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“Tyler Nichols. The man who moved in next door. The man over here earlier. His name is Tyler Nichols.”
“Oh.” Nora paused so she didn’t appear too curious behind her cat-eye frames. “I wondered who was at your door. Didn’t think it was a service call. Service people don’t drive gas-guzzling Hummers or work this late. Did he tell you what he does for a living, dear? Is he a photojournalist as the rumormongers say?”
Patience was a virtue, Kate reminded herself and she counted to ten again. Having grown up around Nora, Kate had long ago learned to handle her, especially now that Kate was an adult. “As a matter of fact he did and he is.”
Nora’s gaze landed on the bucket of supplies. “I thought you cleaned on Saturdays.”
Busted. Kate’s shoulders slumped. Nora never missed anything. “I volunteered to help him out for a few minutes. The Dorhacks didn’t do any cleaning and the place is a mess.”
“Those Dorhack kids always were good-for-nothings. Poor Myra to have raised a brood like that. Not like you. You are always such a dear, especially volunteering the way you are. Sandra would be so proud.”
“Thank you,” Kate said as she somehow ushered Nora to the side door. But the maven wasn’t to be moved outside yet.
“Since he’s finally here, why I don’t go home and see what I’ve got in the freezer? I bet the poor man hasn’t had a home-cooked meal in ages. I believe I have a beef stew I can thaw out and feed him. Tell him I’ll be over after I get it heated.”
Kate admitted she was impressed. Nora had found a way to satisfy her curiosity and act as chaperone. She grabbed the cleaning supplies. “I’ll tell him. He’ll love a home-cooked meal, I’m sure.” Even if he didn’t, there would be no stopping it from arriving now.
“Don’t forget to lock up, even though you’re just going next door,” Nora advised as she moved out from under Kate’s carport. “Can’t be too safe, you know.”
“Yes, I know.” Kate put her bucket on the ground and turned the key in the lock as Nora bustled across the street.
“I take it that was Nora.”
Kate jumped and took a step backward. The key fell to the ground with a clink. “You scared me.”
“Sorry.” Tyler’s grin was easy and charming, and Kate swallowed. Could his T-shirt be any tighter? The faded black CNN T-shirt molded to his chest and his blue jeans emphasized—Kate jolted. She did not need to be eyeing him there. “Let me just grab the supplies and retrieve my key.”
“I’ll carry them.” Tyler was already beside her, bending over into her space.
“Really, it’s okay.” As Kate leaned to grab the supplies, her fingers collided with Tyler’s. She wobbled as she straightened, clutching the bucket like a shield.
Tyler winked at her. “Let me be a chauvinist for a bit.” He reached forward, and Kate simply let him pry her fingers from the carryall. She grabbed her key as Tyler started toward his place.
Having been in the house before, Kate knew that the layout mirrored hers, with a living room, eat-in kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Tyler’s house also had a small addition off the kitchen—a ten-by-twelve room that could serve as a den.
“I’ve decided that I like it.” Tyler answered Kate’s unspoken question as he gave her a quick tour so she could assess the extent of the cleaning. The house wasn’t in as terrible shape as he’d depicted, but as nothing had been vacuumed or scrubbed down, there was a lot of cleaning required before it met habitable standards.
They returned to the kitchen. She noticed his cabinets had been replaced with a basic oak version. Still, they and the linoleum appeared at least five years old. “So you bought this place without seeing it?” she asked.
“My twin sister picked it out after my accountant told me I needed more tax deductions and a long-term investment. I guess I could have bought something bigger, but there’s no point. I’m always gone. I’ve heard this street has excellent resale value.”
“It does,” Kate said.
He opened the ancient refrigerator and pulled out a beer. “Want one?”
“No.” Kate watched as Tyler removed the metal cap, tipped up the brown bottle and took a long swallow. He licked his lips. “Haven’t had cold beer from my own fridge in a while. That’s good. Sure you don’t want one?”
“Yes.” Beer might muddle her head. Already, like a sense of déjà vu that she couldn’t place, she knew she’d now forgotten something important related to the beverage. Tyler moved closer and set the half-empty bottle on the counter. For some reason the man disturbed her equilibrium, and she rummaged through the cleaning supplies to maintain her composure.
