The Guy Next Door
From Friend to…Fiancé?Stalwart and steady, Darcy O'Malley has been by Luke Jordan's side since childhood. She has seen him through trials and tragedies, romances and breakups. They've been everything to each other–except boyfriend and girlfriend. Why ruin a good thing? What Luke can't explain, however, is why suddenly Darcy's presence is making his heart beat so hard. Something has changed since he left Appleton, and it's making him uneasy. Is it possible his best friend is meant to be something more? Dare he risk their perfect friendship in the hopes of finding his perfect wife?Stalwart and steady, Darcy O'Malley has been by Luke Jordan's side since childhood. She has seen him through trials and tragedies, romances and breakups. They've been everything to each other–except boyfriend and girlfriend. Why ruin a good thing? What Luke can't explain, however, is why suddenly Darcy's presence is making his heart beat so hard. Something has changed since he left Appleton, and it's making him uneasy. Is it possible his best friend is meant to be something more? Dare he risk their perfect friendship in the hopes of finding his perfect wife?
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From Friend to…Fiancé?
Stalwart and steady, Darcy O’Malley has been by Luke Jordan’s side since childhood. She has seen him through trials and tragedies, romances and breakups. They’ve been everything to each other—except boyfriend and girlfriend. Why ruin a good thing? What Luke can’t explain, however, is why suddenly Darcy’s presence is making his heart beat so hard. Something has changed since he left Appleton, and it’s making him uneasy. Is it possible his best friend is meant to be something more? Dare he risk their perfect friendship in the hopes of finding his perfect wife?
“What’s wrong between us?” Luke asked.
“Something’s off, and it has nothing to do with our parents.”
The look in his eyes—heat, frustration, determination—sent her heart racing, her breath hitching. He was going to dig until he found out exactly what had gotten into her.
A stupid, dangerous, poorly timed attraction.
She needed to say something instead of standing there struck speechless by his nearness and the rawness in his eyes.
The powerful urge to simply pour it all out, to tell her good friend how she used to feel about him, how she feared she would feel again if she wasn’t careful, pulsed in her head. She reached up and laid her hand lightly on his chest. “Luke…”
His eyes sparked, and then he stepped away, his expression turning icy.
The rebuff sent a shock wave of cold through her body, cold enough to knock her back to her senses.
MISSY TIPPENS
Born and raised in Kentucky, Missy met her very own hero when she headed to grad school in Atlanta, Georgia. She promptly fell in love and hasn’t left Georgia since. She and her pastor husband have been married twenty-five-plus years now and have been blessed with three wonderful children and an assortment of pets.
Missy is thankful to God that she’s been called to write stories of love and faith. After ten years of pursuing her dream of being published, she made her first sale of a full-length novel to the Love Inspired line. She still pinches herself to see if it really happened!
Missy would love to hear from readers through her website, www.missytippens.com, or by email at [email protected]. For those with no internet access, you may reach her c/o Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as
members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
—Colossians 3:15
To editors Emily Rodmell and Melissa Endlich—
For allowing me to live my dream.
To Melinda Meredith and Kim Botner—
For lifelong friendship, even across the miles.
To God—
For knowing me fully and loving me anyway.
Special thanks to Rachel Dylan,
Jennifer Artrip Franklin and Olen Winningham for research assistance.
Thank you to my parents
for their love and encouragement.
Thanks to Lindi Peterson and Janet Dean
for their faithfulness and feedback. I could never repay you for your help.
To my blogging sisters in Seekerville, thank you for the prayer, daily doses of laughter and loving friendship.
Contents
It’s about time.
Darcy O’Malley sat on the front porch steps as the hot afternoon sun headed westward, watching her best friend’s car pull into the driveway next door. She sucked in a deep breath, tension easing out with it.
Six months. Six long months since Luke Jordan had been home—the longest they’d ever gone without seeing each other. Having his car parked where it belonged brought a sense of normalcy.
Of course, these days, he called Tennessee home.
Darcy waved, but he couldn’t see her from behind the overgrown boxwoods.
He climbed out of the car and stretched. As expected, his hair had grown shaggy. Unruly brown hair that begged a girl to push it off his forehead.
Darcy gave a derisive snort. It was ridiculous how many girls had held that honor. Too many to count.
She stepped out on the sidewalk. Luke spotted her and waved, his face lighting with a big goofy grin.
“Come on over,” he called, motioning her toward his car.
He met her halfway and held out his arms. She fell into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he lifted her off the ground and gave a brotherly squeeze, she felt as if she were the one who had come home. She’d missed him.
“I’m so glad to see you,” she said against his cheek, breathing in the familiar scent of his Prell shampoo. “But you need a haircut.”
“Glad to be back in Georgia where you can hound me into going to the barber.” He set her on her feet and smiled, but his eyes looked shadowed.
She should have anticipated the sadness. This was his first visit home since his mother’s funeral. “Tough coming back?”
“Yeah. Seeing the house…” He sucked in a deep breath and glanced up at the two-story brick home he’d lived in from birth.
