Chapter 2
Paisley
W ith a loud thud, I collapse onto the carpeted floor, groaning in pain. The room fills with laughter, the light-hearted cackle of a friend of mine, Jake McAllister. As I glance up toward where my body must have come from, a bed, I find him leaning over the edge. His longish dark brown hair is tousled like he’s just been rolling around in bed. His face sleepy. His chest bare. Way too bare for a friend. A flutter of panic races through me.
“I’ve never met a girl who wriggles around so much in their sleep.” A chuckle rumbles in his chest as his eyes brim with amusement, crinkling at the corners.
I bolt upright, my heart pounding in my chest, a cold sweat breaking out on my skin in sheer terror. “Did we sleep together?” I screech at the top of my lungs. How drunk was I last night? Frantically, I scan the room for my dress and then run my hands down my body. I’m still in the cherry-red sheath dress I wore on my blind date. I’m not naked. My heart settles a little.
“We sure did, sweetheart!” He winks with a devilish grin that makes it all the way to his boyish dimples.
I blink back at him, eyes wide, trying to remember the night before. But I’ve got nothing. This is bad. Really bad. Jake and I don’t sleep together. I promised myself I never would, he’s in the friend zone, and we both like it that way. “What the hell, Jake.” My glare turns icy. How dare he let this happen. He knows how trashed I was last night.
Playfully, he tosses a pillow at me, and it bops me on the head. “Stop sweating, Paisley. After you got rid of your horrendous date and the two of us had a good laugh about it, you had a few too many bourbons, and I let you sleep it off here.” His eyes meet mine more seriously. “We just slept. No sex.” He spells it out for me, really slowing it down.
I hug the pillow to my chest, my heart still racing wildly. “For heaven’s sake, Jake, you couldn’t have led with that? You damn near gave me a heart attack.”
“I should be insulted,” he mutters under his breath, relaxing back in his bed with one arm behind his head.
With a grunt, I use the sturdy bed frame for support, pulling myself up to stand. My head spins, and I can only imagine the mess I must look, like a baby giraffe trying to stand for the first time. “Except you’re not. We both know at this point, it would be like sleeping with a sibling.” I toss the pillow in his direction, trying to lighten the mood.
He catches it, looking at me with too much longing for my liking. He knows this is just friendship, it’s never going any further than that. We tried on a date last year, but there’s no spark. No chemistry. He knows this as well as I do. With a heavy sigh, he shakes his head in disappointment. “You’re a train wreck, Paisley Whittaker. Stop blind dating losers and getting blackout drunk to forget,” he huffs, hopping out of bed and moving into his ensuite.
I can see I’ve hurt him, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. He’s been such a dear friend to me over the years, and I really do adore him, just as a friend. Through the opening of the ensuite door, I watch him wash his face and brush his teeth. Nausea rolls over me and settles in the pit of my stomach like a lead balloon. Not many people would have the guts to say something so honest to my face, but he’s right. As sad as it is to say, I’m a total train wreck. I can’t do this to myself anymore. It’s humiliating. No more blind dates, no more dating full stop. I need to pull my shit together. I’m too old to be torturing myself in this way.
Since leaving Jake’s this morning, I’ve showered and changed out of last night’s outfit. The Venti cappuccino I picked up from Bay Roaster’s Café on my way home is making me feel somewhat human again. But nothing can get rid of the uneasy feeling I have knowing I’ve hit rock bottom. Last night was a complete disaster. And crashing at Jake’s place, in his bed, is just plain dangerous. I must have been out of control for him to even consider taking me home with him. Normally when I’ve had a few too many, he just calls my besties, Emerson or Mae, to come and pick me up and drag me home.
A flash of blue pulls my attention to the front window of the townhouse I share with Mae and Gisele. Squinting, I make out a removalist truck pulling into the driveway of the house next door. Two burly-looking men hop out of the front and unlatch the back door. It’s filled to the brim with boxes and furniture. A second vehicle pulls up. This one is a matte-black sports car of some sort. It looks imported and flashy, forcing me to stand and make my way to the living room window for a better view. I sip my coffee while watching the three men carrying item after item inside the old house. This might just be how I spend my day recovering.
