Meant To Be (33 page)

He didn’t have many options. Justine had made sure the alarm company had the house wired to perfection. Breaking in would mean, at the very least, a lengthy conversation with the police about why he was locked out in his underwear. Not appealing. Or he could go to Marienne and Frank’s house and borrow their copy of his house key, in his boxers.

Also not appealing.

He sat down on the lounge chair. The neighbor’s grey and white cat trotted into his yard and came to sit with him. The cat rubbed its soft head against Daniel’s leg, demanding to be pet.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a spare key, would you?” He scratched beneath its chin. The cat closed its eyes and purred.

He looked at his watch. It was almost 8:30 in the morning. He had to be in the city in less than two hours. He had to act now. Straightening his t-shirt was pointless, but he did it anyway, trying to adjust himself in some manner that might make him look even the slightest bit less ridiculous. It wasn’t working. Head held as high as possible, he walked across the yard. He tried to pretend that walking up to the door in his underwear wasn’t the most pathetic thing he’d ever done.

He raised his hand to knock, but wound up rubbing his knuckles against his chin instead. He raised it a second time, but only got as far as resting it on the doorframe. He brought his forehead down to rest on his extended arm, groaning at his own stupidity.
Just knock, get it over with already.
He raised his hand once more and the inside door swung open.

“Daniel?” Marienne asked, looking confused.

“Morning.” His hand raked through his hair, several times, before he tried to strike a natural pose, arms folded. His face burned.

Marienne surveyed him up and down, unable to keep the smirk off her face. “Can I help you?” Her eyes twinkled. “Coffee? Key? Or me?”

Daniel almost lost his balance. His jaw dropped. He wondered if he’d heard her right.

She giggled and held the door open. “I’ll guess
key
. Come inside.” She disappeared into the laundry room.

He hadn’t spoken yet. He was still thinking about the coffee, key or me offer. Obviously it was a joke, but…but…he felt even more aware that he was standing in her kitchen in his underwear.

He heard her rummaging through the cabinet searching for his key.

“Here.” She leaned into the doorway and tossed him something dark blue. “You might want to borrow these. There actually is coffee, too.”

He caught her eyes for only a moment and saw they were sparkling like mad. The blue item was a pair of Frank’s sweatpants, which Daniel gratefully stepped into before pouring himself a much needed cup of coffee.

“Found them.” Marienne entered the room, jingling his keys between two fingers.

She placed them next to Daniel then took the lid off the cake stand on the counter. “Muffin?”

“Thank you.” He grabbed the top one off the pile.

“Ahh, he speaks. I was beginning to think you lost your voice with your pants.”

She’s enjoying this far too much.

“Funny,” he said, between bites of muffin. “You’re a very funny girl.”

She grinned, dropping a splash of cream into his coffee and handing him the sugar bowl and a spoon. “So, are you going to tell me? I mean if you’d wanted a muffin so badly you could have called. I’d have brought one over.”

“I’m an idiot.”

She shrugged, not disagreeing.

He frowned, but ignored the look. “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went onto the porch to look at the stars. Apparently I dozed off, because the next thing I remember is hearing a beeping sound and watching in horror as Justine pulled out of our driveway.”

“Didn’t she wonder where you were?”

“Don’t know. I guess she must have assumed I’d already left for work or else she wouldn’t have set the alarm. Maybe she forgot I live there.”

Did I really just say that?

Marienne seemed lost in thought. Her dark hair was swept into a messy pile on the back of her head, loose strands hung around her face, framing her delicate features. Her summer robe draped over her tiny shoulders, falling off one, revealing the curving slope of her neck. Beneath the robe she wore a cotton tank and shorts. The whole outfit gave her a casually sexy look that he realized was making him quite aroused.

Coffee, key or me,
echoed in his head.
Oh God, get a grip. It’s not even nine in the morning. How many times do you plan on embarrassing yourself in one day? Just this once more.
He allowed himself another long look and felt the corresponding response course through him. He had never been so grateful for sweatpants.

