by Nora Roberts
And maybe she’d bought this house as a kind of compensation, the way some singles or no-children couples bought a puppy.
See! I can make a commitment when I want to. I bought a house.
A house, she admitted, she couldn’t seem to make herself enter now that everything was signed and sealed.
Maybe she could just turn it over. Give it a slap of paint, fix it up here and there, then resell it. There was no law that said she had to keep it for thirty years.
Thirty years. She pressed a hand to her belly. What had she done?
She was thirty-one years old, damn it. She was a cop with a decade on the job. She could walk into a stupid house without having a crisis. Besides, some portion of her family was bound to descend before much longer, and she didn’t want to be caught sitting on the stairs having a neurotic attack.
She stood up, unlocked the door and walked deliberately inside.
Instantly, as if she’d popped a cork on a bottle labeled Stress, the tension drained out.
The hell with mortgages and loans and the terror of picking out paint colors. This is what she’d wanted. This big, old, high-ceilinged place with its carved trim, its hardwood floors.
Of course it was too much room for one person. She didn’t care. She’d use one of the bedrooms for storage, once she had enough to store. She’d make another into an office space, another into a home gym, and keep the last spare for a guest room.
Ignoring the echoes, the emptiness, she strolled into the living room. Maybe she’d take the various offers from various relatives on hand-me-down furniture. At least for now. Put some of Mama’s drawings on the walls. Make this a cozy, comfortable space.
And the smaller parlor, that was going to be her library. Then she’d need a big table for the dining room. Lots of chairs for when she had family over.
The kitchen was good, she thought as she took a tour of the first floor. It was one of the points that had cemented her decision. The previous owners had outfitted it well with glossy black appliances that had a lot of years left in them. Lots of smooth, sand-colored counters and honey-toned cabinets. She might get around to having a few of the doors replaced with glass. Stained glass maybe, or some fancy ripply glass.
She’d enjoy cooking here. Bella was the only one of the lot who’d apparently escaped the love of making food. There were nice, generous windows over the sink and they opened up to a view of the skinny backyard.
The lilacs were blooming. Her lilacs were blooming. She could talk to Uncle Sal about putting in a little postage stamp patio, and pick Bella’s brain about designing a small garden.
Of course it had been years since she’d planted anything other than a geranium in a windowsill pot. Years, she recalled, since she and Gina had planted tomatoes and peppers and cosmos in the yard of the group house they’d shared in college.
But it seemed to her—at least with the sweetened distance of memory—that she’d enjoyed the digging and weeding.
Probably stick with flowers this time, she decided, and keep it low-maintenance. Yes, Bella would be the one to ask what would work best.
For flowers, fashion and the right place to be seen, Bella was your girl.
She thought about heading upstairs, to tour the second floor, to mentally arrange furniture. But decided to finish off the first-level walk-through by stepping out in her backyard.
She wanted to walk on her own grass.
The yard was bordered on both sides by a chain-link fence. Her neighbor to the right had some sort of spreading bushes planted along the line. Nice touch, she mused. She’d think about something like that. It wasn’t just pretty, but added an illusion of privacy.
And to the left . . .
Well, well, well, she thought. She couldn’t say much about the yard, but its occupant was worth the price of a ticket.
Fortunately for her, there were no bushes to obstruct the view.
The man had his back to her, and the rear view was very promising. Mid-May temperatures hadn’t dissuaded him from taking off his shirt. But maybe whatever he was doing with the lumber and the power tools heated him up.
His jeans ran low on the hips, and the tool belt lower yet. But he managed to avoid the butt crack reveal, which racked up points. He wore a ball cap backward, which may or may not deduct points from the total score, and there seemed to be a lot of wavy black hair under the cap.
She might make a pass at him right there as he was working. She caught music from the boom box beside his sawhorses and gave him additional points for keeping it at a reasonable volume. She could barely catch Sugar Ray.
