About Last Night...

“She is, but it’s not in the cards. Besides, I could never know for sure.”

“Know what?”

Colin scrubbed the towel over his body, looking away at nothing in particular. “If she was with me or if she was with Derek’s brother.”

“What the heck does that mean?”

“Think about it. She was in love with Derek. You know that. She was devastated when he died. We all were. I figured that’s why she left and never came back much. Even if it were a remote possibility for us to get together, I would always be second string, Trav. That’s not good enough.”

“I don’t know, Col. I may be off base, but it seemed that when we got together the other night there was definite chemistry working between you two. We were all dancing, but you two kept gravitating back to each other. High school is a world away—you’ve barely seen each other for years—you’re like brand-new people now.”

“You can’t just erase the past, Trav. I mentioned something about Derek to her, and I could see it in her face. Something changed in her eyes. I don’t think she ever quite got over him. If we danced a lot together the other night it was just because you kept trying to maneuver Penny into that dark corner.”

“Yeah, not very successfully. I do like watching her dance, though.”

Colin smiled at Travis and turned back toward the lockers. In spite of the vigorous exercise, talking about Miranda had stirred up the feelings he was trying to exorcise. As his skin heated with familiar waves of desire, he wondered if being second best would be better than nothing at all, or if it would be worse.

MIRANDA AND PENNY SAT crunched into a small booth at their favorite waterfront pub. The place had been around when their parents had been kids and was still going strong. The heady aroma of garlic and freshly baked pizza permeated the air and had made Miranda’s mouth water as always when she’d walked through the door. Though she’d sat in this booth a hundred times, everything seemed sweeter, more pungent now.

She looked around, soaking up the atmosphere. They had been working on a large pizza for the past hour, and finally the subject that had been left behind at the salon reemerged.

“So, what’s your plan for dealing with the Colin situation?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.”

Penny sent her a definite “oh, c’mon” look across the table, and she caved.

“Okay, I have been thinking about it, but thinking and doing are two different things.”

“The other night you two seemed to have some real sizzle going. He asked you to dance.”

Miranda shrugged. “Yeah, but the four of us danced together. I danced with Travis as much as Colin, so did you. Colin and I are close, and he’s been great since I’ve been back.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Every now and then I do think I catch a little sense of something more, something different between us, but I think it’s just me and wishful thinking.”

Miranda looked intently at the pizza and seriously considered another slice. Nerves made her want to eat and she had plenty of them. Thank God for elliptical trainers and a fast metabolism.

Grabbing the slice, she took a bite to avoid continuing and then reached down into her bag, taking out the magazine from the salon. She met Penny’s questioning eyes squarely. “What? They said I could take it.”

“Did you tell them you wanted it for a recipe?” Penny’s eyes danced with evil mirth as she glanced over the cover story. “Or is this research?”

“It was an interesting article.” Miranda slumped back in her seat, pizza forgotten. “Yeah, okay. It got me thinking about Colin. What doesn’t? I want to do something, but I don’t want to lose him as a friend. It’s driving me crazy. I would have thought I was over this a long time ago. Then wham, since I’ve been back it’s been full-force adult lust. Very frustrating.”

Penny squeezed her hand and smiled before she resumed eating her pizza. “You’re such a romantic. It doesn’t surprise me that you feel this way. You were crazy about him then. Going out with Derek was a mistake.”

“I know. I guess I just thought since one brother wasn’t interested, maybe the other one would do. Or in truth, I was hoping to make Col jealous, though I know it was awful to use Derek that way. And I know he used to rub Col’s face in it, but I thought maybe that would jar him, make him come around, but I guess he really didn’t have those feelings for me. Then or now. But I look at Colin still and it’s like…”

“Everything else disappears?” Penny finished her sentence, and shared her own insights.

“Colin always had that extra, I don’t know what to call it. He was just…deeper. I mean, he’s gorgeous, but he’s also a nice guy. Rare combination.”

“I know. He’s almost too nice, though.” Miranda grimaced. “I wish I could get him to be a little naughty.”