“I have to get going.” He popped the last bite of muffin into his mouth, willing his body to settle down. “Thank you for the keys. And for breakfast.”

“My pleasure. Oh, wait.” She ran back into the laundry room. He heard more rummaging. “Your alarm system, there’s a different key if she locked the storm door.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure these will work.”

“Keep your pants on,” she said, emitting fresh peals of laughter.

****

Marienne watched as he walked home.

“Coffee, key, or me?” she said aloud to the empty room. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

What’s wrong with me?

She had seen him walking across their yards while she poured herself a cup of coffee. She’d stepped away from the window so he wouldn’t see her, and straightened her shirt and twisted shorts. She’d caught a glimpse of her reflection in the stainless steel toaster oven. She was a wreck. Hair a complete bird’s nest, strands clinging to her neck, baggy clothes, shiny morning face. She’d grabbed a paper towel and wiped it over her nose and forehead trying to reduce the oily sheen.

When she’d heard him on the porch, she’d held her breath, waiting for a knock, but it didn’t come. There was shuffling, but nothing else. Figuring he must have been locked out, she couldn’t imagine why he wasn’t knocking once he was standing on her deck. Wondering if he was okay, she’d walked over and opened the door.

One look at him told her he was fine, just embarrassed. She’d never seen his face so red. It was endearing, and more than a little sexy, to see him standing there, t-shirt and boxers, blushing furiously. The coffee, key or me line slipped out. She was horrified the second she said it.
As if the poor guy wasn’t embarrassed enough now he had his goofy neighbor hitting on him. What was I thinking?

She knew the answer all too well.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Justine slammed her dresser drawer. “The last thing I’m in the mood to do is spend an evening hanging out with Marienne’s college friends.”

“Aren’t you the least bit curious to meet them? She’s talked about them for years.” Daniel took a clean shirt out of the closet. “Ella’s at her grandmother’s house for the weekend because they’re all going to some friend’s wedding tomorrow. It’ll be just adults tonight.”

“I don’t see why we have to go.” She pouted as she pushed past him.

“Because I said I’d bring the beer. Besides, Frank said it’s Game Night. It’ll be fun.”

“Game Night. Sounds more like nightmare.”

****

Justine strode into the Valeti’s house, pausing neither to knock nor to hold the door for Daniel as he struggled with the huge cooler. He watched as she sauntered straight into the dining room. She’d gone out of her way to dress sexy, skintight black jeans, a fitted low-cut sweater, and sky-high heels.
Please don’t let her make a scene.

“Hey. You made it,” Frank said. “You want a cosmo?” He held up a pitcher.

“No, thanks. I’m gonna have a beer. You should offer Justine one. Maybe it’ll improve her mood.”

Frank laughed. “You got it.”

Daniel reached into the cooler for a beer and felt Marienne come up beside him. He turned and looked into her smiling face. “I’m glad you’re here.” Her voice instantly soothed him. “Come, I want to introduce you to everyone.”

Marienne’s college friends were funny and smart. Darla worked for a major law firm, and Beth was a fashion designer who’d created a new line for the GAP. Their husbands were equally impressive. Darla’s husband, Phil, worked at the same firm and was on track to make partner. Beth’s husband, Don, was in real estate and had just listed a home that was featured in House Beautiful.

Daniel noticed that Justine was ignoring the women in favor of chatting up both Phil and Don. She flirted liberally, laughing at their jokes, flitting her hand across their arms. Justine caught Daniel watching her from across the room. Her eyes glinted at him. She put down her empty glass and reached into the ice bucket for a beer.

“Let me get that.” Phil took the bottle from her hand and twisted off the cap.

“Thanks.” Justine’s eyes did not leave Daniel’s. She tilted her head back, arching her neck as she drank. Her tongue skimmed her lips. She smirked as she returned her attention to Phil. Daniel gripped his drink and tried to focus on what Beth was saying.

