His Kind of Wonderful (Sugar Bay #2) (23 page)

“You’re taking this pretty hard.”

“Damn right. Those two stubborn mules are messing with my track record.”

“What track record?”

“Have I ever told you about my matchmaking skills?”

“No, but do tell.”

“You know Dylan’s biological mother is Chinese, right?”

“Yes.”

“When she was younger, we researched her heritage. My dad wanted her to know about her mother’s culture. Since Dylan’s mom left when Dylan was a toddler, she didn’t have any memories of her mother much less her mother’s heritage. With Dad, Dani and me being Caucasian Americans and physically looking the same, we wanted Dylan to appreciate her culture instead of getting caught on looking different.”

“That makes sense.”

“Yeah, well, she loved the Chinese astrology aspect and the fact that her grandmother was a matchmaker. She tried reading signs but she pretty much sucked at it. It pissed her off that I was better at it. I absorbed that aspect of her heritage and got good at reading peoples signs, blending eastern and western astrology—keep in mind, this was before apps.”

“You’re such a bullshitter.”

“Ahhh. You have insulted the mighty one.”

“I have. I’m calling you out on this.”

“We shall see. Dylan and Joe are perfect for each other. They just haven’t realized it yet.”

“Derek. I love you, but you have all the subtlety of a jackhammer.”

“No. You’re wrong. I know my sister’s stubborn nature and I know Joe’s weakness for her. It was a matter of putting my concerns out there along with throwing out some mental roadblocks. Just you wait, my little nonbeliever.”

“Hmmm. We shall see, although I want it to happen just as much as you do. I think they’ll be perfect together.”

“So we’re not betting on it.” He looked disappointed.

“Is there a reason we should?”

“I was sort of looking forward to getting some special treatment out of it.” He leered at her and crawled over to box her within the circle of his arms.

She slid her hands up his bulging biceps to his shoulders, loving the strength of his body surrounding her. “How about this? We’ll put together a numbered list of whatever you want to do and coordinate them to coordinating straws. Whatever we pull out, we can do. Day by day.”

His eyes lit up. “Excellent plan, sweetheart. Excellent plan.” He lowered his head to hers for a long, deep kiss until thoughts of Dani and Joe and their stubbornness disappeared from their minds.

***

Derek slid into the stool next to Joe at the Salty Pug, a popular seafood bar. “Hey, loser.”

“Punk Ass.” Joe acknowledged.

“You don’t look so good. You doing okay?”

“I’m surprised Anabelle held you off for so long. You’re such a sweet talker.”

Derek grinned, unrepentant, and ordered a drink.

Joe knew his friend meant well. He probably looked like crap because he felt like crap and
not
because a certain brunette had walked out of his life. Although she hadn’t completely disappeared, it wasn’t the same. He felt like a man who’d been introduced to gourmet cooking after a lifetime of fast food and then being told it had all been a mistake and although he was allowed to look, he would never be able to taste it again.

Joe sighed. His heart hurt—but not because he was heartbroken. It was probably from the oysters. He pushed his plate away.

This was the first time he’d seen Derek in weeks—ever since he’d begun avoiding the guy. His guilt was so strong but it was long passed time for him for a confrontation.

“Have you seen Dani lately?” Derek pulled Joe’s half eaten plate in front of him and dug in. Joe thought about warning him but remembered the guy’s stomach was made of steel.

“Here and there. She had texted that she’d be getting the last of her stuff out of the cottage today.”

“Hmmm. I think she has another meeting with Professor Perv tonight.”

Joe shrugged.

“I thought you were taking care of matters.”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about in regards to the Professor.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure she doesn’t like the guy in a romantic sense.”

“Then why do they see each other outside of school?”

“I can’t say. That’s something you need to discuss with Dani.”

“Why can’t you tell me?” Derek glared.

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

“Hmph. That’s a load of bull. What’s she have to hide from her own family?”

Joe nursed his drink without saying a word and let Derek ponder in silence.

“And the Professor is part of her secret?”

“I can swear there is nothing going on between the two of them. So you can rest easy about that.”

