Something in Common (Dreamspinner Press Bundles)

by Talia Carmichael

  “You want me to be Del’s friend.” Harper reached for them, then stopped, remembering how Bur shied away from touching.

  The boys came closer and reached for him. They each put a hand on his shoulders and stared at him. Harper swallowed, looking into their solemn pale-green gazes. It was disconcerting being studied by them.

  “Yes. He needs a friend. He’s so lonely,” Dar whispered.

  “But why me?” Harper stuttered.

  “You’re Bernie and Bur’s friend. Can’t you be Del’s friend too?” Rey said.

  Harper studied each child, wondering what to say. “I—”

  “He’s lonely,” Dar said again.

  “But he’s loads of fun. Once you get to know him, he’ll take you places like he does with us. Although he doesn’t say it much, we know he loves us. He shows us he does,” Rey said.

  “Yeah. Like when we can’t sleep, and he lets us go to bed with him and watch late movies until we fall asleep. Then Del makes us a special breakfast. Pancakes with smiley faces, eggs, and sausage friends. Be his friend, and I’m sure he’ll make it for you too,” Dar said excitedly.

  Harper watched their earnest faces, then glanced up at Kenton behind the counter. He didn’t know what to say.

  “He’s lonely.” Rey put his hand on Harper’s cheek, capturing his attention again.

  Dar mirrored him, putting his hand on Harper’s other cheek. “Bernie and Bur said you were a good friend… the best… and that you were a man who anyone would be privileged to know.”

  Harper refused to blush in front of six-year-olds. Kenton laughed above him.

  “Hush, you.” Harper glared up at him.

  “Go on now and make friends with Del. You know you can’t resist these boys.” Kenton winked.

  Harper scowled because Kenton was right. Harper would try to make friends with the pigheaded Del. Bur had been trying for months to get the man to come over to dinner so they could get to know each other, but Del kept refusing. Hell, unless it was Bur or Bernie and those they were involved with, Del wasn’t interacting with any of their circle of friends. Harper’s friends were more family than his own, and it pissed him off that Del was such a standoffish bastard. Harper breathed out, trying not to get angry.

  Be nice to the man, Harper. You like Bur and Bernie. Del can’t be so bad. Harper glanced at the boys.

  “Okay. I’ll talk with your brother.” The boys hugged him, and Harper returned it, but cautioned, “I’m not promising anything.”

  “Del is hardheaded,” Dar said.

  “He is.” Harper chuckled.

  “Even the youngsters know it.” Kenton snorted above him.

  “Now stay here a moment with Kenton, and I’ll get Del,” Harper said.

  He rose and lifted the counter. Kenton beckoned the boys in. They glanced at him and clutched at Harper.

  “I’m Kenton. Dar and Rey, it’s okay,” Kenton said gently.

  They glanced at each other, then at Kenton.

  “Are you the one who makes pastries? Uncle Tomas says you’re almost as good as he is,” Dar said.

  “Humph. Tomas is a liar. I’m better,” Kenton said.

  “He says you think you are, but he lets you believe it because you’re sensitive.” Rey smiled a wicked grin.

  Harper blinked at the expression. It was so much like Bernie when he was getting ready for mischief. Harper stifled a smile and looked at Kenton.

  “He did, did he? Big fat liar pants. Call him that next time you see him. Tomas told me you like apples. Come let me get you each an apple turnover so you can take them to the park with you. When you eat them later, you can decide who makes the better one.” Kenton was frowning playfully at the boys.

  They went behind the counter, and Kenton lifted them onto the stools there.

  “Get going before he loses his mind.” Kenton pointed.

  Harper turned, seeing Del still searching for the boys. Harper hurried over into the bookstore and stopped before him. Del glared at him impatiently, then went to go around him. Harper gripped his arm. Del glanced at the hand on his arm, then lifted his head. Harper stifled a gasp at the cold expression in his eyes and on his face.

  “I don’t like being touched,” Del stated in a quiet tone.

  The threat was very clear, and Harper released him. There went his assumption that Del couldn’t be so bad. This cold man was nothing like his brothers. The memory of Del sitting on the ground holding the boys filled Harper, and then their request to be Del’s friend.

