Page 4 of Reuniting with Lucy
“Yes, I’m so excited,” Lucy said. “I can’t wait to tell you my ideas.”
“You’ll meet the contractor at tomorrow’s meeting. He’ll be the main liaison for your project,” Adam said. “I haven’t worked with him, but he’s a good friend of my friend Spencer. His name’s Jack. Spencer’s wife is due any day now, so he called Jack to see if he could take over. They’ve been friends since college, and Spencer says he does great work.”
“Jack?” Lizzie said, giving Lucy a knowing glance and raising her eyebrows.
Lucy shot her a warning look. “Don’t,” she said to her sister.
Adam looked between the two of them. “You know I don’t speak your secret, mind-reading twin language. What’d I miss?”
“Nothing,” Lucy said.
“Lucy met a guy at UNC named Jack,” Lizzie said, ignoring Lucy. “He stood her up one night, and she’s never gotten over him.”
“Uh, obviously, I’ve gotten over him. I’m marrying Curtis,” Lucy said. Had everyone already forgotten? Criminy.
“Oh, yes. I mean, it took youa whileto get over him,” Lizzie corrected, giving Curtis a sheepish smile. “She gots a new hottie now.”
Lucy rolled her eyes at her sister’s tactlessness.
Jack. It couldn’t be. Not that it mattered. Lizzie was right. She’d moved past Jack years ago. She was ready to move on with a new man. A reliable one, who did what he said when he said it.
CHAPTER TWO
Jack McAllister sat in a downtown coffee shop and wondered again about his sanity. On a whim, he’d moved to New Bern from Wilmington to help an old college buddy with a construction project. Spencer had introduced him to a guy named Adam, who was starting a long-term venture renovating five commercial spaces. Initially, Jack was only supposed to be part of the crew, but Spencer had promptly bugged out—something about a baby coming any day—and put Jack in charge.
The soon-to-be occupants were all sisters, each of whom had a business in town. The first remodel would be a second edition of this coffee shop, and today, he would meet the owner. Hopefully, she wasn’t a micromanaging freak that would be at the work site every day, telling him what to do. He preferred a thorough plan and then to be left alone.
“So, how do you know these ladies?” Jack asked Adam.
“My wife, Kate, is the oldest Parker sister. She owns a real estate firm. We’ll move her to one of the suites once her current lease is up. Emma is an accountant and runs an office about a block away. Lucy leases this place and is on deck to move first. And Lizzie owns the bar across the street, The Drop. The youngest sister, Daisy, lives in Paris. We’re saving the fifth spot for her in case she decides to come home and settle down.”
“That’s a lot of women.” Jack thought back to a Lucy Parker he met briefly in college. It couldn’t be the same woman. That would be too coincidental.
“Sure is. They’re great though. It’s not like Lucy to be late,” Adam said, checking his watch. “I hope nothing happened. She’s usually very on top of things.”
Just as Adam spoke, Jack looked up to see a beautiful, dark-haired woman enter the store. He recognized her immediately as Lucy Parker—the girl from the quad. She’d dyed her hair black and had matured a bit, but was still heart-breakingly gorgeous. Just one look on that college campus ten years ago, and he’d never forgotten her.
He’d been so excited about their date, even splurged on some flowers. But when he arrived to pick her up, he’d found her swapping spit with some guy in the dorm lobby. He ducked out before she could see him, chucked the flowers in the nearest trash can, and left.
They’d only talked for five minutes that day on the quad, but for some unknown reason, the betrayal had hurt. Even now, it stung. He’d written her off as one of those entitled, spoiled brats he’d spent his life trying to avoid. The encounter left a lasting impression on him, but she’d probably had a good laugh and then forgotten it.
As she approached, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. The intense feelings he’d had for her when they first met didn’t register at all. His infatuation had withered, and thank goodness. Working with her would be awkward enough—no need to throw in an attraction to her.
When his gaze met hers, all he got in return was a blank stare. She didn’t even remember him. Figures.
“Hey, Lizzie,” Adam said. “Where’s Lucy?”
“How should I know? Am I my sister’s keeper?” the dark-haired Lucy said with a smirk. “Just kidding. She wanted me to come over and tell you she’s on her way. Something about Mr. Snuggles and barf. I didn’t ask for details.”
“Mr. Snuggles,” Adam said, rolling his eyes. “All right. Well, thanks for letting us know.”
Jack’s brows knit in confusion. This was clearly the woman he’d met on campus. “That’s not Lucy?” he asked Adam.
“Oh, no. Sorry, Jack, this is Lucy’s twin, Lizzie. Lizzie, this is Jack, the contractor for Lucy’s remodel.”
“How you doin’?” Lizzie said, giving Jack a slow up-and-down perusal.
Jack had to ask. “Did you go to UNC about ten years ago?”