with the foreman of the construction crew.
It was an all-out block party.
At my house.
Screw Zen.
I was gonna kill my mother.
My backpack thumped my shoulder blades as I stomped along the sidewalk. I slowed when I saw a familiar car pull into the driveway across the street. It parked behind a dark sedan I hadn't noticed before.
The door to the sedan opened, and I recognized Jennie Nix, the Realtor selling the house. She greeted Brickhouse
Krauss as she stepped out of her brand new Camry hybrid.
Oh. My. God.
Was Brickhouse looking at the house? To buy it?
No, not poss—
They went inside.
Brickhouse Krauss. Living across the street from me.
Panic flared. Even though we'd been getting on okay, I didn't want to be living within a hundred feet of her.
Deep breath. In, out.
Zen.
Breathe.
I unclenched my hands just in time to be wrapped from behind in an intimate dance hold. His heart beat steadily against my spine. His strong arms held me firmly. By the way my stomach flopped around behind my belly button, I knew who it was; I didn't have to look at his face.
"Sigh, he'd be hot and steamy," Kevin singsonged, mocking my answer from the show the night before.
I jabbed him in his diaphragm with my elbow, then spun around as he bent double, gasping for breath.
Hitching my backpack onto my shoulder, I looked at him, feeling no remorse.
Okay, some remorse, but I didn't dwell. That was something the old me would have done.
"Serves you right for mocking me," I said.
Slowly, he stood upright. Though he had to still be hurting, a small grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "It was worth it, holding you like that. You look great, by the way. Stunning."
I rolled my eyes. "What're you doing here, anyway?"
"Riley. We're doing a movie and dinner."
"Then do."
"He's getting ready."
"I'll spur him on." I headed toward the house, only to be stopped by my neighbor diagonally across the street, Flash Leonard.
"Hey cutie!" The neighborhood's geriatric playboy twirled me.
I broke into a smile, settled my right hand into his left and put my other arm around his back. Flash didn't move too fast these days, so I figured a little less spinning would probably be best.
Over his shoulder I spotted Kevin. He looked jealous. I smiled wider, feeling better.
"My sister is in town," Flash said. "Let me introduce you."
We tangoed across the lawn, over to a lovely woman speaking with the Molari brothers.
"Nina, this is my little sister, Sue Evans. She'll be staying with me until Christmas."
"It's a pleasure, Mrs. Evans." I shook her hand.
"Please call me Sue. Or Miss Sue, if you're one of those respectful types."
She had lovely hazel eyes, heavy on the green, that shone through her purple-rimmed glasses. Wavy white hair streaked with silver set off her beautiful complexion.
A little fluffy dog sat at her feet.
"That's Bear," she said, following my gaze.
"What breed?"
"Yorkie-poo. Part Yorkshire, part poodle."
"He's adorable." I scratched his ears, and he fl opped over onto his back hoping I'd rub his belly.
He could keep on hoping.
"Great party, isn't it?" Flash said.
"It is."
"That mother of yours is one special mama."
I looked around at the construction workers mingling with the picketers mingling with my neighbors, all smiles and laughter. "Yeah, I guess she is."
"I love the hair, by the way. Very snazzy. Always did have a thing for blondes." He winked and twirled me again.
As I spun I caught sight of my mother on the front porch. She was smiling and tapping her foot. Her gaze met mine. She squinted, then her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
Right. The makeover.
She started down the steps toward me, then she must have remembered she was avoiding me. Like a startled deer, she froze, then turned and scurried into the house, slamming the door behind her.
"Miss Sue, it was nice to meet you! Flash, save me another dance! Gotta go!" I dashed after my mother.
The front door was locked. She must have forgotten
It was an all-out block party.
At my house.
Screw Zen.
I was gonna kill my mother.
My backpack thumped my shoulder blades as I stomped along the sidewalk. I slowed when I saw a familiar car pull into the driveway across the street. It parked behind a dark sedan I hadn't noticed before.
The door to the sedan opened, and I recognized Jennie Nix, the Realtor selling the house. She greeted Brickhouse
Krauss as she stepped out of her brand new Camry hybrid.
Oh. My. God.
Was Brickhouse looking at the house? To buy it?
No, not poss—
They went inside.
Brickhouse Krauss. Living across the street from me.
Panic flared. Even though we'd been getting on okay, I didn't want to be living within a hundred feet of her.
Deep breath. In, out.
Zen.
Breathe.
I unclenched my hands just in time to be wrapped from behind in an intimate dance hold. His heart beat steadily against my spine. His strong arms held me firmly. By the way my stomach flopped around behind my belly button, I knew who it was; I didn't have to look at his face.
"Sigh, he'd be hot and steamy," Kevin singsonged, mocking my answer from the show the night before.
I jabbed him in his diaphragm with my elbow, then spun around as he bent double, gasping for breath.
Hitching my backpack onto my shoulder, I looked at him, feeling no remorse.
Okay, some remorse, but I didn't dwell. That was something the old me would have done.
"Serves you right for mocking me," I said.
Slowly, he stood upright. Though he had to still be hurting, a small grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "It was worth it, holding you like that. You look great, by the way. Stunning."
I rolled my eyes. "What're you doing here, anyway?"
"Riley. We're doing a movie and dinner."
"Then do."
"He's getting ready."
"I'll spur him on." I headed toward the house, only to be stopped by my neighbor diagonally across the street, Flash Leonard.
"Hey cutie!" The neighborhood's geriatric playboy twirled me.
I broke into a smile, settled my right hand into his left and put my other arm around his back. Flash didn't move too fast these days, so I figured a little less spinning would probably be best.
Over his shoulder I spotted Kevin. He looked jealous. I smiled wider, feeling better.
"My sister is in town," Flash said. "Let me introduce you."
We tangoed across the lawn, over to a lovely woman speaking with the Molari brothers.
"Nina, this is my little sister, Sue Evans. She'll be staying with me until Christmas."
"It's a pleasure, Mrs. Evans." I shook her hand.
"Please call me Sue. Or Miss Sue, if you're one of those respectful types."
She had lovely hazel eyes, heavy on the green, that shone through her purple-rimmed glasses. Wavy white hair streaked with silver set off her beautiful complexion.
A little fluffy dog sat at her feet.
"That's Bear," she said, following my gaze.
"What breed?"
"Yorkie-poo. Part Yorkshire, part poodle."
"He's adorable." I scratched his ears, and he fl opped over onto his back hoping I'd rub his belly.
He could keep on hoping.
"Great party, isn't it?" Flash said.
"It is."
"That mother of yours is one special mama."
I looked around at the construction workers mingling with the picketers mingling with my neighbors, all smiles and laughter. "Yeah, I guess she is."
"I love the hair, by the way. Very snazzy. Always did have a thing for blondes." He winked and twirled me again.
As I spun I caught sight of my mother on the front porch. She was smiling and tapping her foot. Her gaze met mine. She squinted, then her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.
Right. The makeover.
She started down the steps toward me, then she must have remembered she was avoiding me. Like a startled deer, she froze, then turned and scurried into the house, slamming the door behind her.
"Miss Sue, it was nice to meet you! Flash, save me another dance! Gotta go!" I dashed after my mother.
The front door was locked. She must have forgotten
Similar Books