  Be nice. Harper crossed his arms over his chest and stated, “The boys are over there in the café.”

  Del glanced toward the café, then relaxed as he spotted them. Harper softened as he saw the relief on his face. Del stiffened, then glanced at him.

  “What the hell are you doing? Trying to kidnap them? I—”

  “Shut up. Those boys over there are fine. And I would never take them, or anyone else’s child. Now, we’re going to the park, because they asked me to come,” Harper snapped, turning on his heels.

  Del gripped his arm, and Harper glanced pointedly at Del’s hand, then at his face. Del released him, a slight smile on his lips.

  “I didn’t recognize you. You’re Harper, right? You’re friends with my brothers.” Del studied him.

  Harper wasn’t sure what the expression on Del’s face was, but it made him uncomfortable. He clenched his fist, wanting to hit Del to get that look off his face. The reaction surprised Harper. He wasn’t usually so violent. For a moment, he thought of asking Del what his problem was, but dismissed the notion because frankly, he didn’t really care.

  “Are you coming? I don’t have all day.” Harper looked at his watch.

  “They never said you were so prickly.”

  “They never mentioned you were such an asshole,” Harper retorted.

  Del blinked, a slow sweep of his lashes over his pale-green eyes, and then he grinned. “It’s a gift.”

  “That’s nothing to be proud of. You have two boys who will emulate you, and you need to be better.” Harper poked him in the chest.

  “It’s not good to poke a bear.” Del’s face blanked, and he caught Harper’s finger, holding it gently. “Don’t tell me how to raise my brothers.”

  “You’re a Bengal tiger, not a bear,” Harper blurted out, then realized what he had done. “Ummm… sorry. I’m not trying to tell you how to raise them. But they are worried about you.”

  “What?”

  “They want me to be your friend. Said you were lonely, and invited me to the park with you so we can try to be friends. I don’t want to disappoint them.” Harper glanced at the two boys in the café, laughing with Kenton.

  “Harper,” Del said softly.

  Harper looked over at him. Del studied him with that intense stare that made Harper want to smack him.

  “I don’t want to be your friend.”

  Harper narrowed his eyes, then gritted out, “And I don’t want to be yours either. You’re as rude and arrogant as I thought you were. To think, I was going to invite you and the boys to dinner so we could try to be friends. That’s not going to happen now. You’ll have to explain to the boys about the park. And since you are so adept at avoiding, after today you can go back to it and doing the same to everyone else who is important in your brothers’ lives.” Harper turned away, then back to him. “You’re a selfish bastard, Del.” Harper faced the café and walked off.

  As he got close to the counter, he tried to compose his face. Kenton glanced at him curiously, then grinned, focusing on the boys. Harper didn’t know what the smile was for. Kenton knew him well enough to know he was annoyed. Suspicious, he looked behind him and stifled a gasp as he realized Del had followed him. The aggravating man smiled. Harper ignored him and went to the counter. He didn’t pay attention as Kenton and Del conversed, still out of sorts over Del. No one got under his skin like that.

  “Come on, Harper. Let’s go.”

  “Go where?” Harper looked down at t
he little boy who had spoken. He didn’t have a clue which one it was.

  “The park. Del said you had to work but would come with us for a little while,” another voice said.

  Harper glanced between the two boys. He really needed to figure out which was which.

  “The one with the freckles on his nose and cheeks is Dar. Rey only has them on his cheeks,” Del said beside him.

  Harper glared at him, and all Del did was smile wider. Harper returned his attention to the twins and saw that the one who had spoken did indeed have freckles. He hadn’t noticed them before they were pointed out. The boys looked so happy that Harper was loath to disappoint them, but the idea of spending time with Del in the park aggravated him more.

  “I—”

  “Can’t stay long. So let’s get a move on. Dar, you hold Harper’s hand. I’ve got you, Rey. Thanks for the pastries, Kenton,” Del said as he strode toward the café exit.

