Page 45 of Resisting the Grump

“I mean, if you feel like smashing any plates or screaming my name through the walls tonight, you only get extra points for annoying the guy next door.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, the elevator rising with my mounting nerves.

“He’s the worst neighbor I’ve ever had, and I’ve never even met him.”

“Wow.” I leaned back and fought the urge to fidget. “What did he do that was so awful?”

“I don’t even want to talk about it,” she said, getting off the elevator. On my floor. Was this made bed already ripe for lying in or what? How could I possibly tell her now? It would definitely ruin the evening, especially after what she just said. But if I kept quiet a while longer, we could both carry on enjoying the night and—

Avery stopped in front of Elaine’s door and pulled out a key.

Shit. “This your place?” I asked, the stupid question stinging my ears.

“Yep. All three rooms,” she said, pushing the door open. “And that’s where the grump who makes me want to buy stock in voodoo dolls lives.”

“You want me to have a word with him?” I don’t know what came over me. It just seemed like the right thing to say. But she wasn’t even in on the joke. And what if she said yes?! My mind raced, but relaxed when I realized how easy it would be to walk four yards to my door, act surprised “he” wasn’t home, and then talk some more smack… before moving out in the middle of the night to avoid any more awkwardness.

“Absolutely not.”

My chest loosened.

“You coming?” she asked.

“All three rooms, you say?” I followed her inside. “I need to see this for myself.” It was a strange sensation, being behind enemy lines. “How did you get the name Avery?” I asked. Or should I say, Elaine.

The first thing that struck me about her place was how colorful it was. From the painted coffee table to the pillows on the couch to the… dog leash draped over the skinny shoe rack by the door. I swallowed. It felt like a different building. Her living room was half the size of mine and included her open kitchen, but she’d made the most of the space using strategic furniture. A hollow ottoman. A mirrored dresser. Those hanging air plants that don’t need water or floorspace.

“My mom liked it,” she said, heading towards the kitchen. “And my dad said she could name me anything she liked except for Horace.”

I laughed and closed the door before leaning towards the high table in the entryway to steal a glance at her stacked mail. God forgive me. One slip into postal deviance and now I was in free fall, but I had to be sure her name was Avery. Which it was. At least her electric company thought so.

I hated myself for even looking. For being such a lousy neighbor. All I wanted was for things to feel simple with this woman. Should I make an excuse and leave? Tell the truth? Stay incognito and have a drink with the enemy? Interesting. When I put it like that, there was only one reasonable choice to make. “Thanks,” I said as Avery handed me a glass of red wine.

“Hope you like cheap pinot.”

My lips pulled towards a smile.

“It pairs well with my tattoos.”

I raised my brows.

“Though for the record, I firmly believe no one should be judged for decisions they made as a teenager.”

“I’ll drink to that,” I said, clinking my glass against hers.

“Do you have any?” she asked, her eyes dripping down my body and dancing back up.

I let her question hang in the air as I took a sip of wine. “No,” I said finally. “Not a fan of needles.”

“I see.” She walked over to the beige couch and rearranged a few of the soft teal and orange pillows.

I followed her over and took a seat beside her. “So what’s the first one you ever got?”

Her coasters were shaped like tiny vinyl records, and I imagined she’d like my collection. Hell, I could show it to her if she knew I lived next door, but the Elaine thing was still niggling at me. Was her secret pseudonym just for buying lube, or was there something more sinister at play?

She extended the inside of her wrist towards me and pulled her mess of silver bracelets away, revealing the tiny silhouette of a bird.

“A swift?”

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