“Hey,” Frank said. “Enough chatter, this is supposed to be Game Night. Come on. Let’s see who brought their game.”

“What are we playing?” Darla asked.

“I know,” Beth said. “Let’s play ‘I never’.”

“What’s ‘I never’?” Frank asked.

“None of you know how to play?” She scanned the room.

“Well,” Don said. “I heard you talk about it enough after your ‘girls’ weekend’ last summer, but you know I’ve never played.”

“Me neither,” the rest concurred.

Beth grinned. “Okay, I’ll explain. We sit in a circle, like musical chairs, one less seat than there are people, so we’ll say three allowed on the couch, two on the love seat, one on the chair, and we’ll bring in one more chair.”

“Right on it, babe.” Don jumped up and grabbed a chair from the dining room.

She counted as she pointed to everyone. “Perfect, seven seats, eight of us. Now for the rules. The person in the middle has to name something they’ve never done, so for example, if you’ve never had sushi you say ‘I never ate sushi’ then anyone who has eaten sushi has to get up, and find an empty seat. Whoever is left standing has to name something they’ve never done.” She took the beer out of her husband’s hand and took a swallow. “You have to be honest. You can’t lie and say you’ve never done something you actually have done, and if you have done whatever it is you need to own up to it and stand. Everyone got it?”

Chuckles mixed with a chorus of “Oh my Gods.”

“Okay,” she said,” I’ll start.”

“Is there anything you haven’t done?” Marienne asked. She noticed that Daniel grinned, and she smiled back.

“Shut up.” Beth swatted at her. “Okay. I never went to Greece.”

Everyone besides Don stood, and scrambled for the empty seats. Frank was the slowest, and though he jokingly tried to sit on Daniel’s lap, he conceded and took his rightful place in the middle of the circle.

“Hmmm.” He rubbed his chin. “This is harder than it looks.” Everyone laughed. “I never saw the movie ‘Gone with the Wind’.”

All three women and Daniel stood up and raced for each other’s seats. Marienne was left standing.

“I can’t believe you still haven’t watched that movie,” she said. “I’ve taught him nothing in all these years.”

Frank shrugged. “Sorry, babe.”

Marienne had the advantage of knowing the secrets of everyone in the room, but she didn’t want to break any confidences. Her eyes darted between the men, and she smiled wickedly. “I never wore a condom.”

It took a solid second before what she said registered, but then all four guys got up and tripped over each other dodging for the empty seats. Marienne scooted into Daniel’s chair. He was left in the middle.

He laughed, shoulders shaking, as he rubbed his thumb across his lower lip. His hand raked through his hair, thoughtfully scratching behind his ear. “I never…” He looked right at Frank. “Fell asleep on the train and woke up in Trenton.”

“D’oh,” Frank got up, and Daniel slipped into his spot. Frank was the only one who had stood.

Everyone laughed.

“Feels like I was just up here.” Frank said.

“That’s because you were,” Phil said.

“Shut the fuck up,” Frank said, and they all laughed again. “Jesus, there’s not much I haven’t done.” His face lit up. “I never used a tampon.”

Everyone groaned, but sure enough all four women rose and so did Don. Beth and Darla sat in the dining room chair at the same time, but Darla gave Beth an extra hard nudge and knocked her off.

“Bitch.” Beth laughed.

“Like this is news?” Darla said.

Phil laughed, a little too hard, and Darla smacked him.

“Love you, sweetie.” He leaned over to kiss her.

“Awww,” Beth and Marienne said simultaneously.

“Whipped,” Don said, in a fake cough.

“What the fuck?” Frank said. “Am I the only one here wondering why Don’s used a tampon?”

“Hey,” Don laughed. “I played Rugby. You broke your nose, coach shoved a tampon up. It happens.”

The room filled with laughter.