Everybody Knows (Sunnyside #1)

by Jacie Floyd

  “Wow, that’s a great story.”

  “It’s better in the telling than it is in person.”

  “How so?”

  He scratched his ear and hesitated. “I don’t like syrup with anything but my pancakes.”

  “They’re heavy on the honey-baby-sweetie-pie stuff?”

  “Exactly.” Zach laughed. “I’m happy for them. They’re perfect for each other. But a little bit goes a long way.”

  “Your brother’s a doctor, too?”

  “Yep.”

  “Good heavens, that’s a lot of ego running loose in your house. When someone asks for ‘Dr. Novak’, who answers?”

  She really was a newcomer. It wouldn’t be two weeks before someone caught her up to speed on the family history of all the long-time residents of Sunnyside. But for now, he could lay it out for her any way he liked. “Usually my sister.”

  Harper was suitably impressed. “She’s a doctor, too? That’s quite an accomplishment for three kids in one family.”

  “Rachel’s PhD is in psychology. She works at the high school as a guidance counselor.”

  “Oh! That’s why Kate wanted you to call her about the boys in the accident this morning.”

  “Yep.”

  “Did she find out about them before you called her?”

  “Of course. This is Sunnyside. At any given time, the Good Intentions Gossip Hotline is the favorite past-time of one-half of the population. The other half are the people they gossip about.”

  “Speaking of the boys, how are they doing?”

  “Better,” he was happy to report. “I’ll go back to the hospital and check on them before I turn in. Jason, the one with the damaged spleen, is going to be fine, too. It was touch and go for a few hours, though.”

  “You’re very conscientious. Do you always keep such long hours?”

  “I’m on duty around the clock, but half the time there’s nothing more interesting going on than school physicals, asthma treatments, and a bean stuck up some kid’s nose.”

  She rubbed her nose and winced. “Does that really happen?”

  “More often then you want to know.”

  “Probably.” Her shoulders shimmied with a little shudder.

  “Usually, the highlight of my month is a digit reattachment when someone slices off a thumb or finger in a farm equipment accident.”

  “Good times.” She grinned.

  “You bet, but today is one of the days when there’s more going on, the outcome is dicey, and it’s not so much fun.”

  “My father’s a doctor.” Harper jumped up and started clearing the table.

  “Where does he live?”

  “Baltimore.”

  “What kind of doctor is he? Animals? Philosophy? Rugs?”

  Apparently, putting the plates in the dishwasher couldn’t be delayed. “Cardiology. Excellent. Expensive. Obnoxious. Aloof.”

  “I take you don’t get along.”

  She slid him a sidelong glance. “It’s not that we don’t get along. It’s that we don’t participate in on another’s lives very much. My impressions of him are colored with a lot of mixed emotions.”

  “I can imagine.” That explained the initial resentment he got from her when she found out his profession. He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but that seemed too intimate. “That must have been tough.”

  “There are worse things,” She closed the dishwasher door and straightened up, meeting his gaze. “You probably need to get going if you’re hoping to get to bed before morning.”

  Funny how that word “bed” seemed to hang in the air. Sometimes a simple word like that, one that could be used a hundred times a day in a hundred different ways, could suddenly take on a wealth of unexpected meaning between two people who were hyper-aware of one another. He was hyper-aware of her anyway. He wasn’t so sure where he scored on her hyper-awareness meter.

  But this morning, Lenore had pretty much announced Zach was going with Kate, even though Harper had seemed skeptical. Today was not the day to spill the details of that story. And he should probably rethink his whole attraction to Harper when he wasn’t so bushed. And when she wasn’t sitting right in front of him, tempting him to throw his scruples out the window.

  Getting involved with anyone right now, someone who might be more casual about sex than any of the other women in town—even someone who hadn’t been practicing writing Mrs. Zach Novak on her math binder since fifth grade—might not be the best way to go.

  But watching Harper Simmons in his sister’s kitchen, healthy and happy, smart and funny, beautiful and sexy, and he wasn’t sure he could stop himself from trying.

  It would have to be later, though.

  Not tonight.

  They’d only been acquainted one day. That didn’t seem long enough to know someone before starting something with them. Not long enough to be sure she wasn’t a manic-depressive, a serial killer, or a Cubs fan—she had lived in Chicago after all—let alone long enough to commit to her as long- or short-term lover material.

  Since he was more familiar with Rachel’s kitchen than Harper was, he began bagging the leftover pizza and salad, despite her urging him to leave. This morning and tonight, too, he’d enjoyed the time he spent with her. A peaceful break between responsibilities. Someplace without the echoes of the past or the shadows of the future.

  He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been able to sit and talk with someone who didn’t have expectations about what he’d say or do and who really listened to what he had to say. He liked that.

  “Good night.” H stepped out onto the back steps, and he waited for her to lock the door behind him. “Thanks for sharing a pizza with me. I had a good time.”

  She looked surprised. “I did, too. But it was just pizza, not like, a date, right? All part of the welcoming service?”

  “Right.” He finger-brushed his hair off his forehead, not sure he agreed with her categorization of their time together as not-a-date. Why he was fighting the urge to kiss her if the evening hadn’t been a date?

