The Man Next Door

by Gina Wilkins

  “Actually, I like games,” he said, keeping his eyes on her face as he pushed himself more slowly out of the swing. “Guess I’m just the competitive type. I never could resist a challenge.”

  Swallowing hard, she turned and all but bolted toward the house.

  Chapter Eight

  They played Uno. And Yahtzee. And a couple other games Teague had never heard of but willingly joined in anyway. He found Dani’s family’s Thanksgiving rituals interesting, and he couldn’t help but get a kick out of her grandmother and mother, even though he could see how they’d drive Dani nuts. Grandma Lawrence and Gillian squabbled cheerfully, but incessantly through the games, arguing over rules, accusing each other of cheating, expressing impatience when one or the other took too long to decide on a move.

  Dani and Rachel rolled their eyes a lot, but were occasionally drawn into the animated debates. Clay excused himself after the first game with the excuse that he had to study, an explanation Teague didn’t buy for a minute, but it seemed to work for his mother and grandmother. Mark and Teague just played their turns and laughed a lot, exchanging more than a few amused glances during the afternoon.

  “You’re skipping me again?” Dani asked her sister indignantly at one point. “That’s not fair, Ray-Ray.”

  It was an entirely different tone than he was accustomed to hearing from her. Younger, somehow. Just a touch whiny, actually. She seemed to hear it, herself, immediately flushing and clearing her throat before saying in her more normal, well-modulated voice, “Be prepared. I will get revenge.”

  He’d heard friends talk about involuntarily lapsing back into childhood habits and behavior when they returned home for visits. Funny that he was seeing it a bit now with Dani. Not that all his questions about her had been answered, of course. There were still plenty of things about her he didn’t know.

  They ate leftovers for dinner, and the food was just as good reheated as it had been at lunch, though the portions were smaller this time, since everyone had eaten so much earlier. The party broke up about an hour afterward, since Rachel and Mark were planning an early departure the next morning and it was obvious that Grandma Lawrence was getting a bit tired.

  “We’re so glad you could join us today, Teague,” Gillian told him as he and Dani prepared to leave. “It’s been a pleasure having you.”

  He held her hand in his for a moment. “It was a pleasure being here. Thank you for your hospitality. And the food was delicious. Some of the best I’ve ever eaten.”

  Leaving her blushing in pleasure, he and Dani made their escape.

  “Well, you certainly won Mother over. Grandma, too. They just think you’re such a nice boy,” Dani commented as she drove toward her sister and brother-in-law’s house.

  He chuckled. “Been a while since anyone called me a boy.”

  “You aren’t nearly as old as you pretend to be.”

  “Guess it’s just the way I feel sometimes. A few years in my job can do that to a guy—which is why they enforce mandatory retirement from fieldwork after twenty years. And besides, I’m quite a bit older than you are.”

  “Seven years? Not that big a deal.”

  For some reason that pleased him. Because it had been a while since he had touched her, he reached over to brush her hair away from her right cheek.

  She shifted a little, as though she were suppressing a flinch, then glanced away from the road long enough to ask, “Why do you keep doing that?”

  “Because I like to,” he replied simply. “I’ll stop if it disturbs you.”

  “It doesn’t disturb me,” she replied instantly, trying to sound blasé. “I just wondered if it was going to become a habit.”

  “Possibly,” he said thoughtfully.

  She focused fiercely on the road ahead. “Whatever.”

  He kept his eyes on her profile. “It’s not like my touch turns you on or anything.”

  “Nope.”

  “Because we’re just friends. Neighbors.”

  She flipped the turn signal lever much more forcefully than necessary. “Right.”

  Smiling to himself, he looked out the side window, though he paid very little attention to the passing scenery.

  Rachel and Mark left early Friday morning, urging Dani and Teague to stay as long as they liked in their house. Dani knew how to activate the security system, and she promised she would do so when she left, since she didn’t expect to still be there when her sister and brother-in-law returned Sunday.

