her nickname, Lucy cringed, flashing her discomfort before her features veiled in indifference. The town meant no disrespect. It just had a weird, in-your-face way of showing its affection. Everyone loved Lucy, except maybe Julia’s two high school besties. Brogan resisted the desire to tuck Lucy into his side for safekeeping and tell her she had nothing to worry about.
“Hey, Brogan. Have you seen Julia?” Amanda picked up a menu from the bar. “It’s so cool you’re back, and Julia’s, you know…available.” She winked at Brogan.
Pain pricked behind his eyes. Note to everyone: not going to happen.
Lucy chugged her margarita and slammed the glass back down on the bar. As she reached for her handbag, Brogan grabbed her arm.
“Wait,” he whispered. Against his better judgment, he rubbed her wrist with his thumb, amazed at the softness of her skin. Lucy tugged her arm away as if she’d been burned.
Brogan countered by resting a heavy hand on her shoulder to keep her from bolting as he addressed Amanda and Marcia. “I plan to see Julia this week.” Low growling came from Lucy’s direction. Repressing a laugh, he squeezed her soft shoulder. When had Little Lucy become so prickly? Brogan liked that he made her nervous. “Been busy with the opening of BetterBites. When are you coming to the store?”
“You sell prepared foods?” Amanda asked.
“Yes. Healthy organic foods you can’t easily find around here. Come on by, and tell all your friends.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll stop by the store tomorrow. Will you be there?”
“Absolutely.”
Lucy made a production of coughing, which gained Amanda and Marcia’s attention. “You okay, Luce? You haven’t said two words. How are you and Julia getting along?” Marcia asked, broadcasting with her smirk what she thought of the sisters’ reunion.
A strained smile appeared on Lucy’s face. “Like straw and berries, poly and ester, stud and bolt. Speaking of Julia”—she pulled her cell from her jeans pocket and read the screen—“better get home before she develops calluses on those fingers. She’s giving that keyboard a real workout.”
Digging for her wallet in her handbag, she slapped a ten on the bar. “Great to see you guys. Be sure to let me know when you want to visit Julia.” Her unspoken message rang loud and clear: I’ll be sure not to be there.
Brogan ducked as she slung her heavy hobo bag over her shoulder, narrowly missing his head. God only knew what she carried inside. Skirting around him, she aimed for the front door. He wasn’t ready to let her go. For the first time in weeks, he’d been enjoying himself. He fished for his wallet, threw some bills on the bar, and snatched up Lucy’s ten.
Chapter 7
Eight hours. Lucy had been in town eight long hours, and she wanted to run screaming for the hills. Preferably Blowing Rock, North Carolina, where her dad owned a small house with a glorious vista of majestic Grandfather Mountain.
“Lucy, wait up.”
No. Not three times in one day. She didn’t have this many Brogan sightings when she used to stalk him back in high school. All these years later, she still felt gawky, and the familiar butterflies marauding her stomach had worsened and not receded at all.
“Where you rushing off to?” Brogan caught up with her.
Lucy spoke without stopping or looking his way. “Need to check on Julia and Parker.” Parker had ignored Lucy all through dinner. Trying to gain his trust, Lucy had said he could stay up a little longer if he promised to be in bed by eleven. The ice in his gaze seemed to thaw a little after that, and Lucy had left him entranced in video-game heaven as she scooted out, needing to escape the confines of the house for a few minutes. She’d walked around the neighborhood, waving to some of her old neighbors sitting out on their front porches, until she found herself standing in front of the Dog. Deciding a drink would go a long way in calming her frayed nerves, she’d
“Hey, Brogan. Have you seen Julia?” Amanda picked up a menu from the bar. “It’s so cool you’re back, and Julia’s, you know…available.” She winked at Brogan.
Pain pricked behind his eyes. Note to everyone: not going to happen.
Lucy chugged her margarita and slammed the glass back down on the bar. As she reached for her handbag, Brogan grabbed her arm.
“Wait,” he whispered. Against his better judgment, he rubbed her wrist with his thumb, amazed at the softness of her skin. Lucy tugged her arm away as if she’d been burned.
Brogan countered by resting a heavy hand on her shoulder to keep her from bolting as he addressed Amanda and Marcia. “I plan to see Julia this week.” Low growling came from Lucy’s direction. Repressing a laugh, he squeezed her soft shoulder. When had Little Lucy become so prickly? Brogan liked that he made her nervous. “Been busy with the opening of BetterBites. When are you coming to the store?”
“You sell prepared foods?” Amanda asked.
“Yes. Healthy organic foods you can’t easily find around here. Come on by, and tell all your friends.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll stop by the store tomorrow. Will you be there?”
“Absolutely.”
Lucy made a production of coughing, which gained Amanda and Marcia’s attention. “You okay, Luce? You haven’t said two words. How are you and Julia getting along?” Marcia asked, broadcasting with her smirk what she thought of the sisters’ reunion.
A strained smile appeared on Lucy’s face. “Like straw and berries, poly and ester, stud and bolt. Speaking of Julia”—she pulled her cell from her jeans pocket and read the screen—“better get home before she develops calluses on those fingers. She’s giving that keyboard a real workout.”
Digging for her wallet in her handbag, she slapped a ten on the bar. “Great to see you guys. Be sure to let me know when you want to visit Julia.” Her unspoken message rang loud and clear: I’ll be sure not to be there.
Brogan ducked as she slung her heavy hobo bag over her shoulder, narrowly missing his head. God only knew what she carried inside. Skirting around him, she aimed for the front door. He wasn’t ready to let her go. For the first time in weeks, he’d been enjoying himself. He fished for his wallet, threw some bills on the bar, and snatched up Lucy’s ten.
Chapter 7
Eight hours. Lucy had been in town eight long hours, and she wanted to run screaming for the hills. Preferably Blowing Rock, North Carolina, where her dad owned a small house with a glorious vista of majestic Grandfather Mountain.
“Lucy, wait up.”
No. Not three times in one day. She didn’t have this many Brogan sightings when she used to stalk him back in high school. All these years later, she still felt gawky, and the familiar butterflies marauding her stomach had worsened and not receded at all.
“Where you rushing off to?” Brogan caught up with her.
Lucy spoke without stopping or looking his way. “Need to check on Julia and Parker.” Parker had ignored Lucy all through dinner. Trying to gain his trust, Lucy had said he could stay up a little longer if he promised to be in bed by eleven. The ice in his gaze seemed to thaw a little after that, and Lucy had left him entranced in video-game heaven as she scooted out, needing to escape the confines of the house for a few minutes. She’d walked around the neighborhood, waving to some of her old neighbors sitting out on their front porches, until she found herself standing in front of the Dog. Deciding a drink would go a long way in calming her frayed nerves, she’d
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