  Harper glared at the back of his departing head. A small hand touched his, and instinctively he held it. Harper glanced down at Dar, who smiled at him widely.

  “You’ve been outmaneuvered,” Kenton said.

  “Ah, shut up,” Harper said.

  Harper followed behind the departing duo. In moments, they met Del and Rey on the sidewalk, then ambled toward the park. Harper had spotted the bag Del carried with the store logo. Knowing Kenton, there were more than apple turnovers in the bag. He could bet Kenton had found out from the boys what Del liked, flavor-wise. They strolled in companionable silence until they came to a black Escalade. Del disarmed the SUV and opened the back hatch. He lifted the boys and sat them down to take off their sandals. He handed them skates and stood back. Harper watched as they struggled with them. He glared at Del and went to help.

  “No. Let them do it. They’ll get annoyed if you interfere. They’ll ask if they want help. Why am I a Bengal tiger, not a bear?” Del whispered.

  “The way you move reminds me of one, and your hair,” Harper answered, then realized what he’d said.

  “I bet you watch a lot of Discovery Channel. The boys love it. Especially anything to do with sharks.” Del sounded amused.

  Harper glanced at him, noting his expression was also amused. “You’re a really annoying man.”

  “I grow on you.” Del rocked back on his heels.

  “Like a wart on a hedgehog’s backside,” the boys said.

  They laughed, and so did Del. Harper couldn’t help it; he joined in.

  When they calmed, he asked, “Where did you hear that?”

  “Gerald,” Del and the boys all said.

  Harper chuckled. It was exactly the sort of thing would say. Gerald had recently moved in with Bur, and while Harper missed Bur living with him, he didn’t need Bur there anymore. Harper sobered as he thought of why Bur had been there. The familiar pain of losing Karl, his partner of almost eleven years, filled Harper. They had been only one week shy of being together eleven years. Ten years and three months of that, they had been married. Then Karl had been shot in the line of duty.

  “Harper, are you okay?” Del asked, capturing his attention.

  Harper swallowed, pushing back the pain. He focused on Del and realized how handsome he was. Del was identical to Bernie and Bur, yet there was something about him that was different. Immediately, Harper averted his gaze to the twins. They had donned their skates. There was a look of pride on their faces.

  “Can you help me tie my skates, Harper?”

  Harper looked at his face and saw it was Rey. He stepped forward and did as Rey asked, then fixed the top Velcro. From the corner of his eye, he saw Del tying Dar’s. Harper studied the skates.

  “These are awesome.”

  “Red and black are my favorite colors.” Rey smiled.

  “Mine are orange and blue,” Dar piped in.

  “I’m partial to red, gold, and black.” Del lifted Dar, setting him on the ground, waiting until he was stable on the skates before letting him go.

  Harper did the same with Rey. Rey held his hand, then Dar. Del reached in the back and pulled out his own skates. Involuntarily, Harper’s gaze lowered, and he had a good view of Del’s jeans pulled tight over his butt. Harper lifted his head and was startled as Del turned and met his gaze. Harper glanced away, watching as people passed them. He returned the greetings of people he knew.

  “What’re your favorite colors?” Del asked.

  “Any shade of brown or orange,” Harper said absently.

  “Like a Bengal tiger.”

  Harper focused back on Del. He stood next to them. Harper glanced down and noticed Del’s Rollerblades were the colors he’d said earlier were his favorite. Harper met his gaze, and again noticed an intensity in Del’s eyes that made him tempted to hit him. Harper marked where he would land the punch, right on his nose, so he wouldn’t be so attractive.

  Jesus Christ, Harper. The man looks just like two of your good friends. No different. What is wrong with me? Maybe I had too much sun.

  “Next time, you should bring your skates so you can rollerblade with us.” Del took Dar’s and Rey’s hands, and they started skating slowly toward the park.

  Harper walked beside them.

  “Yeah. That’s what friends do,” Rey said.

  “Boys, Harper and I aren’t going to be friends,” Del stated firmly.

  Harper glanced at the boys, and they looked crestfallen. Harper glared at Del. His expression was unrepentant.

  “Such an asshole,” Harper mouthed to Del.