  “You’re sure the two of you will be okay here alone?” Rachel asked as she hesitated at the door.

  “Are you kidding? This is like living in a palace compared to my little apartment. Teague probably feels the same way.”

  Teague was outside on the porch, saying his goodbyes to Mark, who had already taken his leave of Dani, so the two sisters were alone for a few minutes. Dani suspected the men had deliberately given them this time together.

  “There’s plenty of food in the kitchen. Help yourself to whatever you want, okay? I want you to make yourselves completely at home.”

  “We will. Thank you, Ray-Ray. It’s really sweet of you to let us stay.”

  “I’m just sorry we couldn’t spend more time together. But Mark’s family wants to see him for their first Thanksgiving together—even if they had to wait until the day after.”

  “I understand. We’ll get together again soon. It won’t be long at all until I’m back for Christmas.”

  “Think you’ll be bringing Teague again?”

  “I can’t imagine why,” Dani said with a slight shrug. “I’ve told you all, the only reason I brought him for Thanksgiving is because he was hurt and I worried about leaving him alone. Even though he certainly seems to be healing quickly.”

  Rachel nodded. “Mark’s kept an eye on him. He says Teague’s injuries really weren’t as bad as they appeared, just as Teague kept insisting. But I can see why you were reluctant to leave him there alone for the holiday.”

  “I asked myself what would Mother do—and I knew she’d bring him home with her,” Dani confessed, smiling.

  “She loved having a new face at the table,” Rachel agreed with a laugh. “Especially an attractive—well, normally attractive—FBI agent. She and Grandma were fascinated by him, weren’t they?”

  Dani groaned. “Embarrassingly so. They really don’t have any boundaries when it comes to asking personal questions, do they?”

  “Oh, they have a few. Just not very many,” Rachel answered with a fond shake of her head.

  “I have to admit, he seems quite nice,” she added after a moment. “I can see why you like him.”

  “He’s a nice guy,” Dani agreed lightly. “We don’t see each other that often, but we’ve become friends.”

  Rachel’s smile turned wry. “Yes, you’ve made it very clear—repeatedly—that you’re only friends. I’ll resist making any quotes about protesting too much.”

  “Please do,” Dani muttered with a scowl.

  Turning suddenly serious, Rachel asked, “So, you feel okay about staying here alone with him? Because if you have any qualms at all…”

  Dani sighed gustily. “Honestly. He lives, like, three feet away from me back home. Has for months. We’ve been alone together several times since we met, in my own apartment, for that matter. Why would I worry about being alone with him now?”

  Rachel had the grace to look a little sheepish. “I guess I’m just in the habit of protecting you. And you said yourself, you really don’t know him very well.”

  “I know he’s a good man. And I know he’s not looking for a relationship right now any more than I am. So don’t worry, Ray-Ray. Teague and I will be fine here.”

  “Okay. I’d better go. Mark will be getting impatient. I’ll talk to you soon, all right?”

  “I’ll call you,” Dani promised, hugging her sister warmly. “Have a safe trip. Tell the Brannons I said hello, and tell Nic I’ll give her a call next week.”

  “I will. Bye, Dani. I lov
e you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Rachel opened the door, letting in the cool air. Mark and Teague were still standing on the porch. Both turned when Rachel came out, leaving Dani standing in the doorway.

  “See you later, Dani,” Mark said, ushering his wife to their car. “Call if you need us, okay?”

  “I won’t need you,” Dani replied firmly, “but I’ll call, anyway, just to talk. Y’all be careful.”

  “I think it was just a figure of speech,” Teague said, coming inside and closing the door behind him.

  She rubbed her arms through her thin, long-sleeved blouse to counteract the slight chill that had lingered behind from the door standing open for that short time. “What was a figure of speech?”

  “What Mark said about calling if you need them. It’s just something people say.”

  Confused, she frowned. “I know that.”

  Teague was studying her face a bit too closely. “Then why did it seem to annoy you?”

