Page 8 of Succeeding Love

I smiled gratefully. “Thank you, human Kevin,” I patted his arm, taking a split second to appreciate the firmness. I looked up quickly, then a ferocious blush painted over my skin. By his small smirk, I could tell I’d been caught ogling his muscles. I dropped my hand quickly, holding both of them behind my back and feeling so embarrassed. I know I’ve beenfeeling lonely lately, but it’s completely inappropriate to fawn over my neighbor’s muscles.

“Smells good in here,” human Kevin said, taking mercy on me and changing the subject, cutting through the awkward tension. “Spaghetti?”

“Lasagna,” I corrected.

“Ah, lasagna,” he smiled. “I love Italian food. Smells amazing.”

“Have you eaten already? Would you like to stay for- “

KNOCK KNOCK

Two quick knocks on the door, followed by the front door swinging open, interrupted my invitation to human Kevin.

“Mom!” Jessie sang out, then startled back when she saw me standing in the foyer already. She looked nervously at Kevin, then back at me. “Um, hi,” she whispered, acting shy.

“Hey, sweetie!” I pulled her in for a hug. “How was shopping with your dad?”

“Exhausting, but fun,” Nick said as he struggled through the door, several shopping bags in his hands. He stopped short when he noticed Kevin, too. Kevin was quite taller than Nick. It was almost comical seeing Nick look up to study Kevin’s face. “Uh, hello. Who’s this?”

“This is Kevin. Our new neighbor,” I smiled warmly at Kevin, who was now stuck in an awkward situation because of my daughter’s shy demeanor and Nick’s hard stare. “This is my daughter, Jessie, and her father, Nick.”

“Hello,” Kevin waved awkwardly. “I’ll, uh, get out of your hair for now. Enjoy the flowers, Feighlynn, and happy birthday.”

“Thanks for bringing them over, Kevin. I’ll see you later.”

Nick’s eyes stayed glued on my new neighbor the entire time he was walking out the door and shutting it behind him.

“Uh, Jess, why don’t you go take your things up to your room,” I said, helping her out of her backpack so that she could shrug out of her coat. I hung her coat up while Jessie took her backpack and only two of the bags her dad was holding up to her room with her. Nick set the rest down against the wall, then shifted back and forth on his feet, just watching me as I hung up the coat in the closet. I then made sure my new flowers had water, trying to ignore his observant stare. The flowers were really gorgeous. I’ll have to send some cookies, or maybe even a whole pan of lasagna, over to Velma and her son later to show my thanks.

“So,” Nick spoke, still looking awkward. “New neighbor?”

“Yeah, he just moved in today.”

“And he already knows it’s your birthday, and he’s bringing you flowers?”

I could be vindictive and let Nick assume whatever it is he’s assuming right now, but that wouldn’t be fair to Kevin. “He just brought them over as a favor to Velma Trude. You know how careful she has to be now that she’s having all that trouble with her memory.”

“Oh,” Nick frowned, eyeing the flowers suspiciously. “Yeah. I guess. So, what did you mean by ‘I’ll see you later’?”

I shrugged, walking towards the kitchen. “I’ll be seeing him later, I guess? We are neighbors. Speaking of, did you get the booster club email from Kently Ferguson from next door?Her son’s band still needs sponsors and your firm has done it in the past.”

I hurried to change the subject, not wanting to wallow in awkward tension when entering the same room where our son was sitting. I understand Nick’s curiosity, because I’m becoming pretty curious about human Kevin too, but Preston will use Nick’s questioning to start a fight in my defense. Plus, Nick really isn’t in the position to ask me anymore about neighbors and such. I’m sure he and Arlene have neighbors they can discuss if they choose to.

Preston stayed pretty quiet throughout dinner, but he didn’t pick a fight, which I took as a good sign. He nodded or shook his head when someone asked him a question, and snuck food to Kevin under the table when he thought I was not looking. Nick would always get upset when any of us fed the dog at the table, and I suspect Preston was only doing it to make his dad mad, but Nick never said a thing.

Jessie talked non-stop about her father taking her to the mall and all the stores they went into. She was a daddy’s girl when she was little, and has regressed back into that mindset ever since we announced our divorce. I appreciate Nick always going above and beyond for her, paying more attention to her than ever before. It made what could have been a messy divorce so much simpler, because I felt I could trust him with my daughter’s fragile emotions. When he insisted on all weekends, and going 50/50 during summers and holidays, I didn’t fight him. I think that shocked him, but I would rather our kids have a dad that wants to be there more than have to suffer years of custody battles, especially since they are already in their teenage years, anyway. It would make co-parenting so much harder.

I can’t change what happened between Nick and myself, but I can control how I react in the future, and my reactions should be positive for my kids. That’s where my head has been throughout this.

“So,” Nick wiped his mouth, clearing his throat after finishing his tiny sliver of lasagna, which I knew he still hated, and all of his salad and garlic bread. “I told Jessie earlier, but hadn’t told either of you yet. I just closed on a condo downtown. I’m moving into it next week, but get the keys tomorrow.”

“Congratulations,” I said with a smile, though I was wondering why he would suddenly purchase a condo when he was already living in one with Arlene.

“By yourself?” Preston asked his first question of the night.

“Uh, well, no. Not really. I’ll have a room for you and your sister, and a spare room I plan on turning into an office.”

“Tell them the best part,” Jessie said eagerly.

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