  Del laughed, and they skated faster. Harper walked behind them, studying the man who had such a mercurial manner. One moment, he seemed approachable, the next standoffish and saying something rude. It was baffling, and Harper was curious about who was the real Dillard Jenkins. The time he spent with Del and the boys didn’t make it any clearer.

  Much later, he returned to the bookstore, leaving them still skating and having fun in the park. As he worked, Harper figured he wouldn’t see Del again. The man wasn’t about to change and become Mr. Sociable overnight. Harper paused from putting the new releases on the shelf. He wasn’t sure if he was glad he wouldn’t see Del and the boys again or not. Harper went back to stacking the books.

  Later, he pulled into his driveway and frowned when he spotted a familiar SUV already there. Harper parked next to the vehicle and got out of his gray Equinox, hefting his bag filled with books. Shipment day usually meant he brought home the latest books from some of his favorite authors. Harper stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the man sitting there.

  “What are you doing here, Del?” Harper asked.

  He didn’t even wonder how Del knew where he lived. Del might not have visited Bur while he lived here, but Harper figured he knew where he lived. From what his brothers said, Del knew a lot of things and was bossy.

  “You invited us to dinner.” He shrugged.

  “I did no such thing.” Harper scowled.

  Del’s smile was sly as he stood and came down the steps. Del took the bag Harper was holding before he could protest. He turned and went back up the stairs.

  “Grab the bags. The boys and I brought things to make dinner.” Del motioned with his chin.

  “But—”

  “Harper, you have a cool swing!” Rey called, followed by the sound of running feet.

  Harper watched as the boys raced toward them from the other end of the porch. They tromped down the stairs to stand beside him.

  “There’s a bigger one around the back,” Harper said.

  “Can we see?” Dar asked, jumping excitedly.

  “Are you going to let us in, Harper?” Del spoke at the top of the steps.

  The challenge in his tone confused Harper. He lifted his gaze to meet Del’s. There was something in his eyes Harper couldn’t identify. Del’s expression reminded him of one he had seen on TV, when the Bengal tiger got ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey. Harper touched his chest over his pounding heart and clenched his fist, suddenly feeling as if he was in
danger.

  Chapter Two

  DEL’S FACE softened, his expression showing he knew Harper would not say no or turn them away. Harper dismissed the sensation. He ascended the steps and paused on the one just below Del.

  “I don’t like being manipulated.”

  Del looked surprised and then shook his head. “You did invite us to dinner.”

  “I said I was thinking about it.”

  “Semantics. That’s an invite,” Del replied.

  “I’m going to have to be careful what I say to you.” Harper moved up the last step onto the porch, picked up the grocery bags, then led the way to the side of the house.

  “Only say it if you mean it.” Del spoke behind him.

  Harper didn’t reply. They walked around the side of the wraparound porch to the kitchen entrance. In moments, they were inside, and Harper placed the bags on the table by the window overlooking the gardens. Del placed the bag next to it, picked up the grocery bags, and headed toward the center island. Harper followed, watching as Del took out what he had brought.

  “Dinner will be ready in a bit. We’re having steak with sautéed onions and mushrooms and mashed potatoes.” Del turned, opening cupboards, searching for things.

  “We don’t like onions and mushrooms,” a little voice piped in.

  Harper glanced at the boys standing by him, noting it was Rey who spoke.

  “You’re having carrots with your steak and mashed potatoes,” Del replied, still going through Harper’s cupboards.

  Harper went to the other side of the island and said, “I’ll make dinner. Stop searching my kitchen.”

  “No. I’m making it. Once you show me where I can find pots to make dinner, you can go get comfortable. Just put the boys in front of the TV, then do whatever you usually do. Go change your clothes so you can relax, then read a little before dinner.” Del’s tone was firm.

  Harper studied him. Del’s expression was the same as his tone. Silently, Harper got him the pots he needed to prepare the food.

  Placing the final item on the counter, a skillet, Harper whispered to him, “I don’t like you taking over my kitchen, either. Or telling me what to do. How the hell do you know what I do when I get home?”