Page 17 of Pretty

“Why?”

“Because having new neighbors doesn’t sit well with me. Not because I don’t like people, but because I have a difficult time with change.”

The Johnsons had always checked on me after losing Cassius. The elderly couple had three adult children, seven grandchildren, and they were like a second set of parents to Cassius and me. They had been the first to welcome us to the neighborhood when we purchased our home.

“I guess that depends on whose perspective you’re looking from. Some might say your new neighbor is cool.”

“And others?”

“I don’t know. What about you? What might people say about you?”

“Uhm, why?”

“Well, it’s just if you’re going to ask questions about the neighbor, the neighbor might expect reciprocity.”

“I’m so sorry. This is all just catching me off guard. The family that lived here before you, the Johnsons, they were like family, and it’s just that losing them is rather personal. Then there’s you. I didn’t expect you, Drew.”

“I can be an unexpected blessing if you open up your life and make space for me.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

“Something tells me you are. Something tells me that I’m going to be exactly what you need. Obviously, we were meant to be in each other’s lives.”

“I doubt it,” I replied smartly.

“How could you? Look where we are,” he declared, pointing on his side of the yard and then mine.

“We were supposed to leave each other behind in the rearview mirror.

“I don’t know, Pretty. You’re kind of hard to leave in the rearview mirror.”

I chewed my lip and thought, You’re kind of hard to leave behind too. Instead, I replied, “Humph. We’ll have to see how this neighbor thing works out.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, narrowed his eyes, and bit down sexily on his bottom lip. I smirked and headed back to my house, but I could feel his gaze on me the entire time.

THREE DAYS LATER

I had just finished setting up my gym equipment when the doorbell rang. I cleaned my hands and jogged upstairs to answer the door. I was surprised to find Pretty standing on my porch with covered dishes.

“Hey. What’s this?” I asked with a smile as my stomach growled. The smells emanating from her dishes were delicious, and I realized I hadn’t eaten since breakfast almost ten hours earlier.

I spent most of my day unpacking and organizing my bedroom and gym the way that I wanted them. I would eventually get to the other rooms, but they would have to wait until after I tackled the kitchen—the next day.

“I’ve got lamb chops with a cognac Dijon cream sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans almondine.”

“The woman not only paints amazing pictures, but she cooks too. Are you even real?” I teased.

She smiled and replied, “I just wanted to prove that I could be a good neighbor too. Besides, I saw that you had more furniture delivered this morning. I figured you might be too busy to cook. Isn’t that what good neighbors do?”

I opened the door wider, and she stepped inside.

“You’re just going hard with this neighbor thing, huh?” I asked as she passed me and headed straight to the kitchen.

Pretty placed the food on the counter and turned to me. “That’s what we are.”