Wishing for the Girl Next Door (Piney Brook Wishes Book 3)

1. Karlee

Butterflies swarm in my stomach as I bend down and slip the strappy black heel onto my foot. I’ve dreamed of this day for years. Exactly what I would wear, what he would say.

Looking at the clock on my nightstand, I take a deep breath and smile. This is it.

A knock sounds from downstairs. He’s here.

Slowly, I grab my handbag, and take one last look in the mirror. The off-the-shoulder little black dress fits perfectly, making me feel beautiful and confident. When I get home, everything will have changed. I’ll be stepping into the next part of my life.

“Hello, Patrick,” I say as my foot hits the last step. “You look handsome.”

Patrick looks down at his black suit and gives me a small smile. “Thanks.”

He seems off, nervous. My chest feels light knowing he’s just as excited about this evening as I am.

“Shall we go?” I ask, slipping into my jacket.

Patrick nods, leading the way out the door and to his car. “You look lovely, Karlee.” He says once we’re settled inside. “Thanks for agreeing to see me tonight.”

I glance at him, puzzled. “Of course, Patrick. I know I’ve been working a lot lately, but you’re still my boyfriend.” For now. I try not to squeal.

He nods and pulls out of the driveway. The trip to the restaurant is a quiet one. I keep stealing glances at Patrick, but he never takes his eyes off the road. Opening my door, I slip out into the cool November air. “I can’t wait to eat here,” I say, giving him a huge smile. If he’s nervous, he may need some reassurance. Right?

“It’s good,” he says, and I wonder when he’s eaten here before.

I shrug. Maybe he came for a work event.

Patrick opens the door to the steak house, and the aroma makes my mouth water.

“Table for two. Mitchell.”

The hostess motions for us to follow her. I slip my hand into Patrick’s arm, but he pulls away, placing his hand on the small of my back and allowing me to go first.

“Here we are,” the hostess says, placing the menus on the table. “Your server will be right over.”

Patrick nods and slides into his chair. I pull my chair out and slip off my jacket, placing it on the backrest. Sitting, I take a moment to look around. The dining room is dimly lit, giving a romantic feel. I want to commit each detail to memory.

“So,” Patrick says, putting the menu down and looking at me. “How’s work?”

I frown a bit. I hadn’t expected to talk about work tonight. “It’s good. I think I’ve almost got enough saved for a nice down payment soon.” It’s the reason I’ve been working so hard. So that when Patrick and I get married, we can buy a home right away.

“That’s good.” He pauses while the server takes our drink order.

“Listen,” he says, twisting the stem of his water glass in his fingers. “We should talk.”

Suddenly, I’m nervous, and not in the anticipatory way—in the what is happening right now way.

“Okay,” I say, keeping my voice light, or trying to. “Do you not want to buy a house right away? We can always save the money for when we’re ready. I just want to put down roots, feel settled, you know?” I’m rambling, but for some reason I can’t stop.

He shakes his head and brings his eyes to mine. For the first time, I see regret where I once saw forever.

“Patrick. You’re scaring me,” I say, placing my hands in my lap and holding them together tightly.

“I... There’s no easy way to say this,” he starts. “Karlee, I’m seeing someone else.”

“What?” I all but shout, drawing the eye of the other couples in the dining room. “What are you talking about?”

“Please, stay calm,” Patrick says, pleading with his eyes for me not to make a scene. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. Celine and I, well...”

I throw up my hand. “Stop.”

“Karlee, let me explain.”

“Explain what?” I whisper harshly. “That my boyfriend and my best friend have been sneaking around behind my back?”

His face turns a bright shade of red.

“No, thank you,” I say, standing and grabbing my jacket. “I’ll find my own way home.”

I storm out of the restaurant, anger fueling every step. I’ve taken extra shifts. Worked myself to the bone to save for the future. Our future. And he cheats on me. With Celine?

I bump into someone coming out of the door. “Sorry...” My mouth drops open. “You’re joking right?”

“I’m so sorry,” Celine says, tears slipping down her face. “We didn’t mean...”