Six-two, she judged. About one-eighty of good, toned muscle. She didn’t want to guess his age until she saw his face. But so far, as next-door neighbors went, he looked like a nice perk.
The realtor had mentioned the carpenter next door, in case she wanted to get any bids on work. But the realtor had failed to mention the carpenter next door had an excellent ass.
His grass was mowed, and he appeared to know what he was doing with the big, sexy tool. No rings on good, strong-looking hands. No visible tattoos or piercings.
Possibilities went up.
His house was similar to hers, though he already had that postage stamp patio in some sort of stone. No flowers—too bad on that as she considered it showed flair and responsibility to pot and tend flowers. Still, the patio looked clean and boasted a muscular barbecue grill.
If the rest of him lived up to the rear view, she might wangle her way to an invite for grilled steak.
He paused, set aside what she was pretty sure was a nail gun. The noise from the compressor shut down, and she heard Sugar Ray more clearly as Carpenter Guy reached for a big bottle of water and aimed it toward his mouth.
He stepped back from his work as he did, and she made out his profile. Good nose, strong mouth—smart enough to wear safety glasses, and cool enough to make them sexy. It looked like the face was going to live up to the rest of the package.
Early thirties, she decided. And wasn’t that handy?
When he turned his head and glanced her way, she lifted a hand in what she considered a friendly, hi-new-neighbor salute.
He seemed to freeze, more like she’d aimed her weapon at him rather than a casual wave. He reached up, slowly, drew off his glasses. She couldn’t make out the color of his eyes, but she felt the intensity of the stare.
The grin seemed to explode on his face. He tossed the glasses on the ground, strode straight to the fence and vaulted over.
Moved well—quick and agile. Green, she noted. His eyes were a misty green—and lit up a little too manically at the moment for comfort.
“There you are,” he said. “Son of a bitch. There you are.”
“Yeah, here I am.” She gave him a cautious smile. He smelled of sawdust and sweat—which would have been appealing if he wasn’t looking at her like he was prepared to gobble her up in one bite. “Catarina Hale.” She offered her hand. “I just bought the house.”
“Catarina Hale.” He took her hand and held it, just held it with his calloused one. “Dream Girl.”
“Uh-huh.” His score plummeted. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’ve got to get back inside.”
“All this time.” He continued to stare at her. “All these years. You’re better than I remembered. How about that?”
“How about that?” She tugged her hand free, backed up.
“I can’t believe it. You’re just here. Boom. Or maybe I’m having a hallucination.”
He grabbed for her hand again, and she slapped hers on his chest. “Maybe you are. Maybe you’ve had a little too much sun. Better go back to your corner now, Carpenter Boy.”
“No, wait. You don’t get it. You were there, then you weren’t. Then the other time, and then again. And you keep getting away before I can catch up. And now you’re right here, talking to me. I’m talking to you.”
“Not anymore.” Nobody had mentioned the carpenter next door was a lunatic. Shouldn’t there have
been full disclosure? “Go home. Lie down. Seek help.”
She turned, started back to the door.
“Wait, wait, wait.” He lunged after her.
In response she spun around, caught his arm, tipped him off balance and jerked his arm behind his back. “Don’t make me arrest you, for God’s sake. I haven’t even moved in yet.”
“The cop. The cop.” He laughed, twisted his head around to grin at her. “I forgot they said a cop was moving in. You’re a cop. That’s so cool.”
“You’re one second away from serious trouble.”
“And you smell really good.”
“That’s it.” She pushed him up against the back wall of her house. “Spread ’em.”
“Okay, okay, hold on.” He was laughing and tapping his forehead against the wall. “If I sound like a crazy person, it’s just the shock. Um, oh, shit. Don’t cuff me—at least until we know each other better. College Park, May 1992. A party—crap, I don’t know whose house it was. Group house, off campus. Jill, Jessie—no Jan. I think Jan somebody lived in the house.”
Reena hesitated, the cuffs still in her hand. “Keep going.”