  “You’re mistaken,” she assured him, her tone a little curt. “It didn’t annoy me at all. I know my family is always here for me if I need them.”

  “But you go out of your way to make it clear that you don’t need them. Why is that?”

  “Haven’t we already had this conversation?” she asked impatiently. “I told you I used to be a little too dependent on my family and now I’m making an effort to be seen as more self-sufficient. Have you already forgotten?”

  “No. Just wondering if there’s anything more to it than you’ve told me.”

  “Nothing you need to know.”

  To her surprise he grinned. “Fair enough. What do you want to do today?”

  Relieved that he’d dropped the subject so quickly, she gave his question a moment’s thought. Whatever they did, she wanted to get out of this house. She blamed her sister because she was suddenly self-conscious about being alone here with Teague. If Rachel hadn’t made such a big deal of it, Dani was sure the awkwardness never would have crossed her mind. She hoped a few hours out would remedy the situation. “You said you’ve never been to Atlanta before. I thought I’d show you around a little, if you want.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “It’s going to be crowded out there,” she warned with a vague gesture toward the door. “The day after Thanksgiving is a huge shopping day.”

  He shrugged. “So we’ll avoid the malls. I’m sure there are other things to see.”

  “Yes, there are. We’ll have to go by Mom’s house later, of course, to see her and Grandma.”

  “Of course. That’s why you’re here, to see your family.”

  She nodded. “I’ll just go up and grab a light jacket. It’s cooler today than it has been.”

  He caught her arm when she would have brushed past him. “Dani? Is something wrong?”

  She forced a bright smile. “No, not at all. Why do you ask?”

  Obviously, he wasn’t fooled for a minute. “Was it something Rachel said? Was it about me?”

  “Aren’t we full of ourselves? What makes you think Rachel and I talked about you?”

  “Dani—”

  “Let’s just go, okay, Teague?”

  His fingers lingered for a moment on her arm, but then he sighed and let go. “Okay, fine. Let’s go make like tourists.”

  They were sitting in a crowded, trendy coffee shop in Buckhead when someone gasped and said, “Dani Madison! Why didn’t you tell me you were in town?”

  Dani looked around to see a bosomy brunette in a vivid pink sweater standing nearby. “Hello, Andrea. How are you?”

  “I’m great, thanks. Have you moved back or are you just here for a visit?”

  “The latter. I’ll be going back to Little Rock tomorrow.”

  “Without even giving me a chance to hear all about what’s been going on with you?” Andrea pouted.

  “Sorry. I have to get back.”

  “At least promise to come to Cantina de la Luna tonight. A bunch of us are meeting there for drinks and munchies. Bobby’s band is playing. You have to come. And you can bring your friend, of course,” she added with an openly curious look at Teague.

  Teague smiled, and Dani realized with a slight shock that his bruises had already faded quite a bit. What was left just added to his dangerously rakish attraction. And it was quite obvious that Andrea noticed.

  She cleared her throat. “Andrea Baker, this is my friend Teague McCauley.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you,” Andrea said. And then added with very typical lack of tact, “Accident or fight?”

  Teague chuckled. “A little of both.”

  “Cool. Wanna join us tonight?”

  “I’ll leave that up to Dani,” he said diplomatically.

  Andrea turned again to her friend. “Say you’ll be there or I’ll whine. And you know I’ll do it. After all, you taught me how.”

  Dani laughed ruefully. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Don’t make me come after you,” Andrea threatened, pointing a perfectly manicured finger. “Nine o’clock.”

  “I said I’ll think about it.”

  Two package-laden, middle-aged women pushed past, jostling Andrea on her heeled boots. “Hey, I’m standing here,” she protested, sighing heavily.

  “Sorry,” one of them muttered. The other said nothing.

  “So much for Southern manners,” Andrea grumbled, then shook her head. “Black Friday. That’s what they call today, you know, because of all the shopping and all the profits going into the retailers’ books. I think it also describes the general mood after people have been shopping in these crowds for hours. So, anyway, I’ll see you guys tonight.”