I push past her before she can say another word. This is not how this night was supposed to go.

June

“I wish you weren’t leaving.” Mom sighs and follows me to my SUV.

I push the last box into place and close the hatch. “I’ve already signed the lease and accepted the job. I can’t back out now.” Sighing, I turn to face her. “I know this is hard. It’s hard for me, too. I never expected to be leaving Rockville, but it’s time.”

I need to get out of this small town and figure out who I am. I’ve spent the last six years thinking I’d be Mrs. Karlee Mitchell. Those dreams went up in smoke seven months ago.

Mom nods, tears slip down her face. She reaches for me, and I let her envelop me in her strong arms. “Promise you’ll call when you get there?”

I squeeze her back. “Of course.”

Stepping away, I open the car door, slide inside, and take one last look at the house I’ve called home my whole life. Tears prick the backs of my eyelids. I won’t cry. Not again.

“Karlee,” Mom says, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Be safe.”

With one last wave, I close the door and start the car. This is it. The day my new life starts.

“Ready, Peanut?” My cat licks her soft brown fur and buries her head into her blanket. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

I back out of the driveway, and watch in the rearview as the town I grew up in fades in the distance. Thank goodness for audiobooks. Piney Brook is a solid three hours away, making it an ideal location to escape to. I wanted to be close enough to visit with my family, but far enough that I didn’t have to face them every day.

I tried. It’s been seven months since our very public break up. After the first month of anger and tears, I realized I needed to figure out a new path forward. One without men. I started looking for a new job opportunity right after the new year. And Piney Brook General seemed like the perfect place to start over.

I turn up the rom-com I downloaded for this trip. At least romance novels have happily-ever-afters.

No. I won’t let myself think like that. Just because Patrick was a dud doesn’t mean every man is. I’m sure there are plenty of men who wouldn’t cheat on their girlfriend of six years with her best friend. Ha! And to think, I was so certain he’d invited me to the fancy restaurant in town to propose.

Nope, the coward just wanted a public place to drop the bomb that he was in another relationship with Celine. So much for “sisters before misters.” We’d been best friends since first grade, and she went and stole my boyfriend.

Apparently, while I’d been working my behind off to save for our future, he’d been starting a life with someone else. How I didn’t catch wind of it I’ll never know. It’s not like our town is huge. You’d think someone, anyone, would have given me a heads up.

Thank goodness I’d been saving all that money. Moving to a new town isn’t cheap, but it was easy to put the first, last, and deposit down for my apartment. Of course, I don’t own any furniture yet, but it will happen.

The audiobook cuts out and my sister’s name pops up on the car display.

“Hey,” I say after answering. “How’s the fancy new job?”

Keeley laughs. “It’s going great. How long till you’re in Piney Brook?”

I glance at the clock. “A couple of hours still.”

“I’m going to miss you,” Keeley says softly. “I’ll come visit as soon as this is over.” Keels is going into her last year of college, majoring in journalism, and managed to secure an internship at the Rockville Times for the summer.

“Good plan. I should have furniture by then.” I chuckle. “Maybe you can bring Scott with you when you visit.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t buy furniture before you moved.” Keeley laughs. “I’m sure Scott would love to come. If you have the space.”

“I always have space for you, Keels, and that includes that sweet boyfriend of yours.” Especially since I know Scott’s already asked Mom for permission to marry her. I’m sure by the time they come to visit, there will be a ring on her finger.

“I’m really going to miss you, Karlee.”

“I know,” I say, reassuring her. “I’m going to miss you too.”

We talk for a few more minutes before Keeley’s break is over. After saying goodbye, I hit play on the audiobook and lose myself for the next two hours.

I spot a sign announcing Welcome to Piney Brook and turn off the radio. “We’re here, Peanut,” I say, rolling down the windows to let in the fresh air. I slow my SUV and take in the strip I assume is downtown. A cute diner called Beats and Eats, an elementary school, and a few other little shops dot the main street.