My roommate and best friend in the entire world, Dorothy-Mae, pushes me aside. “What are you staring at so intently?” she asks, gawking out the front window.
The guy who pulled up in the sports car removes his cap, then pulls his shirt right over his head and tucks it into the back pocket of his blue jeans. A tattoo runs down his back, looks like some sort of animal. A jaguar, maybe. I let out a groan of appreciation. “That.” I motion to the tanned muscular hunk who’s lugging his stuff into the old Harrington place. Since old Mrs. Harrington died a couple of years back, the two-story Victorian-style house has had a string of short-term renters calling the place home. Looks like this one might just be my new favorite. “We need a little eye candy in this street to make up for the old busybodies.”
“Oh, we so do.” She smirks playfully. Mae might be shy, but it’s obvious she’s just dying for a little adventure in her life, some guy to come along and sweep her off her feet. But she needs to get in line because I’m five years older than her and so much more desperate. “Not sure I can handle another of Mrs. Rashford’s rumors. You know last week she told Hailey Delaney from Pecan Pie Bakery that she heard you were an escort, that’s why we constantly have a new car parked in the driveway every week.” Mae shakes her head, disgusted by the old woman’s gossip.
My eyes meet hers, filled with absolute horror. I don’t want to hear it this morning. I’m not that bad. It’s not even every week. Maybe this year I have been a little more promiscuous than normal, but that’s just because I’m on edge. I’m about to turn thirty-one and still no prospects in sight. I’m feeling frantic. “Jesus, doesn’t she have anything better to do with her time?” I gape back at my bestie.
“Apparently not. Don’t worry, though, Hailey set her straight. Told her if she had nothing nice to say she should keep her mouth shut. It was pretty funny.”
I chuckle as I envision the scene. Mrs. Rashford would have been appalled if a teenager had told her off, but she deserves it; she go around saying whatever she wants just because she's old. It’s unneighborly.
“What are you guys doing?” Gisele calls to us as she comes into the living room of the three-bedroom townhouse we all share.
“Checking out the hottie moving in next door. Tattooed, sculpted back and torso, and look at that ass, you can tell he works out.” I fan my face, showing them just how hot and bothered he has me. My luck might just be changing, with the universe handing me this hottie on a silver platter. I get a vision of myself scurrying over his back fence in the dark of night for a steamy hook-up, and I smile, my body coming back to life again.
Gisele squeezes in between us so she can gawk at herself. “Not bad at all,” she agrees.
“Not bad! He’s divine, girl. I think I’m in love,” I gush, covering my heart.
Mae chuckles at my dramatics. “Just need him to turn around so you can see his face, he might be a shrimp.”
“I’ve been waiting for a solid ten minutes, surely he’ll turn around soon, right?”
Gisele shakes her head in disbelief at the two of us and heads toward the kitchen. “And when he does, you two will look like the creepy neighbors peeping through the window. Perfect story to tell your grandkids.” She laughs cheerfully. She’s the happiest person I know. It’s okay for her, she’s all loved up and content with her new boyfriend, Brody. The rest of us single girls need a little man candy to brighten our day. Especially a day that started out how today did for me.
Mae and I shrug at each other then get back to stalking. I could live with that as my “how I met the man of my dreams” story. At this point, by the time I find my partner, I’ll be too old to have children, let alone grandchildren. So, if he’s out there, he better hurry the hell up.
“What’s all the commotion?” Brody, Gisele’s boyfriend, asks as the two of them come into the living room with fresh coffees. I roll my eyes at him. He drives me nuts. I still have no idea what Gisele sees in the grump, but they seem head over heels.
“Paisley’s losing her shit over our hot new neighbor.” Mae laughs, throwing me under the bus when she has been standing right by my side this whole time.
Brody joins us, shoving the curtain back further so he can catch a glance. “Think you might need to get your eyes checked, Paisley. That there is Noah Harrington. Don’t you hate his guts?” He chuckles like this is the funniest thing he’s ever seen.