“So you’re always traveling,” she said to keep awkward silence at bay.
“Always. I love it,” he said.
“Really? All of it?”
He shook his head. “No, of course not. It’s rough-and-tumble. For instance, showers are a luxury, and even having cold water is a blessing after you’ve been bathing with wet wipes for a few weeks. My job makes me appreciate long, hot showers, the kind you stand under until the hot water runs out.”
An image of Tyler in the shower popped into Kate’s head and she inhaled to clear her mind.
“But it’s worth it,” he continued as she tried to focus. “Ever since I took a photography class in high school, I’ve been hooked on telling stories through visuals. My parents bought me my first 35-millimeter camera, I went to college, interned with the local paper one summer and, to make a long story short, I got lucky and found my dream job, one that involves traveling just about everywhere. What do you do?”
Kate unloaded the cleaning supplies, deciding to stay only until Nora arrived. After all, it wasn’t as though she’d be needed. As she observed him standing in his kitchen, beer bottle loose between his fingers, tight jeans and all, one fact was crystal clear. Tyler’s life goals had literally fallen in his lap.
None of hers had, and her job paled in comparison. “I work for an attorney. I’m going to be a lawyer. Night school. I’ll graduate in the spring. Let’s get you started cleaning, because if you overheard Nora, then you know she’s bringing dinner over. And, if I know Nora, you’ll have a houseful of other neighbors following hard on her heels to give you the big once-over.”
“Then I hope I pass their inspection.” Tyler’s gaze held hers for a moment, and Kate felt a tiny unrest run through her. She glanced away. There was no doubt about it. He would definitely pass. Everything about this man was sexy, strong and powerful. He even smelled good, and his voice had that deep, husky quality that sent shivers down women’s spines. Like hers.
The matrons of Dogwood Lane were going to love him.
“They’ll be parading their granddaughters in front of your nose in no time,” Kate said as she attempted to shake off the effect he was having on her. “Be forewarned. They’re all hopelessly romantic matchmakers. Nora considers herself an expert. She and Frieda are legendary.”
Tyler’s chuckle washed over Kate. “You sound like they’ve been on your case.”
“All the time. They’re a regular love connection,” Kate admitted before adding hastily, “but I’m too busy with law school to date anyone.”
“Well, I’m too busy with work,” Tyler replied, grabbing the foaming spray cleaner she held out. Kate tossed a pair of yellow gloves at him and he caught them easily. “It’s all-consuming and my number-one priority. Not many women want to camp out in a war zone, and there’s no way I plan to settle down any time soon. Owning a house is almost too domestic for me. Especially cleaning it. You don’t know of a reliable housekeeping service around here, do you?”
“No,” Kate said. To her, a service would be a luxury, not a necessity.
“I’ll ask around tonight.” Tyler placed the gloves on the counter before shaking the aerosol can. He pressed the nozzle and foam sprayed all over the laminate countertop, the bubbles flowing over the edge onto the floor. “Darn. That didn’t work.”
“Haven’t you ever cleaned?” Kate asked, watching as he stopped the steady stream with a rag.
He appeared sheepish. “No. I’m never around. Ever since I graduated college, I’ve used a service. It’s a priority in my budget. If not, my place would never get clean. I like to arrive home and find everything pristine.”
Just another difference between them. Kate mopped her own floors and scrubbed her own toilet every Saturday morning.
“Here, let me do that.” Kate handed him a dust cloth and furniture polish. Their fingertips touched again and she pulled her hand to safety and pointed. “Why don’t you go dust off the furniture? That’s a no-brainer.”
His eyebrow arched. “Are you saying I have no brains?”
“In this area, yes,” Kate said. “You’re pretty pathetic.”
“You’re probably right,” Tyler said, laughing at her accurate assessment. “So from here on out, I’ll take my orders from you.”
The cheeky expression accompanying his words could thaw an iceberg, and his flirtatiousness did more than melt Kate. Longing, tingling, the sudden need for raw passion hit her. Men like Tyler Nichols were dangerous. They stole your heart and gave you nothing but lingering memories. That is, if you even got to that point at all. She had to get away from him. Kate gestured toward the living room. “Dust!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tyler said and disappeared through the archway, leaving Kate alone to deal with her yearnings and wipe up the mess.
