“It’s mostly Patricia’s magic. She took me to an estate sale, and we got everything for a steal.”
“But the idea was yours, right?”
“We weren’t using this room anyway, and Dani said it was too cramped in her room for the chair. Two birds and all that.”
My casual shrug didn’t convince her. I sighed and pushed a hand through my hair and sought a way to throw her off the scent.
“I don’t know if she’s ever told you about my childhood.”
I paused, and Vanessa shook her head.
“No, she wouldn’t,” I mused. “Long story, my dad was a violent piece of shit. The Williams family was the reason I made it through. Mrs. Williams helped with my homework and drove me to football practice. Mr. Williams introduced me to Dusty at the garage and helped me buy my truck. They taught me everything about being good.”
“And Dani?” she asked.
“I never knew why she befriended me, but she did. It changed the trajectory of my life. When I found out what Beau was doing to her, what he’d done to her inner light, I made a promise to help her find it again.”
Vanessa’s expression softened as I spoke.Shit.
Yeah, it had to be obvious I was in love with Dani. Either that, or I was a sad sack. Or both.
I laughed self-consciously.
“If nothing else, Miss Priss likes it.”
We both turned to look at Dani’s cat, who made herself at home on the flat part of the table. Miss Priss was ignorant of my inner turmoil, but she came over when I said her name. I scratched her under the chin, and she purred contentedly.
“Wow, I thought that cat hated men.”
“Dani probably said that to protect Beau’s ego,” I said.
Vanessa hummed in agreement. She gathered her purse and hugged me.
“She’s going to love it.”
Her voice was full of meaning. Maybe it was a good thing Vanessa guessed my secret. When Dani eventually got into another relationship, maybe Vanessa would help run interference for me.
“See you in an hour.”
I walked her to the door and returned to the repurposed dining room. Satisfaction settled on my shoulders as I examined the space. It was probably too much, but Dani thought of me as a brother, so it would be okay. I pushed away the memory of her heated gaze earlier.
Time crept along until it was late enough for me to head to the bar without being too pathetic. When I arrived, Vanessa and her family were already there, and I relaxed. Dani and Vanessa were engaged in conversation, and I almost smiled when Dani laughed in response to something her friend said.
Instead of joining them, I headed to the bar where Neil poured drafts for someone else. I’d join Vanessa’s husband and daughter after I got a drink.
“Hey, handsome. Buy a lady a drink?”
I hadn’t noticed the buxom blond seated at the bar. Now, I glanced at her. By every metric, she was objectively beautiful, but she stirred nothing in me.
“Don’t waste your time on him,” Neil said. “He’s taken. What canI get you?”
I gave him my order, and he walked off to get my imported beer.
“Is that right?” the blond asked in a throaty voice.
I glanced at her in confusion.
“Hm?”