My brow wrinkles at the thought. Hastily I make my way to the front window, pulling back the drapes and squinting, only to find the guy finally turning around. Noah Harrington’s dumb face comes into full view, causing my heart to hammer so hard I think it’s going to damn well jump out of my chest. Oh, for fuck’s sake. Of all the streets in this town, why is he moving onto mine? “You have got to be kidding me. He’s moving back to town?” I glance back at my friends, anger radiating off me, not sure what to do.
Brody’s lips turn up at the side, enjoying my pain. “Maybe you should do something neighborly and bake him a pie.” He chuckles again, his stupid laugh crawling under my skin. This is not funny.
Gisele hits him for laughing at my expense. “Brody,” she chastises, trying to call him into line, but the asshole is having too much fun.
I don’t stick around for their amusement. With anger and adrenaline coursing through me, I can’t stop my legs from moving of their own accord. I march right out the front door and over to his yard, crossing my arms tightly over my chest as I stare him down. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I yell at him.
He approaches with a charming grin, his dimples deepening as his eyes crinkle at the corners, a sight that makes my heart skip a beat irrationally. “Carrying a box,” he says like the smartass he is. But he knows what I’m talking about.
“No, you’re not. You put that box right back into that truck and you drive it back to Jacksonville. You don’t live in Deception Bay,” I demand with a determined stomp of my foot. I will not have him live next door to me. Not now, not ever.
He teeters the box on his hip, rummaging in his pocket, then hands me a piece of paper. “You’ll have to excuse me, baby, these guys charge by the hour, so I better not keep ‘em waiting. But that there paper should tell you all you need to know.” He winks sexily and then moves toward the house.
Panic races through me. What is he going on about? I glance at the paper. It’s a sales contract between the estate of Edna Harrington and him. My heart hammers, out of control. “You bought the place?” I cry, almost hysterical. “You can’t live next to me.”
He lifts a cheeky brow and gives me that look, the one he knows melts panties. “That seems like a you problem. ‘Cause today we become neighbors, Paisley.” He vanishes into his new residence while I’m left seething in his front yard, breaking into a cold sweat.
My head spins, and it could be the mammoth hangover from last night, but something tells me it’s not. I’m dizzy, knowing Noah is going to be so close to me, his potent aftershave will be wafting my way every damn morning, followed by his cheeky, smug expression smirking back at me from his front porch.
Oh my God, I can’t live next to him, I’ll go insane.
My hands tremble at the thought. I try to calm my ragged breathing, but my chest heaves, and I can’t. This is bad, so damn bad.
Doesn’t he realize the pain he caused me when he left? The summer we spent together, he turned my world upside down in the best way possible. Then he was just gone, leaving me with a broken heart and no way of recovering. He can’t do this to me now when it finally feels like I’m moving on with my life.
Nervously I climb the front porch stairs of my townhouse, passing my friends who must have stepped out onto the porch to watch the show. This is all so funny for them, Paisley and her dramas. I have the whole town talking about me and my man trouble. Fucking Mrs. Rashford is probably spying from across the street as we speak. I don’t look back, I can’t. What I need right now is another coffee to shake this nervous energy. I find my mug and fill it right to the top. Sipping furiously, my body coiled so tight with frustration, I feel like something’s about to snap.
The tension has been building up between me and Noah for weeks. I’ve noticed the way he watches me when I’m working at the hotel or out at McAllister’s with our crew. And that whole time he knew he was about to move in beside me. I bet stupid Brody knew as well. They were all probably placing bets about how I would react.
Mae and Gisele join me inside, approaching me with caution. “Don’t worry about Noah, you have a busy life. I’m sure the two of you won’t even bump into each other all that often,” Mae offers, always the optimist.
I suck in a deep breath, trying to get my emotions under control. “Ha, yeah, why would we when they practically built these places on top of each other.” I sigh, aware that we could overhear our neighbors’ screaming matches, followed by their make-up sessions, through those thin walls. The girls know that every bit as much as I do.
Gisele’s hand settles on my shoulder as she searches my face. “Sweetie, why do you hate him so much anyway? He’s so carefree and fun. I find it hard to imagine anyone could really not get along with him,” Gisele offers, her kind eyes meeting mine, telling me she’s here for me if I need it as she rubs comforting circles round my back to try and calm me down.
