Page 1 of The Best Bad Decision

Neighborly Interlude 1

Elaine

“What is Atlee doing?” Betty’s voice sounded odd through the phone, but I knew that was because she had her face pressed up against the window. “He looks…frustrated.”

“I think the better question is, what did that woman do now?” She was always up to something even before Atlee had enough and said he wanted a divorce. “She smiles like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.”

We’d both worried the street would get boring after she’d moved out. Watching them do nothing but fight for over six months had been like living in a soap opera, but we shouldn’t have worried.

Everything had just gotten more interesting after she’d moved out.

“Look at his face.” Betty sighed. “Oh. What?”

“Oh.” He was going over to Casimir’s house? “What is Atlee doing? They barely know each other.”

They hadn’t even said two words at the last barbecue.

“Every time she comes over he’s snippy afterward.” I knew Betty was shaking her head without having to see her. “Did you know he fussed at George down the street because that sweet man just asked what day trash pickup was this week?”

“No. I hadn’t heard that. But would Casimir help Atlee’s mood or hurt it?” That man was…well, he was curious. “Do you think Atlee knows that Casimir is…interesting?”

“How could he miss it with that biker or the screamer he dated last year?” Betty sighed. “We shouldn’t know how big his penis is. Some men just overshare.”

Technically, that might’ve been the mic’s fault and not that young man oversharing at such an eager volume.

Some neighbors were just more colorful than others.

“What are they doing?”

That was a very good question…we might need to get the microphone out again.

Chapter 1

Casimir

“I need you to date me.”

It wasn’t what I was expecting to hear when I opened my door to see my very sexy and very straight neighbor standing there. We were more like borrow a cup of sugar neighbors and not the dating kind, so I wasn’t sure what was going on or how to ask if Atlee had gone crazy.

Luckily for me, snark was always my backup and my brain didn’t need help for that. “Have you forgotten you’re straight and married?”

That second part might not matter because he’d been trying to get a divorce for at least six months, but I thought I’d make sure he remembered that too. I’d been surprised at the number of straight, gay, or curious guys who conveniently forgot that specific fact.

The sexy grump just rolled his eyes. “I really don’t see why I need to keep telling people I’m technically bisexual.”

Interesting.

“If you want to date me, that’s something you need to lead with.” I thought it was obvious, but Atlee sighed like I was being a pain in the ass.

I was…but that wasn’t the point.

“And the married part?” We weren’t going to ignore that one because I was going to get a good response to my points before we moved on to the what the fuck part of the conversation.

“I’m doing my best to get a divorce but everyone in the fucking world is against me.” Gesturing toward me, he clearly thought I could help. “Hence, why I’m here.”

That hadn’t explained nearly as much as he thought it did…but I was stupidly curious and really nosy, so he was in luck. “How can I help with that?”

His soon-to-be ex-wife had been nuts and I was pretty sure homophobic, so I was glad to help in any way possible, but that didn’t explain why she’d married a guy who liked dick too. Was it a batshit just made bad decisions kind of thing?