  “Harper,” he murmured, unsure of where to go from here.

  “Yes?” She looked perfect standing there, backlit from the kitchen light, even if she failed to accept his assessment of her stunning individual parts and features. Altogether, they added up to something phenomenal. But maybe that was just his sleep-deprivation talking.

  “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  After Harper locked the door behind Zach, she considered his odd behavior.

  Kind of like he thought the evening was a date when she didn’t.

  Kind of like he had something more to say but decided against it.

  Kind of like he was considering kissing her, but changed his mind.

  She still reeled from his earlier comment about her being beautiful. That was a joke, or she thought so, even if he hadn’t laughed when he said it.

  Or more than likely, he was just tired and trying to think of a way to get out of there gracefully. Nah, he had the graceful thing down no matter what.

  Breaking into her thoughts, her phone buzzed on the table behind her buzzed, and she saw the caller was her boss.

  “Andrew!” Relief flooded through her. She needed his input on what was going on in this, well, all she could call it was odd place. “Thanks for calling.”

  “No problem.” His low baritone immediately soothed her frazzled nerves. “It sounds like things have gotten a little cloudy there in Sunnyside.”

  Chapter Eleven

  On Harper’s second morning in Sunnyside, she skipped her morning run. Again.

  Granted, she’d gotten plenty of exercise between working at the library yesterday and walking around town, but random activity wasn’t the same thing as a dedicated workout that got the juices flowing, the heart pumping, and the maximum number of calories burning.

  And she’d had pizza for supper! Lots of it. Those calories would land with a big fat splat on her ass and wouldn’t just disappear with hopeful
plans about settling into a regular exercise routine sometime soon.

  She vowed to start eating healthier meals again, too—once she was in her own house, yippee! But right now, meals seemed to be on the catch-as-catch-can plan.

  Descending the stairs to put out fresh food and water for Cleo, she thanked the Gods above that the cat hadn’t tortured her during the night.

  Before taking a seat at the kitchen table to check her phone and email messages while she waited for Zach, she searched hopefully for breakfast food in the refrigerator.

  Surprise, surprise! Apparently the food pixies had visited and left behind a few sensible, edible treats. Fresh milk and yogurt graced the shelves along with a couple of peaches in the fruit drawer. Heaven! She didn’t know if she had Zach or the suspicious Kate to thank for this feast, but she didn’t care.

  If it had been Kate, the food probably had been left for Rachel, not Harper. But she’d replace it as soon as she figured out where the nearest grocery store was located and found time to go there.

  Taking the last bite of the sweetest, juiciest peach she’d ever tasted, she closed her eyes while she allowed the flavor to roll around insider her mouth. She tossed the pit into the trash just as Zach came through the backdoor. He had on what she classified as doctor clothes—khaki pants and a light blue oxford-cloth, button-down shirt. But more intriguing, he carried a square white box.

  The flavor of the fruit lingered on her tongue and trickles of juice ran down her chin as he stopped in front of her. “I know. I have peach drizzle on my chin, but I almost don’t want to wipe it off and waste it.” She circled her index finger in the general area of her mouth. “It tastes so fabulous I almost—Oh, never mind.” She stopped herself from mentioning her nearly orgasmic state. “It brought me close to a religious experience, it was so heavenly.”

  He deposited the pastry box on the table. “I could take care of that for you.” He leaned in toward her, heat flaring in his eyes, surrounding her with his warmth.

  “Um.” She should be able to think of a response but was so distracted by his nearness that she could barely manage to breathe.

  She didn’t resist when he took her hand and pulled her to her feet until just inches separated them. Holding his gaze, she inhaled his minty fresh breath and all-around clean scent.

  He leaned closer, overwhelming her with his presence. Heat and desire held her enthralled. When he put his hands on her shoulders, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her nipples perked up in anticipation. She tried to smile and failed.

  Desperately wanting to melt into him, the memory surfaced from the other day when he’d pushed her away. Her eyes dared him to reject her, but the corners of his lips lifted in a smile. A small one, just enough to reveal he didn’t plan to set her aside again.

  Dropping his head to her level, he aligned their mouths. She could see herself reflected in his eyes, could feel herself being absorbed by him. It felt good. Good enough to clang warning bells in her head, but she ignored them. She wanted him. Wanted his attention. Wanted his mouth on hers. Wanted him.

  Desire sizzled around them, hot and sharp. Like the bright sunlight streaming in through the window, it heightened the mood and the moment.

  His body fairly hummed with intensity. His tongue darted out, licking peach nectar from her lips. One quick tempting and tantalizing swipe before he replaced his tongue with a napkin he’d picked up from the table. He dabbed her chin. “Juicy.” He whispered the word between them, implying so much more. “Delicious.” Straightening, he moved back a fraction. “It’s good to see a girl enjoy what she eats and not mind admitting it.

  Her eyes uncrossed and focused. She nearly groaned with disappointment before she remembered to pull air unto her lungs. “I know what I like.” Licking her lips, she watched his eyes darken. “I know what I want.” Harper issued the words as a challenge. She lifted her eyebrows. Their words were meaningless. The real conversation was happening on another level. “Unlike some people.”