Derek nodded. He didn’t look completely satisfied but he seemed to understand Joe’s position of sworn secrecy and for that Joe was glad. It wasn’t his place to unveil Dani’s secret even if he didn’t think she had much to worry about.

“What if Dani doesn’t finish her doctoral dissertation?”

“Is that what the big secret is about?”

Joe shrugged. “I didn’t say that. But I will say she thinks you and Dylan’s approval hinges upon her having a PhD. She feels a lot of pressure to succeed.”

“That’s bullshit. We’d love her regardless of whether she finished her doctorate. We just assumed that’s what she wanted and we wanted to support her. I mean she’s always had her head stuck in a book. Hell, that’s why I wanted her to work at the studio. It’s a low stress job that gave her plenty of time to study.”

“You need to make sure Dani knows this.”

“I will.” Derek took a sip of his drink. “So the Professor wasn’t looking for Dani to model for him? I had a bad feeling about that.”

“Yeah, you weren’t far off track with that feeling but she’s not going to do it.”

“Yeah?”

“Trust me. He’s fully aware if she sits as his model in any state of undress, his ass is mine. You won’t have any more trouble with him sniffing around Dani, I’ve already confronted the bastard.”

“I guess you would.” Derek sent him a knowing look.

Silence reigned between the two friends.

“How long have you known?’

Derek didn’t bother to prevaricate. “That your pretend relationship was a sham?”

“Yeah.”

Derek shrugged. “Since the beginning.”

“Bastard.”

Derek grunted and took a sip.

“The whole time?”

“Yep.”

“And you let me suffer.”

“Basically, yeah.”

His best friend’s grin was wide and self-satisfied. It made Joe want to punch the guy’s teeth out.

“At first I wanted to test your self control.”

Joe narrowed his eyes but Derek continued as Joe weren’t seriously contemplating Derek’s demise.

“It was fun watching the two of you scramble and act all cool.”

“I ought to beat you.”

“Go ahead and try if it’ll make you feel better. Just don’t mess up my pretty face too much. Anabelle’s rather partial to it.”

“I don’t know why? You’re an ugly s.o.b.”

Derek’s laugh was cocky as if he knew nothing was further from the truth and even if it were, it wouldn’t matter anyway because he had his girl.
Arrogant bastard.

“You should call her.”

“Why would you want me to? I’ve got to be the furthest thing you want for your sister.”

“Not necessarily.”

Silence settled between them while Joe absorbed his friend’s comment. “Really?”

“Really.”

“But I’m not—“

“Man, you’ve got to let the past go. You were young and stupid but you straightened yourself out and became a great guy as a result. The town is downright proud of you. Even as a new comer, I can see that. They adore you. They know you’re nothing like your dad.”

Joe felt the knot in his chest loosen. He didn’t know what to say.

“Let go of the past Joe. Stop punishing yourself for your old mistakes
and
for your father’s mistakes.”

His eyes burned.
Damn.
Derek hadn’t minced with words.

“I’m not good enough for her.”

“Bullshit. I wouldn’t have let you touch her if I thought that. Anabelle has mocked my attempts at matchmaking but I think I did pretty well until you guys screwed it up.”

“That was your idea of matchmaking?”

“Yep.” He chugged the remainder of his Sam Adams. “I should start a damn service.”

Joe jerked back, incredulous. “Yeah, you do that, but don’t quit your day job.”

Derek grin was smug. Joe thought back to all the times he worried about Derek’s concerns over anyone touching his little sister and the frustration he went through when he held back in respect for Derek. “
Bastard
.” Derek was lucky Joe didn’t shove him off his stool.

“Do you know how painful it was in the beginning—the torture or wanting but not having? Looking but not touching? All because I didn’t want to mess up our friendship?”

Derek grimaced. “Yeah. Anabelle accused me of being a sick bastard for having so much fun, but hey, what can I say?”

“Asshole. I had the worst case of blue balls ever recorded. I almost got hyperthermia from the number of cold showers I took.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you lasted far longer than I gave you credit for. Extra points for effort.”

Joe shook his head. “You’re sick in the head, you know that?”

“Sorry, man.” Derek gave Joe his best pitiful look.

