at the fact that he still refused to look at me. How weird was that?

  Stubborn, I refused to put up with it for much longer.

  “Do you want beer or wine?” I asked.

  His eyes flitted my way, but only for a second.

  “Asian food is best served with beer, Pippa,” he grumbled. “I thought you knew that.”

  I shrugged.

  “I do, but since you’re a guest in our home, I thought it best to ask.”

  For the first time since I saw him tonight, his lips tilted up at the corners and his eyes warmed.

  “Never thought you liked to play hostess,” he murmured and moved to the fridge. “I’ll grab the beers as well.”

  I could see the amusement in his gaze, the low light from the fridge enhancing the cerulean color. My skin started to prickle, and my belly erupted with butterflies. I scowled at him, annoyed that it took as little as a smile aimed my way to make me forget myself.

  “I don’t,” I huffed, my fingers tightening on the handles on the wheelchair. “But…”

  “Will you kids stop bickering and just get our food?” Gramps interrupted. “I’m hungry, and I’m not getting any younger.”

  He made it sound as if we were a couple of errant children, and I cringed at the rebuttal because it was the truth. We were acting childish, and I ought to know better, especially considering that I’d grown up with Parker and Max goading me as often as possible; and me falling for it all the freaking time.