I turn onto Piney Brook Ave. and spot a newer apartment complex off to the left. Turning into the parking area, I pass the pool and clubhouse, complete with a small gym. I am definitely looking forward to the amenities.

Throwing the SUV in park by the front office, I grab my purse and step out of the car. “I’ll be right back.”

Who knew my best friend would be my cat now? Great.

A few minutes later, I’m standing at the front door of my new apartment. Mine. There’s an explosion of butterflies in my chest as I realize I’m finally doing it. I’m living life on my terms. Sliding the key into the slot, I turn it over and swing the door open. “Home sweet home, Peanut.”

I step inside, place the pet carrier on the floor, then squat down in front of it and pop open the door. Peanut flies out of the carrier like it launched her from a cannon and starts running around the empty space. Her antics cause me to belly laugh, and, for the first time since the breakup, I feel things might actually be okay. Once she’s explored the entire apartment, she settles down.

“Wait here,” I say, petting her head. “I’m going to get your dishes and litter box first. We’ll get you all set up in no time.” She meows and wanders into the space that will be the living room once I find a furniture store. I step out into the hallway and shut the door. Can’t risk her running off.

Once I’ve grabbed her supplies and a few other small things I can carry, ?I head back up the stairs to my apartment. I grin. I like how it sounds in my head—my apartment.

Opening the door, I move to step inside just as Peanut squeezes through the small gap between the door and my leg and races down the stairs. I drop the things in my hands, and her food bowls clang loudly on the cement landing in front of the door.

“Peanut!” I shout, knowing full well she’s not coming back that easily. “Jimminy Crickets! You get back here! Don’t you leave me, too, you stinker. You’re all I have!” I shout as my foot hits the sidewalk at the bottom of the stairs. “Peanut, come on, sweetie. Don’t make me chase you around, please?” I creep closer to where she’s sitting by a cluster of bushes licking her paws, stopping before I get too close. I slowly reach out my arm, when right by my ear, I hear—

“Can I help?”

“AHHH!” I scream, startling the cat, who promptly runs up a nearby tree. I slam my hand over my chest where my heart is doing its best to beat right out. “You scared me,” I say, turning on my heel to face the offender.

My breath catches in my throat. This man is gorgeous. Dark brown hair that is a bit too long lays over his ears. He’s got deep brown eyes like pools of chocolate, and a grin the size of Texas that pops a little dimple out in his left cheek.

“You scared me,” I say again. “And now my cat is up a tree.” My hands ball into fists on my rounded hips. “Now what am I going to do?”

The man laughs. I feel the heat rise to my cheeks. “This is not funny! She’s scared. And now she’s stuck in a tree, for goodness’ sake.”

He schools his face. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Evan,” he says, extending his hand.

I eye him before shaking his hand quickly. “Karlee.”

“Well, Karlee,” he says, looking me up and down. “I think I have just the trick. Stay right here.”

“As if I’d go anywhere with my cat stuck up a tree,” I call as he jogs away. I roll my eyes.

Evan laughs as though this is the funniest thing that’s happened all day. He reaches the stairwell, takes the steps two at a time, and slips into the door across the hall from mine. Great, my neighbor is the hottest man I’ve ever seen, and my cat is up a tree. Wonderful start to this new, no-man-needed life I’ve set out to build.

“Come on down, Peanut,” I beg. “Please?” I’m sure I look like a lunatic out here talking to a tree. I’m dressed in comfortable leggings, an oversized UA of Little Rock shirt, and a pair of sneakers. My hair is in a messy bun on top of my head, and sweat is making the flyaways stick to my face.

Peanut just meows and climbs higher. Awesome.

“Here kitty, kitty.” Evan’s rich voice slides over my ears like warm honey on a biscuit. He shakes a little bag of cat treats. “Be a good girl and come on down now.” He opens the bag and places a treat on the ground by the tree.