“I saw you. I didn’t know anybody. Came with a friend, and I saw you across the room. You were wearing this little pink top—your hair was longer, just past your shoulders. I like the way you’re wearing it now. Sort of exploding to the jaw.”
“I’ll tell my hairdresser you approve. I met you at a party in College Park?”
“No. I never got to you. The music stopped. It was a moment for me. Can I turn around?”
He didn’t sound crazy—exactly. And she was intrigued. She stepped back. “Hands to yourself.”
“No problem.” He held them up, palms out, then lowered them to hook his thumbs on his tool belt. “I saw you, and I was . . . Pow.” He punched a fist to his heart. “But by the time I got across the room—place was packed—you were gone. I looked everywhere. Upstairs, outside, everywhere.”
“You saw me over ten years ago, across the room at a college party, and you remember what I was wearing?”
“It was like . . . for a minute, it was just you. Sounds weird, but there it is. Then this other time? A pal dragged me to the stupid mall on a Saturday, and I saw you up a level. Just there, and I went running around looking for the damn stairs. But by the time I got up, you’d Houdini’d again. Wow. Wow.”
He grinned like a mental patient, shoved his hat farther back on his head. “Then winter of ’99? I’m stuck in traffic coming from a client’s place. Got the Boss on the radio. ‘Growin’ Up.’ And I look over, and I see you in the car beside me. You’re tapping out the beat on the wheel. You’re just there. And I—”
“Oh my God. Weird Guy.”
“Sorry.”
“The weird guy who goggle-eyed me on my way to the mall.”
His grin spread again, but this time seemed more amused than manic. “That would be me. Half the time I thought I made you up. But I didn’t. You’re right here.”
“Doesn’t mean you’re not still Weird Guy.”
“Not criminally. We could talk. You could ask me in for coffee.”
“I don’t have any coffee. I don’t have anything yet.”
“You could come to my place for coffee—except I don’t have any either. See, it’s right next door. You could come over for a beer, or a Coke. Or the rest of your life.”
“I think I’ll pass.”
“Why don’t I make you dinner? Take you to dinner. Take you to Aruba.”
Laughter trembled up her throat but she swallowed it back down. “I’ll take Aruba under advisement. As for dinner, it’s one in the afternoon.”
“Lunch.” He laughed, pulled off the ball cap and stuffed it in his back pocket, raked long fingers through his dense black hair. “I can’t believe how completely I’m screwing this up. I didn’t expect to see Dream Girl next door. Let me start over, sort of. Bo. Bowen Goodnight.”
She accepted the hand. She liked the strength of it; she liked the calloused roughness of the palm. “Bo.”
“I’m thirty-three, single, no criminal record. Got thumbs-up my last physical. I run my own business. Goodnight’s Custom Carpentry. And I’ve got this real estate thing with a partner. The pal I came to that party with. I can get you references, medical reports, financial statements. Please don’t disappear again.”
“How do you know I’m not married with three kids?”
His face went blank. It actually paled. “You can’t be. There is no God so cruel.”
Enjoying him now, she angled her head. “I could be a lesbian.”
“I’ve done nothing in my life to earn such a vicious slap by Fate. Catarina, it’s been thirteen years. Give me a break.”
“I’ll think about it. It’s Reena,” she added. “Friends generally call me Reena. I’ve got to go. I’ve got people coming over.”
“Don’t disappear.”
“Not until my mortgage is paid off. It’s been interesting meeting you, Bo.”
She slipped back inside, left him standing there.
They brought food, of course. And wine. And flowers. And most of her furniture.
Since they were moving her in, Reena decided she’d better get in the spirit. She made trips back to the apartment over Sirico’s for boxes, for suitcases packed with clothes. For a last good-bye.
She’d been comfortable here, she thought. Maybe too comfortable. Comfort could become a rut if you didn’t keep an eye out. But she’d miss being able to dash downstairs for a meal, or just to chat. She’d miss the easy routine of strolling up the block and stepping into her parents’ home.
