Northern Rebel Daring in the Dark - By Jennifer Labrecque Page 0,15
definitely Lars’s whistle.
Dirk opened the bedroom door and went in, closing it behind him. He’d wait. Once he made up his mind about something, that was it. He just wished it didn’t take so damn long sometimes to make up his mind.
He placed the food on the nightstand. Hell, he might as well relax until Lars finished up in the john. Dirk stretched out diagonally on the blanket. He fit better that way and his boots weren’t on the bed. He’d almost drifted off to la-la land when the door opened.
Lars, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, pulled up short. “What the hell? Well, hey, Big D, make yourself at home.”
“Just checking out the bed for you.” Dirk grinned as he sat up. “It’s comfy.”
“Well, that’s good news.” Lars closed the door behind him and dropped his dirty laundry over in a corner.
“I delivered your chow for you.”
“That’s even better news.” He grabbed the foam box off the nightstand. “So, what’s up?”
Dirk leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees. “I thought I might talk to you for a few minutes.” Lars was usually easy to talk to. Liam was so dead-ass serious about everything.
Lars swallowed and paused between bites. “Uh, sure thing. What’s on your mind?”
“Natalie.” Dirk didn’t see a whole lot of point in pussyfooting around the subject.
“Natalie who?” Lars asked around a mouthful of stew.
“Do we both know more than one? Natalie Reinhardt.” He’d learned that she hadn’t changed her name when she and Liam had split.
“Liam’s ex?” Dirk nodded and Lars looked surprised. Liam must’ve not mentioned the whole thing to Lars, which suited Dirk just fine. Liam was a man who knew how to keep his mouth shut. “Okay, what about her?”
“Well, I’m not sure what to do.” Lars listened attentively while Dirk filled him in. “So, how do I get over her?”
Lars placed the now-empty container on the nightstand and propped against the wall. “You’ve dated other chicks, right?”
“Some.” There’d only been a handful.
“And that didn’t work out for you?”
They’d all been a total wash. “If it had, I wouldn’t be sitting here bellyaching now.”
“Then maybe you need to be figuring out how to get her instead of get over her. Hell, you’ve never even kissed her.” Lars shook his head as if Dirk was a lost cause. “You might sleep with her and find out she doesn’t really float your boat.”
Dirk stood, curling his right hand into a fist. He liked Lars, so the guy at least deserved some warning. But he needed to understand when enough was enough. “Be mindful that you’re respectful when you talk about her.”
“Easy there, Big Guy.” Lars gestured for him to calm down. “There’s not a damn thing disrespectful about sex. I like Natalie so let’s just get it straight that I haven’t and I wouldn’t disrespect her.”
Dirk relaxed his fist. “Okay. It’s just, you know...” He trailed off.
Lars shrugged. “No, I can’t say that I do. I haven’t carried a torch like that.”
“What about Denise Palmer?” It had been no secret that Lars had been crazy about Denise and he’d been pretty torn up when she’d broken up with him.
“I got over her and learned my lesson. But I’m damn sure not still carrying anything for her. But then, I don’t really understand why Liam has to marry Tansy.” He shook his head and shrugged again. “But I don’t have to get it. All I can tell you is if you’re going to be miserable without her, you better figure out how not to be without her.”
Dirk sank back onto the mattress and once again rested his arms on his outspread knees and studied the floor. “Well, I don’t know how that’s going to work out. I like my job with Liam and I’m here and she’s there—”
Lars cut him off. “So, invite her here.”
Dirk looked up. He hadn’t expected that. “Don’t you think it would be awkward, considering she and Liam were married once and now Liam’s going to have a new wife?”
Lars grinned. “There’s only one way to find out. Ask her and see what happens. It’s not as if she and Liam parted on bad terms.”
“What if she says no?” The thought of it tied Dirk’s guts in a knot.
“Why would she?”
Lars made it sound so simple. “Why wouldn’t she? And what if she’s only coming because she wants to see Liam again and check out Tansy?”
“Liam hasn’t exactly been in hiding. If she’d wanted to see him again, she’d have shown up sometime