  “I said I’ll think about it,” Dani called after Andrea, who was already moving toward the coffee counter, being swallowed up in the mob.

  Teague planted an elbow on the microscopic round table and rested his chin on his fist, studying her frowning face. “You didn’t want to see your friends while you were in town?”

  “I didn’t plan to.”

  “Then don’t go tonight.”

  She toyed with the stir stick from her light, decaf caramel latte. “I’m—”

  “—thinking about it,” Teague finished with her. “Just let me know what you decide. I’m pretty much up for anything.”

  She glanced up at him, suspicious of his bland tone, but his expression was equally unrevealing. She honestly didn’t know whether she wanted to go to the club or not. While it would be sort of nice to see some of her old friends again, for the first time in months, she wasn’t sure she was up to any more revisiting of the past this weekend. Especially in front of Teague.

  And yet there was a part of her that felt like a coward for even considering backing down from the challenge. She didn’t like admitting vulnerability these days. She had her act together now, knew who she was and what she was doing with her life. An evening with a few old friends wouldn’t change that, and it was foolish to fear that it would.

  “Or if you’d rather go see your friends without me tagging along, I’m cool with that, too,” Teague added. “I’d be just fine for an evening in front of Mark’s big-screen TV.”

  “It isn’t that….”

  “After all, being with a group of your old friends can be quite revealing.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  He went on blithely, “I can see why you’d be a little hesitant about taking me there, having me hear some of the old stories they might tell about you.”

  He was all but calling her a coward! As if he’d heard her thoughts and was throwing them right back into her face. “I’m not afraid of anything you might learn about me from my friends,” she said coolly.

  Smiling at her in a manner that was just short of patting her indulgently on the head, he murmured, “Of course not.”

  Even knowing what he was doing, even though she was almost fully convinced that she was being played like a banjo, she held her chin high and said, “Maybe we’ll go by for a little
while after we leave Mom’s house. I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the old gang again.”

  “Whatever you want to do,” he said, and lifted his coffee mug to his lips before she could decide whether he looked smug as he spoke.

  Judging by the fact that they had to park several blocks away and walk, Cantina de la Luna was obviously a popular place on Friday nights. Dani offered to drop Teague off at the door so he wouldn’t have to walk so far on his sore ankle, but he refused a bit more curtly than he’d intended. “I can walk.”

  Merely nodding, she found a parking place, then matched her steps to his on the way to the club. He made a deliberate effort not to limp and thought he was fairly successful at it. The ankle really didn’t even hurt much anymore, so he figured it was healing well enough. It was probably good for him to walk on it a bit, he assured himself.

  Music poured out the doors of the brightly lit club as patrons went in and out. Despite the name, the decor wasn’t overly cutesy in the Southwestern theme. Colored lights and tile floors and a few colorful Mexican prints were the primary decorations. Red chili peppers were the one consistent decorating theme, hung from strings from the ceiling, painted on doors, printed on menus and napkins, gleaming in pepper-shaped lights behind the massive wooden bar.

  Tables were crowded inside the place, and Teague imagined they were very close to the fire department’s limit of approved customers. The atmosphere seemed cheery despite the necessary jostling. The music from the four-piece modern rock band on the small stage was loud, but not so deafening to make conversation impossible. The tantalizing smells of sizzling fajitas and tart margaritas hung in the air, making Teague’s mouth water even though he’d just had another big meal with Dani’s mother and grandmother.

  He’d noticed that Dani had been a bit reluctant to tell her mother about her plans for the evening, doing so only when Gillian had suggested another round of games after dinner. Gillian had been visibly disappointed that Dani wouldn’t be spending the evening there. Teague had sensed that there was even more to her disapproval. She hadn’t seemed to like the idea of Dani joining her old friends this evening. And now, of course, he was curious about why that was. Were Dani’s cronies really that bad, or had he misread Gillian’s reaction altogether?