Best Friend Next Door (Love Next Door Book 2) *Rough Draft*

Chapter 31

"Melanie, I seriously don't know what you are talking about." Brody chuckled leaning back into his desk chair.

Melanie knew it was not something she could just leave alone. Mr. Abe being like a father to her just made it feel like a tick in her side. She couldn't face him again until she knew the truth. Catching Brody just before he left his office for the day was a stroke of luck, but the fact that he knew almost nothing.

"I mean, word got around that some developer has been going around trying to buy some of the struggling businesses, and I mean I love Vincentville." He leaned forward, "I wouldn't want to see this town become a strip mall, or some industrialized tourist trap."

Melanie scratched the back of her neck. It didn't make sense. There couldn't have been any truth to it, and even if it was Vincentville citizens were family. One of the upsides to the small town. It was one of the only things she could say she missed.

She stood. "Well, if Mr. Abe didn't talk to you about what has been going on, I need to get to Val's." She sighed snatching her purse off of the desk. "I'll see you around Brody."

"I'm sorry." He stood his big blue eyes widened in sympathy, "If there is anything I can do, let me know."

"Where did you hear this about the developer?"

He blew out a breath sliding his fingers through his dark brown hair, "I don't know. Here and there. You know how it goes around here. I was just trying to help."

The side of his mouth quirked showing a tease of his pearly white teeth. Melanie could understand why the two of them had been friends. Together they probably drove women crazy. She shook if off. The good doctor was a Ken doll, that was the truth, but Christian wouldn't have told her to stay away from him for no reason at all.

"Well thanks anyway."

He walked at her heel toward the door and held the door open as she walked out taking in his warm musky scent with her, and feeling his eyes scroll her figure as she walked toward her car. She gave stopped and gave a quick pivot on her heels to look back at the devious sexy grin across his wet lips. She stopped fearing that she could trip or something feeling the heat of his eyes on her ass.

She smiled, "Goodnight Doctor."

"'Night Mel." He gave a bashful wave propping himself against the door opening,"You get home safe, okay sweetheart."

Melanie had to admit. Watching the doctor blatantly undress her with his eyes was flattering. In a way that made her feel like less of the dorky girl he knew in high school, but it ended there. As a grown up, it made her skin prickly in a not so good way. Part of it was because she had become accustomed to another set of blue eyes that undressed her in a special way. That saw within her soul and cherished her physically, mentally, and spiritually.

She let out a growl to herself as she backed out of the parking lot. If only there was a way to get him out of her system.

* * * *

"Yo?"

"Issac?" Christian thought he dialed the wrong number after the grunt on the other line.

"What's up Christian?"

Christian blew out a frustrated breath. "Dad wanted to know if you were coming to dinner tonight."

"Can't."

"Why not Issac?" It wasn't like his little brother had a life...or a girlfriend for that matter, he wanted to add but decided against it.

"I'm busy."