“He doesn’t need the drinks for that,” Jordan called after them.
Sure enough, Simon had already launched into a lengthy description about his lifelong journey toward his miracle-worker aesthetician.
Jordan started to follow them out of the house, turning back once more to take in the sweet little kitchen that would be her home for the next…week? Month?
It was cute. Comfortable. The kitchen was her favorite part. Her apartment back in New York had a great bohemian feel to it, but, as in most Manhattan apartments, the kitchen was mostly useless, tucked into a back corner with barely enough room to open the oven.
This one had a new full-size fridge and freezer, a shiny dishwasher, plenty of counter space, and, best of all, south-facing windows that promised plenty of sunshine.
The rest of the house was small but adorable. Two upstairs bedrooms plus a little alcove that begged for a desk, and as Simon mentioned, the fabulous surprise tub in the master bathroom.
And while the downstairs living room was cozy to the point of feeling crammed, the fireplace looked like the perfect spot to curl up with a book and a glass of wine.
She followed Stacey and Simon out into the driveway, where Simon told her to get her ass into the car so the three of them could go get a bite of lunch.
Apparently she was in the process of befriending the town’s realtor. Who was also Luke’s ex.
“Coming,” she called, shoving aside the tiny stab of panic at the thought of living the small-town life again….
And of the bad memories that it stirred up.
Chapter 6
“Scrambled eggs, huh? I see you’ve really advanced your cooking skills since junior high, when you used to make…oh yeah, scrambled eggs.”
Luke didn’t bother to look up from the firehouse stove as he cracked another egg into the bowl and tossed the shell in the trash. “I’ll have you know I’m adding cheese and mushrooms. I’ve upped my game.”
His sister came up beside him, going up on her toes even as she pulled his face down to kiss him on the cheek. “And mushrooms, you say? It’s a wonder the Food Network hasn’t swooped in here and put you behind a camera.”
She dropped back on her heels, snapping her fingers. “Oh, that’s right. You’re going to be a different kind of reality star.”
Luke pulled a whisk from the old coffee can that had been repurposed to hold kitchen utensils. “Is there anyone in town who doesn’t know about it?”
Tawny snorted and snagged a sliced mushroom off the cutting board. “What do you think?”
He sighed.
His sister, younger by three years, studied him as she nibbled the mushroom. “Want to talk about it?”
“Yeah, absolutely. But first, do you think you could put on some Céline Dion? Someone who can best express what I’m feeling in a nice ballad?”
“Don’t tempt me. I have an Adele album in my car.”
He glanced over. “Tell me you didn’t tell Mom about this.”
“I didn’t tell Mom,” she said, the inflection making it clear that their mother knew anyway.
Luke groaned. Jane Elliott had moved to Northern California a year earlier. After twelve years as a widow, she’d met “the second love of her life” in Las Vegas. She’d gone down with a couple of friends to celebrate their sixtieth birthdays and come home with a wedding ring on her finger.
She’d moved to be with her new husband a month later, since he had a daughter from a previous marriage still in high school. Luke was happy for her, but any hopes that the distance would keep her from meddling…no luck thus far.
“Oh, come on,” Tawny said with a grin. “Exactly how long do you think Vicky lasted before calling Mom and telling her that city folk were sniffing around for you?”
“City folk?”
Tawny shrugged. “Heard the girl wore Louboutins and the guy’s shirt was purple with pink cuffs.”
“Lou-bu-what?”