“I think he was always trying to make up for Derek. Derek was great, but he was such a bad boy. God, remember how he gave Joyce and Ed fits?” Penny laughed softly, remembering the good old days. “He was always in trouble. And he was just as gorgeous as Colin, but I can see how Colin would have felt like he had to behave, you know, to balance out Derek.”

Penny sighed, tipping her empty bottle at the server to indicate she would like another before continuing. “You know, after you left, it was so sad. He got sucked up in school and taking care of his parents. He and I hung out a little, but we didn’t have much in common.”

“Why not? You’ve known him as long as any of us, and you were in school, too.”

Penny’s mouth twisted self-derisively. “Hardly the same as what you guys were doing.”

“Penny, you got a good two-year degree, you graduated at the top of your class, and you’re doing a job you love, not to mention you’re great at it. You’re amazing with those animals. And with the people, too. Don’t sell yourself short.”

“Yeah, being a vet’s assistant is fun, but it’s hardly like being a doctor or a professor. Or having your own business. Speaking of which, how’s that going?”

“Good so far. Starting up is slow, but I owe my ability to pay the rent to you. With the clients you’re sending my way, I’m getting more referrals and business is picking up. It was a good idea to set up shop so close by the vet’s. A lot of folks seem to walk their dogs in that area, too.” She lifted her beverage in a salute to Penny, and continued. “I think I may start some group classes at the shelter, and split the proceeds with them. I need to do more formal training in some advanced techniques, though, so I can maybe pick up some contract work with the police, or search-and-rescue teams. Then maybe I can afford to do some free classes for people who can’t afford to pay.”

“That’s good thinking. I’m glad it’s going well for you—you deserve it. If you could get things going with Colin, life would be almost perfect, huh?”

Miranda considered what Penny had told her about Colin. “I hate it that he sees me as Derek’s girlfriend instead of just me.”

Penny nodded. “Then I guess you have to tell him. I can see why you wouldn’t have said anything right away, but I think it’s time to tell him you’d actually broken up with Derek the night of the accident and see if it makes a difference. It could clear the air for something to happen between you two.”

“Ha! Talking to him directly? I don’t know about that plan—far too much fall-flat-on-my-face potential. That would be too sensible and straightforward for me.” She smiled reluctantly over her drink. “Why do you always make sense?”

“Hey, that’s me. Sensible Penny. Just like the loafers.”

“Stop it. You are as wildly lacking in sense as the rest of us, and I won’t hear any differently. Hey, a couple guys at the bar haven’t been able to take their eyes off you all night. You are such a sex goddess.”

Penny grinned and looked toward the bar, her green eyes impish. She was cute—the type of woman men were automatically attracted to. A small, pixielike redhead, Penny had an innate, feminine sex appeal that Miranda sometimes envied. Miranda liked her own straight, statuesque build well enough—being strong and streamlined had its own advantages—but sometimes she wished she was curvier and cuter like her friend.

A laugh bubbled up from Penny when she waved playfully at the guys at the bar. Penny routinely underestimated herself, which Miranda found frustrating. She knew it came from the fact that Penny had grown up in less comfortable circumstances than the rest of them, but it bugged her that Penny insisted on downplaying herself much of the time.

“Yeah, I’m a real sex kitten.”

“Hmm. Maybe one who’s interested in curling up in the lap of one particularly cute resident doctor that we both happen to know.”

“Eww! Hardly. Though maybe I’d like to scratch him.”

“Why do you even bother to hide it? You guys are obviously hot for each other.”

“Um, Miranda, have you been in a room with us lately—or, come to think of it—ever?”

“Actually, yes. You argue like cats and dogs, but that is just the adult version of the playground-punch-in-the-arm. Face it, you’re a smitten sex kitten.”

“Puh-leese. Clever way to sidetrack this conversation, but let’s get back to you.”

“Coward. I still say if you made a move on Travis, he’d cave like a house of cards. I, on the other hand, am facing the sexual Berlin Wall with Colin.”

“Well, you know, they did tear that down, so there’s hope.”