The Guy Next Door

Chapter Three (#uf68c15a8-4025-57e0-ab14-72fe35227877)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)

Questions for Discussion (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ulink_31701744-bec8-5fb1-910e-87387d611920)

It’s about time.

Darcy O’Malley sat on the front porch steps as the hot afternoon sun headed westward, watching her best friend’s car pull into the driveway next door. She sucked in a deep breath, tension easing out with it.

Six months. Six long months since Luke Jordan had been home—the longest they’d ever gone without seeing each other. Having his car parked where it belonged brought a sense of normalcy.

Of course, these days, he called Tennessee home.

Darcy waved, but he couldn’t see her from behind the overgrown boxwoods.

He climbed out of the car and stretched. As expected, his hair had grown shaggy. Unruly brown hair that begged a girl to push it off his forehead.

Darcy gave a derisive snort. It was ridiculous how many girls had held that honor. Too many to count.

She stepped out on the sidewalk. Luke spotted her and waved, his face lighting with a big goofy grin.

“Come on over,” he called, motioning her toward his car.

He met her halfway and held out his arms. She fell into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he lifted her off the ground and gave a brotherly squeeze, she felt as if she were the one who had come home. She’d missed him.

“I’m so glad to see you,” she said against his cheek, breathing in the familiar scent of his Prell shampoo. “But you need a haircut.”

“Glad to be back in Georgia where you can hound me into going to the barber.” He set her on her feet and smiled, but his eyes looked shadowed.

She should have anticipated the sadness. This was his first visit home since his mother’s funeral. “Tough coming back?”

“Yeah. Seeing the house…” He sucked in a deep breath and glanced up at the two-story brick home he’d lived in from birth.

She waited, knowing better than to push him to talk about his mom.

“I’m surprised to see you here in the middle of the afternoon,” he said, effectively changing the subject. “Thought you’d be at one of your many jobs.”

Typical of him to slip in a jab about her over-packed schedule, though Luke was simply spouting what everyone else around her had been spouting. He always joked about her overcommitment, but underneath, he was being protective, worried about her stress level and health.

“I only have two jobs,” she said. “Finished one for the day and am about to head to the other.”

“Only two.” He shook his head. “You’re finally living your dream of being a microbiologist and have the luxury of living rent-free. Why put in so many long hours?”

The muscles in Darcy’s neck tightened with nagging concerns over losing that rent-free status before she was ready. “I don’t remember asking your opinion,” she said, snippier than she’d meant.

One corner of his mouth tilted up in a grin. He’d always loved riling her up and blaming her temper on her red hair.

“Hey, I just want you to have a life,” he said. “Maybe go out, have fun, find that Prince Charming you’ve always dreamed of.”

For now, her life was consumed by work and paying off student loans. Even if by some chance Prince Charming did show up, she couldn’t squeeze in a moment for him.

She’d missed their banter, though, and couldn’t help returning his smile. “Once again, I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”

He laughed and nudged her shoulder with his.

“So, how long are you staying?” she asked.

“A week, two at most. I brought some work, and Roger’s covering for me.”

“Not long, but I’ll take what I can get.” She hooked her arm around his and looked up. “So when can we hang out?”

Their gazes locked, and his teasing smirk faltered. “Um, I may be pretty busy.” He glanced at their joined arms, then at his parents’ house.

The action felt like a snub. Had she somehow made him uncomfortable?

“You’re not going to like why I’m here,” he said.

“Oh?”