“That’s never going to work,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. He shakes the bag again, never breaking eye contact with me. I look back up at Peanut who’s now staring down at us from her perch. “She’s too stubborn to be bribed with a little piece of…”

Peanut hops down to a lower limb, rushes to its lowest point, and parkours herself to the ground. It took seconds. “Seriously?” I shake my head and move to grab her.

“Wait,” Evan says, catching my arm. He opens my palm and places a few more treats in my hand. “Go slow and show her the food. You don’t want to spook her up the tree again.”

I sigh and nod. He’s right. The last thing I need is to have her run back up the enormous oak tree. Opening my hand so she can see I’ve got more goodies, I slow my pace and walk calmly toward her. I bend down, placing my hand where she can smell it, but far enough for her to have to come to me. As soon as she takes a nibble of the treats from my palm, I wrap my free arm around her and snatch her up.

“Bad girl running out like that.” I rub my face against her head. “You can’t do that again,” I admonish.

“I’m glad you got her.” Evan stands there—treat bag in his hand—smiling. “Mittens did the same thing when I moved in. Turns out, cats don’t love new apartments.” He shrugs.

“Mittens?” I look at Peanut and grin. “You have a cat named Mittens?”

He tilts his head to the side. “Yep. Maybe he and Peanut will be friends, now that Mittens has shared his treats.” He shakes the bag again, making Peanut meow with longing.

For the first time since she bolted out the door, I’m laughing. “Thanks for your help, Evan.”

“No problem.” He glances back upstairs at the mess I left when I dropped everything to chase the cat. “You need some help with your stuff?”

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

He looks to the parking lot where my SUV’s clearly loaded down with boxes and laughs. “Let me put these away and grab some shoes. We’ll have you unloaded in no time. My mom would never forgive me if I didn’t help a new neighbor.”

I look down at his bare feet. He ran outside barefoot to help me get my cat down from the tree. I shake my head. Who is this man?

“Okay.” I nod, resigning myself to accepting his help. I’m tired from the drive, and I still need to figure out furniture and go to the grocery store. “I’ll put Peanut back into her carrier until we’re done. Don’t want to risk her running off again.”

He grins and takes off back up the stairs and into his apartment.

Thirty minutes later, Evan has carried up all the boxes from the car. Insisting I unpack while he does the heavy lifting. I’m not going to complain. The process certainly went a lot faster than I had planned.

“Where’s your furniture?” he asks, leaning against the kitchen counter with a bottle of water in his hand. He brought a few over from his apartment and put them in the fridge when he realized I hadn’t thought to bring any.

“I don’t have any yet,” I say, wiping my face with a wet paper towel. “It’s on my list.”

“Where will you sleep tonight?”

I point to a pile of pillows and blankets I’d crammed into a trash bag when I packed. “I’ll make a pallet on the floor. I’m sure I can get something delivered soon.”

“Be right back.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond before he slips out the door. Five minutes later, he’s back carrying an air mattress and electric pump. “It’s not the best, but it works. I use it when my sister’s kids come to stay with me.” He shrugs and sets the items on the floor. “You can borrow it.”

“I...” I don’t know what to say. “Why are you being so nice?” I blurt. I slap my hand over my mouth, feeling the flames of embarrassment lick up my neck and into my face. Patrick would have never thought to offer a stranger an air mattress.

Evan’s brows pinch together as if he’s trying to figure me out. “I’m being neighborly.” He shakes his head. “I’m not sure where you’re from, but in Piney Brook, we look out for each other. Especially pretty women who are new to town.” He winks.

“Oh,” I whisper. “I’m sorry. Usually when people are this helpful, they want something,” I say, eyeing him. He does seem like a bit of a flirt.

“Nope,” he says, popping the p. “I just know I’d want someone to offer my sister something better than the floor if they could. Seriously, it’s not a problem.” He taps the counter with his hand. “Well, the grocery store is back on Main Street. The best place to grab a quick bite to eat is Beats and Eats. If you need anything else, I’m across the hall.”

“Thanks Evan, I appreciate your help today.” He nods and walks out the door toward his apartment. I flip the lock into place, turn, and look at my mostly empty apartment. What do I do first?