Chapter Three
A little less than two hours later, Tyler Nichols decided he had it made. His new neighbors were on a mission, and, after telling Tyler to sit and enjoy some of Nora’s homemade stew, they had flown into a cleaning frenzy while clucking nonstop about Myra’s dreadful children.
Even if Tyler had wanted to help, sitting at the kitchen table was probably safer. The Dogwood matrons were household pros who put Heloise and her hints to shame.
They were also matchmakers extraordinaire who had to be reckoned with. Subtlety was not in the vocabulary of these ladies. Tyler had already gracefully turned down three invitations to meet six eligible granddaughters.
Not only that, but the few men who had braved coming into the fray were busy one-upping one another to carry any remaining boxes. No, Tyler decided that sitting was safer, and better because it allowed him to look at Kate as she moved around, spritzing and polishing.
Even doing something as mundane as household chores revealed the feminine grace basic to her. That type of poise was rare and would make her fun to photograph.
Her face had all the planes and angles the camera lens loved. He only wished she’d pull her hair out of that annoying bun. With her hair around her shoulders, she would laugh, bat her long eyelashes and gesture him toward the bedroom…. Tyler shook off the vision before it threw him completely off balance. Once his shower was suitably sanitized, he was heading in there for a needed dose of cold water.
To think of Kate simply as his next-door neighbor would be wise, he reminded himself. Whereas he loved the female sex, and he most definitely enjoyed their company as long as it came without strings, he was not one of those men who knew the meaning of the C-word. The only commitment he’d made was to his career. He’d never remained with one woman long enough even to think about giving her a key to his apartment or allowing her to store a toothbrush there.
But after a grandma named Frieda had cornered him and suggested that he ask Kate out, well, now the idea wouldn’t dislodge itself. Her body between his sheets—just the very idea was a muse beckoning.
Tyler twisted his hands. Maybe Kate was right about declaring him brainless. Here he was, considering following Frieda’s suggestion. While he didn’t know Kate well, he sensed she could prove to be a disastrous complication in his life. And when the relationship ended, he’d still be living next door to her. How awkward would that be?
He knew only one other woman like Kate. His mother. Efficient. Sweet. Innocent. Always lending a helping hand. Definitely untarnished by the ugliness of the world. Maybe that was why his mom didn’t understand his job and wanted him settled down, not traveling the world as he preferred.
Not even his job’s importance could convince his mother to like his decision to be free to document the world’s events on film. Not that she had given up on seeing him married. She remained hopeful that if Tyler found the right woman, he’d want to stay home.
Somehow, Tyler didn’t figure Kate would really understand the value of his job, either. The way she fit into the Dogwood Lane community proved she was home and hearth, something he definitely was not and never would be.
“Earth to Tyler!”
Tyler jerked his head up to find Kate hovering over him. Her breasts were just about eye level, and Tyler shoved his hands under his legs.
“Are you just going to sit there, or are you going to unpack? Didn’t you hear me? They’ve finished your bedroom and Harold wants to know if you’re happy with where the movers put the furniture. If you are, you’d better hurry in there before they decide to rearrange it and move it around themselves.”
Tyler gave a short laugh before standing up and stretching. “I’d better go survey the scene.”
“You’d better. I’ve never seen so many men trying to play Hercules.”
As Kate smiled, Tyler’s gut clenched. He attempted to put the evening into proper perspective. “By the way, in case I forget to tell you later, thanks for organizing this.”
“No problem,” she said.
“No, really,” Tyler insisted. He gestured around. “I’ll have to tell my sister I lucked out. She’s the one who picked out this house. I’m glad I listened to her. You guys are great.”
Kate stepped away and vigorously wiped the counter, the same one she had scoured earlier. “Well,” she said, refusing to look at him, “consider it your housewarming present from all of us. Dogwood Lane is a pretty special place. We’re more than a street. We’re a neighborhood.”
“I’d definitely say so.” Tyler couldn’t resist. He rose and approached her. His fingers snaked forward and tugged on the infernal bun that was driving him crazy. Blondish strands cascaded to her shoulders and her head shot up. She stood as if hypnotized, watching him, waiting for his next move. His nose wrinkled. Even with a hint of antiseptic woodsy pine, she still smelled divine.