  He watched her attentively. Was he fighting the urge to lean over and lick her again? His expression changed to one of resolve. Shoving the napkin into her hand, he stepped purposely to the other side of the room and leaned against the counter.

  “No?” She gestured between the two of them with her hand, unhappy with this repeat rejection from him.

  Regretfully, he shook his head. “Not today.” Apparently, he expected her to be willing and available anytime he wanted.

  “Then what was that? Testing the new girl?”

  His crossed his arms. “I’m the one being tested, and I almost gave in to the temptation. I usually have more control than that.”

  “Is there a reason you don’t want to give in?”

  “Many, but none we can discuss this morning.”

  “Another time then?”

  “No doubt about it.”

  His admission left her speechless, but the chill of his rejection seeped away. He’d thrown her off-balance again, and she needed to get on firmer ground quickly. “I’ve never had a peach that tasted so... so... so peachy,” she finished for want of a better word and topic. “Where did it come from?”

  Zach blinked and cleared his throat. “Kate probably left them. Someone either gave them to her yesterday or she picked them up at the Farmers Market.”

  “There’s a Farmers Market?” Harper beamed at the thought of purchasing all kinds of fruits and vegetables as fresh as the one she’d just finished. “Now that’s the kind of food I was hoping to find here.”

  “Clearly, I took you to the wrong place for breakfast yesterday.” He gestured to the box he’d brought in with him. It had a blue swirling logo that spelled out Marty’s Tasty Treats across the top. “And went to the wrong place today.”

  “Maybe not.” She took the box from him. “Let’s see what you brought.” She flipped open the lid and got her first whiff of the pastries inside. One of her true weaknesses. “Ooooh, yes, sweet baby.”

  “I didn’t know what you’d like, so I brought a sampling of, well, everything.” He shook his head at the amount of deliciousness he’d purchased. “We can take the leftovers to the library for the workers when we go.”

  Maybe. If there were any left when she got through with them. “What should I try first?”

  “It’s all good. Marty’s a genius with pastry.”

  Harper scooped up a cinnamon roll with caramel icing and a liberal sprinkling of pecans. “I can see that.” Harper breathed in the fresh baked good and took her first bite. “Cinnamon as a true aphrodisiac. I read that somewhere. Whoever she is, I’m making Marty my new best friend. I can’t decide if the peach or this sweet roll is better, but they’re different categories. Like apples and oranges. Still, these are amazing. Although the pizza last night was incredible too.”

  She stopped chattering long enough to polish off the roll and purposely licked the cinnamon and icing from her fingers. Zach’s eyes darkened with lust, but he didn’t make a move. Worst luck. “Oh, yes,” she said to herself. “I’ve definitely got to get back into running or I’ll need a whole new wardrobe.”

  “You run?” His quick visual exam traveled from tip to toe, accessing her fitness.

  “Usually. Is there a gym I can join or a public running track somewhere? I’ll be in desperate need of both if I keep eating like this.”

  He considered her request. She liked it that he always took his time to give her real answers instead of just opening his mouth and spouting something he thought she might like to hear.

  “There’s not much organized exercising, but some people run on the track at the high school or through the park by the library. And Liam’s been fixing up an old barn to use as a gym near the str—uh, near where he’s working.”

  Amused, Harper lifted her eyebrows. “You mean at the strip club? He mentioned that, but not the gym.”

  “It’s about finished. He’ll let me know when he’s ready to take on members, and I’ll tell him you’re interested, too.”


  “I run early in the morning most of the time, but it would be good to go someplace inside during bad weather.”

  “I’ll talk to him about it.”

  “Or I can.” The delicious sweetness of a vanilla cruller she polished off next danced in her mouth like a pastry party.

  She recognized the contradiction of eating close to a thousand calories while only discussing a future plan for working out. She also realized that her caloric indulgence might be an attempt to keep from dragging Zach upstairs to test the chemistry between them. But it would have been rude to refuse the pastries after he had been kind enough to bring them to her and almost a sin not to eat such over-the-top delectableness.

  Despite the calories she’d already consumed, she had her eye on a bear claw. She wrestled with the temptation. Okay. Just one more. Besides, she’d eaten a peach first. That was healthy.

  She scooped up the bear claw and slammed down the lid.

  “Can we go see the house now?” she asked around a big bite of bliss.

  “This would be the perfect time.” He passed her another napkin to wipe the sticky sugar off her lips and fingers. “Are you ready? Where’s all the stuff you need to take with you?”

  “Computer.” She zipped it into her carrier. “Phone.” She slid it into her pocket. “Small tote.” She slung it over her shoulder and looked around to see if she’d left anything vital behind. “Good to go.”

  “You don’t have anything else here?”

  “Suitcase, upstairs, but I can come back and get it after while, can’t I?”

  “You can, but why?”

  “Too much to carry at one time. And too heavy.” She stepped toward the backdoor, but he looked steadily at her like she was talking Swahili, and she finally relented. Silly to insist on carrying everything herself when there was this able-bodied—more than able-bodied, very able-bodied—man standing right in front of her, willing to show off his muscles. Expecting to help.