I stare back at her, not ready to talk about what happened between us. It might have been years ago, but it still feels fresh to me. “Yeah, well, I do. And this isn’t a story I want to share.”
She smirks, not believing me. “You tell us everything.”
“Not this.” I glare back at them, anger coursing through my veins making me feel out of control. I hate feeling like this, all this pent-up energy and nowhere to put it, because he won’t listen to me anyway. He just walked off with the smug-as-shit grin. I’m annoyed all over again just picturing it.
“Okay, well, just know the two of us are here for you if you need to talk about it,” Mae offers, glancing at Gisele for help.
I nod, hearing her but not able to process what she’s saying through my anger. I just focus on the warmth of the mug in my hands as I sip my coffee, the rich aroma filling my senses. I would like to say bringing me back to life, but right now, I don’t think even coffee is that magic.
“What were you so desperate to tell us this morning that you had to barge in on me and Brody in bed?” Gisele changes the subject.
I shake my head, remembering my horrid night. When I let myself into her bedroom this morning, waking up in Jake’s bed felt like the worst possible thing that could happen to me today. How wrong was I. “Oh my God, you two, I can’t even. You know how I had that date last night, the guy off Tinder?”
They nod, encouraging me to go on.
I burst out laughing, remembering how bad it was. “It was a disaster. He was all touchy-feely right from the get-go but not in like a good way, when the chemistry is so good you can’t keep your hands off each other. In a creepy why-are-you-touching-me way. The whole time we ate, he groaned on and on about himself. I couldn’t even get a word in, and you know me, I like to talk. But not with this guy. It was all about him. After dinner, we had a drink at the bar, just the one, and he wasn’t taking my subtle hints of I’m not into you, so back off . Instead, he was trying anything he could to get his hands on me. So, I told him I had to go because I needed to get up early for work. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. But as I got to my car, he was right there with me, asking for a second chance. He said he was just nervous. I kind of felt bad, so I rolled down my window to talk to him, and he tried to kiss me. Like leaning into my car, his lips all puckered up.”
Mae covers her chest with her hand. “Oh my, he didn’t.” She gasps as she starts to giggle.
I nod, not able to help the laugh that escapes me. “He did. It was so awkward. But the worst part was I started winding up the window, hoping he would get the hint and back off, but he didn’t move and started getting stuck. Oh my God, you guys, it was a whole thing. I still can’t believe it.” I crack up, realizing the funny side of it now. “I got out of there quickly and ended up at McAllister’s hanging with Jake at the bar for the rest of the night.”
“If your date was so bad, where did you stay last night?” Gisele asks, confused.
Both of their eyes go wide. “Did you and Jake finally…” Mae gasps, her eyes wide with shock, a hand flying to her mouth.
I fix my eyes on her. “Dorothy-Mae Abernathy, we’ve been best friends for years, and you have to ask me that?” I reply, horrified. Even my best friend thinks I will sleep with anyone just for the fun of it. “We’re just friends.”
She studies me, her head tilting to the side curiously. “Where did you sleep then?”
“Well, with Jake, but not with him. He just took me home because I drank too much. I didn’t even know until I fell out of his bed this morning.” I look down at my empty mug. “Unsure of our friendship status now. He said I’m a train wreck.” I pout sadly, feeling the true weight of his words on my shoulders. I don’t want him to hate me. I really care about him, just not in the way I think he wants me to.
Mae wraps her arm around me, squeezing me tightly. “You’re not a train wreck. You’ve just had some bad luck lately, that’s all.”
“Maybe I am the bad luck. What’s that saying? If the problem keeps following you around, then maybe you’re the problem. I don’t know, it’s something like that, but you two know what I mean.”
Their faces say it all. They agree with me. Even my best girlfriends think I’m a problem. “Perhaps instead of saying you’re going to have a break from dating, this time, do it. Concentrate on just being Paisley for a second. We love you, girl, and I know the right guy will come along when you least expect it. Let life happen around you and see what the universe throws your way,” Gisele suggests, a gleam of hope in her eyes.
“The universe,” I huff. “The universe hates me, or it wouldn’t have landed Noah fucking Harrington on my doorstep.” I roll my eyes for the girls’ benefit.