“You’d think I was moving to Montana instead of a few blocks away.” She turned to her mother, saw the tears swimming. “Oh, Mama.”
“It’s silly. I’m so lucky to have all my children close. But I liked having you right here. I’m proud that you bought a house. It’s a good, smart thing to do. But I’ll miss knowing you’re right here.”
“I’m still right here.” She lifted the last box. “Part of me worries that I’ve taken on more than I can handle.”
“There’s nothing my girl can’t handle.”
“Hope you’re right. And remind me of that the first time I have to call the plumber.”
“You call your cousin Frank. And you should talk to your cousin Matthew about the painting.”
“Bases covered.” Reena walked to the door, waited for her mother to open it. “And I’ve got a handyman right next door.”
“You don’t hire somebody to work in your house if you don’t know him.”
“Turns out I do—or he knows me.”
She told Bianca the story as they finished loading the car and started the short drive to the new house.
“He sees you once at a party when you’re in college? And he’s smitten.”
“I don’t know about smitten. He remembered me. And he’s very cute.”
“Hmmm.”
“He took it well when I threatened to cuff him.”
“So, maybe he’s used to it. Maybe he’s a criminal. Or he enjoys bondage.”
“Mama! Maybe he’s just a cute, slightly strange guy with a great butt and power tools. Mama, I’m a big girl. And I carry a gun.”
“Don’t remind me.” Bianca waved it away. “What kind of name is Goodnight?”
“It’s not Italian,” Reena murmured. She pulled up, then watched the door of the house next door open. “Well, it looks like you’re going to get the chance to judge for yourself.”
“That’s him?”
“Um-hmm.”
“Good-looking,” Bianca commented, then stepped out of the car.
He’d cleaned up, Reena noted. His hair was still a bit damp, and he’d put on a fresh shirt—ditched the tool belt.
“Saw you hauling stuff in. Thought maybe you could use a hand. Can I get this out of the way?” he said to Bianca. “Wow, beautiful women run in the family. I’m Bo, from next door.”
“Yes, my daughte
r told me about you.”
“She thinks I’m crazy—because I gave her pretty good reason. I’m generally less bizarre.”
“So, you’re harmless.”
“God, I hope not.”
It made her smile. “Bianca Hale, Catarina’s mother.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You’ve lived here long?”
“No, actually, only about five months.”
“Five months. I don’t remember seeing you in Sirico’s.”
“Sirico’s? Best pizza in Baltimore. I get delivery all the time. The spaghetti and meatballs is incredible.”
“My parents own Sirico’s,” Reena said as she popped the trunk.
“Get out. Seriously?”
“Why don’t you come in,” Bianca said, “have a meal?”
“I will. It’s just I’ve been working pretty much round the clock the past couple months, and—Here let me get those.” He nudged Reena aside to pull out boxes while he addressed her mother. “I haven’t been seeing anyone—dating—just recently. I don’t like eating alone in a restaurant.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Bianca asked. “Young, good-looking. Why don’t you date?”
“I do—I mean, did. Will. But I’ve had a lot of work, and I’m working on this place in my spare.”
“Have you been married before?”
“Mama.”
“We’re having a conversation.”
“It’s not a conversation. It’s an inquisition.”
“I don’t mind. No, ma’am, no marriages, no engagements. I’ve been waiting for Reena.”
“Stop it,” Reena ordered.
“We’re having a conversation,” he reminded her. “Do you believe in love at first sight, Mrs. Hale?”
“I’m Italian. Of course I do. And call me Bianca. Come in, meet the family.”
“I’d love to.”
“Slick,” Reena muttered as he stepped aside for Bianca to enter.
“Desperate,” he corrected.
“Just put that down there.”
“I can take it where it goes.”
“For now, it goes there.” She pointed to the base of the steps, closed the door.
“Okay. I like your mother.”
“Why shouldn’t you?” She took off her sunglasses, tapped them against her palm as she studied him. “You might as well come on back—and remember, you asked for it.”
