Temptation Trails (The Haven Brothers #3)

“That sounds like Louise.” Doris eased her way off the stool. “Her nose must have been itching.”

“I thought it was ears burning.”

“I think it’s the nose. Itchy nose, someone is talking about you. Coming, Louise!”

Doris disappeared to the front and came back a moment later, ushering her friend Louise Haven into the kitchen. Louise wore a lavender velour track suit—I’d never seen her in anything else, although the colors varied—and her gray hair was in a loose bun at the nape of her neck. She was roughly my aunt’s age, but until about six or seven years ago, their friendship had been strictly clandestine. Doris had been friends with the Bailey family, the former rivals to the Havens.

Growing up, the feud had been a huge thing in Tilikum. Certain restaurants and stores had been forbidden to me and my sister Holly, like the Copper Kettle Diner and Home Slice Pizza. Holly had always declared it to be stupid, but I’d taken it very seriously. You didn’t mess with feuds.

Although nothing bad seemed to have happened to Doris or Louise on account of their secret friendship.

In any case, it was all in the past. And thank goodness for that, because Home Slice had the best margherita pizza I’d ever tasted.

And Doris and Louise could openly be friends.

“Oh good, you’re both here.” Louise set her purse on the island and fixed her gaze on me. A knowing smile curved the corners of her mouth. “How did it go?”

“He stood her up,” Doris cut in before I could reply, her tone clipped. “Of course it isn’t your fault, and I’m not blaming you, but he is your nephew. The boy needs a talking-to.”

“He’s a grown man,” I said. “I don’t think anyone needs to talk to him.”

“He did what?” Louise’s voice was filled with shock.

Doris gestured toward me. “Stood her up. He left her sitting at the Timberbeast all alone. Rocco gave her a free drink.”

Louise clutched her hands to her chest. “Scandalous. I hope no one was there to see it.”

“I think there were a couple of people there, plus the bartender guy,” I said. “Is that Rocco? The name fits.”

“You know how word gets around.” Doris shook her head sadly. “If something like this happens again, her reputation will be in serious jeopardy.”

“My reputation?”

Louise clicked her tongue. “We can’t have that.”

“What is this, Victorian England? How is my reputation going to be ruined?”

Doris blinked, as if just remembering I was standing there. “I don’t mean that sort of reputation. I just mean that people might begin to assume you’re…”

“I’m what?”

“Unlucky,” Louise said with a definitive nod.

“Shh.” Doris put a finger to her lips. “Don’t use that word in front of her.”

I sighed. “I’m not that fragile. And I am unlucky. You know this about me.”

Louise produced a small notebook from her purse and thumbed through the pages. “I was going to consider Luke as a backup if things with Garrett didn’t work out, but now I’m not so sure. No offense, dear, but he’s unlucky enough as it is, at least when it comes to love.”

“He isn’t with Jill again, is he?” Doris asked.

“Oh my stars, no.” Louise waved that off. “Heaven forbid.”

“Didn’t you set them up in the first place?”

“Twice, but who’s counting?” Louise smiled, her voice sounding more chipper. “Of course, the second time I didn’t recall they’d dated before. And Jill has a way of hiding her… let’s say her eccentricities.”

Doris leaned toward me and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “She’s a bit batty, if you know what I mean.”