Tyler inwardly cursed himself. Yep, way too long without a woman. That had to be the reason he was having this overwhelming reaction to Kate. He’d better move away before he did something stupid and impulsive, like kiss those lips, which were slightly parted with anticipation. “Those guys are waiting.”
“Yes.” Her voice faltered as she moved a pace back. “Good idea.”
As soon as he left the room, Kate sat in the chair he had vacated. The wood still felt warm from his presence.
Wow. Whenever he’d touched her, even briefly, she’d felt shivers run down to her toes. Jack had never made her quiver. Certainly not like this. Tyler had boldly pulled her hair from her bun. Forgetting she had gloves on, she reached up to touch the strands.
“He’s quite a doll, don’t you think?” Frieda strode into the room, a small white trash bag dangling from her hand. “I tell you, if I were forty years younger, he wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“He’s very nice,” Kate hedged. There was no way to describe what Tyler was, but doll didn’t come close. He put Barbie’s ex, Ken, to shame.
“He’s definitely an improvement over Myra, God bless her. We could use some younger blood on the street.”
“Are you matchmaking again?” Nora entered and glared at Frieda.
Frieda didn’t hide her guilt. “Of course I am. I think Tyler would be a good match for anyone.”
“He’s busy with work, as am I,” Kate replied, deciding to nip this situation in the bud. All night Frieda and Nora had swept her along, and she couldn’t escape the feeling she’d forgotten something important.
Besides, she’d had enough of Frieda’s and Nora’s matchmaking attempts two years ago after Sandra’s death. To prove to the matrons she wasn’t hurting anymore, Kate had gone on three disastrous blind dates, and then she’d rebounded straight into Jack. There were worse things than being alone, she reminded herself.
Nora patted Kate on the shoulder. “There, there, dear. Ignore Frieda. Niles will be in town over Christmas. That’s only a few weeks away.”
Great. Kate sighed inwardly. She had no intention of dating Niles, either. She just didn’t have the heart to tell Nora outright, which she’d have to do if Nora kept insisting on fixing them up. Nora had been such a support after Sandra’s death that Kate hated to flat-out reject her grandson. Thus, getting out of a date would take some creative thought. “I’m busy with school and work,” she said somewhat lamely.
Nora didn’t seem too perturbed. “We’ll just have to arrange something that fits into your schedule. You’ll love Niles. He was a magna cum laude at Georgia Tech.”
“He’s a geek,” Frieda announced. “You can say no, Kate. Have you seen Niles’s photos?”
“Frieda Webster!” Nora placed her aged hands on her hips and gazed over her glasses. Despite her petite size, Nora packed a powerful punch. “You take that back. Niles is perfect for Kate.”
Frieda tossed her head, her hair-sprayed gray hair not budging an inch. “No, he’s not. Tyler’s much better.”
“Much better at what?” Tyler strode back into the room and grinned. “Thelma—I think that’s her name—is organizing my underwear drawer. I figured a hasty retreat was best.”
Still sitting in the chair, Kate dropped her head into her hands. How could he be so nonchalant and naive? Didn’t he have a clue? Dogwood Lane would be gossiping about his boxers or briefs for weeks to come. The residents thrived on things like that to spice up their bunco nights.
“Well,” Nora said, relaxing her posture somewhat, “why don’t you just take a break and keep us company. I was telling Kate all about my grandson Niles. He’s visiting over the holidays. Normally, I travel to Jacksonville, but this year, as the family is going every which way, he’s agreed to come down here for a change.”
“Really?” Tyler feigned interest as he poured himself a glass of water from the tap. He’d given up on beer after finishing the first one.
“Yes. Did Rita tell you about her granddaughter Jane? Such a pretty little thing. She’s an elementary teacher in Lakeland.”
Tyler shrugged. “She forgot to mention that part.”
“Well, you’ll have to meet her. Just like Kate is going to meet my Niles,” Nora declared.
“Oh, I’m sure she’s looking forward to it,” Tyler said, giving Kate a wink. After listening to all the single-women stories, he knew exactly what Kate dealt with. Her neighbors were the matchmakers from hell.
“Of course Kate wants to meet Niles,” Nora insisted.
Frieda coughed, the noise sounding like the word bull.