“Put those dimples away, man. That only works on the chicks not on dudes.”

“There was no other way to play it out. Dani is flat out stubborn—too stubborn to listen to me. If I’d have stood by and vouched for you, she wouldn’t have found you near as interesting.”

“Gee, thanks. I might get a big head.”

“You know what I’m trying to say. You should thank me.”

Despite Joe’s incredulous glare Derek went on. “Because I said no, you became ten times more desirable in her eyes.”

“Your faith in my charms is staggering.”

“Worked didn’t it?”

“For about two seconds.”

“That’s because you suck. Not because you’re not worthy but because you wimped out.”

“I’m not smart like her.”

“Who is, man? Besides, you’ve got a decent brain. I don’t worry about you messing up the gene pool for the next generation, if it makes you feel better.”

“Don’t take up motivational speaking, Derek. You pretty much suck at it.”

Derek chuckled. “You’re doing fine, Joe. Your side income is making serious bank. Not many people do that with their hobby. It’s nothing to sniff at. So it doesn’t matter that you’re not book smart. You’re a ‘hands on’ type of guy. A doer. No shame in that.”

The bartender put an order of onion rings in front of them and Derek slid them away from Joe.

“Hey, that was mine.”

“Lay off the onions, man. I’m just helping you out. You haven’t sealed the deal yet, whereas, my girl loves me, onion breath and all.”

“That’s debatable. Anabelle’s probably too nice to say anything to hurt your fragile feelings.”

Derek sent him an arch look. “Stop deflecting. The question is—what are you going to do about Dani?”

“Nothing.”

“Then you really are a dumbass because, by my estimate, you’re smart. You have honor. You jumped through hoops to avoid hurting George’s feelings. You took care of and honored your aunt Eugenia—and don’t give me that shit about how you were wild as a teenager and left home to join the Marines. Your aunt understood and never blamed you. It’s normal to want to see the world. You came back. In the end, you came back and took care of her. She could have called you back sooner. She knew you would have come.”

“I would have.” Joe sighed. “I would have dropped everything if I’d known.”

“She knew, man. She was probably hoping to beat the cancer and didn’t want to worry you. You always said she had that ‘do or die’ attitude.”

“I could have saved her.”

“No, you couldn’t. You’re not God. You have to let go of the guilt. There was nothing you could do. Cancer is a son of a bitch. You have to stop blaming yourself—you didn’t let her die, you don’t walk away from those you love, and you are not your father, so you can’t use that as an excuse to give up on the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

Derek thumped Joe’s back. Hard.

“She’s my sister and pretty fantabulous—that is, if you can get over her crap taste in music, bullfrog singing voice, messy housekeeping skills, complete inability to cook—“

“I like cooking.”

“Well, you see—you’re freaking perfect for each other. But no, seriously man, you’d be a loser if you don’t claim her because of your assumption of not being good enough. We wouldn’t be friends if I thought you sucked.”

Hope filled Joe. His heart began pounding at the possibility that it would work, that he was worthy of her. “She is pretty fabulous. She’s so smart and hot—God, is she hot. And the
sex is
incredible
—“

“Hey! Woah—stop right there. If there’s one thing a man never wants to hear—scratch that—two things. It’s that his dick is cute
AND
details about his sister’s sex life. So stop. For the love of our friendship—just say no.”

“Sorry man.” Joe’s face felt warm. The guy had a point.

He slid off the stool. His mind already filled with plans.

He had a brainiac to catch.

Dani packed the last of her belongings in Kurt’s old car. She hadn’t realized she’d brought so many of her things but then recalled the slow migration of belongings over the course of their faux relationship. She took one last glance at the cottage and started to leave when something demanded she go back.

She entered the cottage with a heavy heart knowing she’d never be back again. There would be no reason to. The quilt Joe had utilized as a chastity belt lay folded on the sofa. She chuckled, remembering his desperation to erect any and every barricade in the beginning.

She opened the door to Joe’s study and recalled the afternoon of their first real kiss. Just as it had been that afternoon, light streamed through the window and puddled on the floor while dust motes danced about the silent room. She ran her fingers along the shelves stacked with books and let the memory roll over her.