Page 1
Chapter 1
Piers
I’mglad to fucking get home after the day from hell. I pull into my driveway, kill the engine, and let out a long breath. This day has been nonstop, and the seat of my truck has practically become a part of my anatomy.
Landscaping may not be rocket science, but it’s no walk in the park either. Today was one of those days where I swear the sun was trying to roast me like a human kebab. I swing open the truck door and step onto my faded green front lawn, feeling the slight crunch of grass underfoot that tells me it desperately needs a drink. Fuck. I’ve been so busy taking care of all the well-manicured yards in Silver Spoon Falls and ended up neglecting my own.
I hop out and slam the door shut. Turning, I see my neighbor, Jasper Mora, with his little toy poodle sidekick, Winston. Every time I see that fluffball, I wonder how something that small can produce so much noise. As if on cue, Winston spots me and begins his daily lecture on property lines and poodle respect with a series of barks loud enough to shatter glass.
“Hey, Jasper,” I call over, heading toward my own mailbox. Jasper is doing the same, his mail-checking routine seemingly synchronized with mine.
“Piers! How’s it going?” Jasper grins, looking like he’s just stepped off a yacht rather than out of the suburban slice of life next door. His gray hair is perfectly coiffed in a nineteen-sixties pompadour with a straw hat sitting on top. His bright white shirt is ironed crisp, and I’m pretty sure his boat shoes are older than me. He’s the kind of neighbor who always looks like he’s just about to host a fancy shindig.
“Oh, you know, just the usual grind,” I reply, trying to make myself heard over Winston’s barking. Seriously, does that dog ever take a breath? “Business is thriving, but training the new guys is like trying to herd cats.”
Jasper chuckles, adjusting his sunglasses, probably to better observe the spectacle of me being simultaneously exhausted and mildly poodle-attacked. “I bet it’s tough managing people and expectations all day. How many new recruits did you say?”
“Two,” I tell him, holding up a couple of fingers for emphasis as if the number might need visual reinforcement for dramatic effect. “They’ve got about as much experience with a lawnmower as Winston here has with quiet contemplation.”
That earns me a playful glare from Jasper and another round of yapping from Winston. I wonder if Winston’s part fire alarm. “I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Jasper insists. “Remember when I tried trimming my hedges and ended up with what you called 'abstract art’?”
Oh, I remember all too well. It took me an entire Saturday afternoon to repair the damage. “It could’ve been worse.” I’m not sure how, but it’s the only reply my exhausted mind could come up with.
“I’m not sure how.” He chuckles. It’s funny how chatting with Jasper has become part of my daily decompression routine. Despite Winston’s vocal protests, there’s something inherently entertaining about our little verbal sparring sessions.
“Have you thought about hiring a professional trainer?” Jasper suggests, eyeing me like he’s about to propose the deal of the century.
“Hmm, maybe,” I muse aloud, scratching my head. “But where’s the fun in that? Mixing up rookie mistakes with actual landscaping is what keeps my life interesting.”
“Well, if you ever need a hand or, you know, advice from someone terrifically useless at anything outdoorsy, you know where I live.” His smile is genuine.
“I might just take you up on that. You could always train Winston here to fetch tools instead of just giving me an earful every day.”
Winston snorts. An honest to God snort leaves his little mouth as though he’s heard my comment and is very unamused. Jasper reaches down to give his trusty fluffball a reassuring pat. “Oh, he’s actually a genius covertly masquerading as a loaf.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” I joke, shaking my head as I start to sift through the usual junk mail and bills. Nothing too exciting there.
“Hey, if you want to escape to the realm of the living this weekend, I’m hosting a little gathering,” Jasper offers, leaning on the fence. I pause and blink for a moment. My weekends usually consist of recovering from the busy week before.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I tell him and watch as he shuffles his way back toward his front door, a thought nudging my mind. I can’t help but let curiosity get the better of me, so I call out, “What’s the occasion for the party?”
He turns back to face me, a grin playing on his lips as if he was waiting for me to ask. Winston seems momentarily distracted by a flying bug, allowing us a rare moment of peace. “Ah, it’s nothing too extravagant,” Jasper replies, leaning casually against the fence. “My niece, Remi, is moving in with me for a little while.”
I blink in surprise, my eyebrows lifting in unison. “Niece?” I repeat, trying to wrap my head around this new development. “I didn’t even know you had a niece.”
Jasper chuckles, the ease never leaving his demeanor. “Yep, Remi. She’s been living the big city life for a while, and now she’s decided to try something new.”
I shift a little on my throbbing feet. “So, she’s coming here to, what, enjoy suburban bliss?” I joke, glancing at my brownish lawn and the perfectly trimmed hedges of our little neighborhood.
“Well, more to keep an eye on her aging uncle, as I’m told,” he replies, a playful glint in his eye. “Apparently, moving in with me makes sure I remember to not skip meals or something equally tragic.”
“Ah, she’s coming to keep you in line,” I tease, crossing my arms. “And here I thought you had everything under control with Winston as your trusty sidekick.”
Jasper laughs, adjusting his straw hat like he’s just adjusted his crown. “Winston’s a great alarm system, but not much help when it comes to finding where I left my glasses or whether I paid the electric bill. Since she works from home, designing websites or some techy thing like that, she can do her job anywhere.”
“It’s great she’s able to come live with you.”
Jasper snorts, shaking his head. “I’m hoping she gets her ass moving and finds herself a man while she’s at it. She’s so goddamn picky; she’s become an old-maid.”
