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‘Are you telling me you don’t need a friend?’ He tried to keep his tone light. ‘You’re new to the area, Lucy. Dad tells me you never see anyone apart from at work and at school. Surely a bit of adult company would be welcome occasionally? If you feel low, you can cry on my shoulder. And if I feel low, I can do the same to you.’
She looked at him in silence, her eyes solemn. ‘Answer me honestly. How many women friends have you had before? I mean friends that haven’t been lovers.’
He licked his lips. ‘Er—none,’ he said finally, knowing that he couldn’t lie to her. In fact, he’d never believed it was possible for a man and a woman to be just friends. At least, not until they’d got the sex out of the way.
She gave a gentle smile. ‘I thought as much. No offence, but I don’t really think you’re friend material, Joel.’
‘No?’ He took a deep breath, racking his brains for a way to convince her. ‘Who stole his brother’s car to give you a lift to the school today when you were desperate? Who waited so that he could give you a lift home? Who checked your child when he had an asthma attack? Who just cooked you—?’
‘Stop.’ She lifted a hand and stopped him in mid-flow, her green eyes guilty. ‘You’re right, of course. I couldn’t have had a better friend than you’ve been to me today. I don’t know what I would have done without you.’
‘Precisely.’ He pretended to look offended. ‘I may be new to this friendship lark, but I know the rules. And don’t think I cook my special pasta dish for just anyone.’
She laughed at that, aware that he was teasing her. ‘I’m honoured.’
‘So what do you say?’ He was deliberately keeping the conversation as light as possible so that he didn’t scare her off. ‘Will you give me the job? Chief friend? On a trial basis, of course. One foot wrong and you can fire me.’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘You’re crazy, do you know that?’
‘Is that a yes?’ He held his breath. At least she was still laughing.
‘Just friends?’
‘Just friends,’ he said firmly, thinking that he might just be about to face the hardest challenge of his life.
‘All right,’ she said finally. ‘Just as long as you promise not to cancel any hot dates on my behalf. It’s purely friendship, Joel.’
He held up his hands. ‘Absolutely. Friendship it is.’
She was still looking at him doubtfully. ‘Are you sure you’ll manage it?’
‘Of course.’
He’d manage it if it killed him.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘DAMMIT, Joel! We told you to leave her alone!’ Michael smashed his fist onto Joel’s desk and glared at him menacingly.
‘Leave who alone?’ Joel leaned back in his chair, his expression cool as he surveyed his brother.
‘Don’t play the innocent with me,’ Michael growled. ‘You know exactly what I’m talking about. You took my car—’
‘You gave me your car,’ Joel reminded him, and Michael frowned impatiently.
‘All right, I gave you my car.’ He waved a hand dismissively to show that it was a minor detail. ‘But I didn’t know you were going to try and make a move on Lucy.’
Joel’s eyes were suddenly hard. ‘I did not make a move on Lucy.’
‘You took her home!’
Joel leaned back in his chair, his voice suddenly soft. ‘Are you spying on me?’
‘No! Well, yes—I suppose I am.’ His normally calm older brother was unusually flustered. ‘I wanted to know why you needed my car!’ Michael lifted his hands in a gesture of pure exasperation. ‘I saw you drive off with her.’
Joel looked at him steadily. ‘Then you’ll know that I gave Lucy a lift to the school to pick up Sam, because her own car wouldn’t start.’
There was a long silence and Michael stared at him. ‘You picked up Sam?’
