Page 4 of Falling for the Guy Next Door

“Maybe a dress with neon lights that say ‘I love you,’” I suggested.

“Funny friend. See you later.” She hung up quickly, which meant her boss, Lucille, or dragon lady, as Emily liked to call her, had returned to the shop. Emily worked in a dress boutique in Fairview. The boss was always angry and yelling, but Emily refused to quit because she got a twenty percent discount on clothes, and she also got to grab the newest styles as they came in the door.

I dropped my phone in the bag, rested back and closed my eyes. I was about to drift off when something cold and wet touched my arm. I sat up and found myself staring into the big brown eyes of a shaggy dog. His beard was covered in wet sand, and he seemed to be smiling at me.

I pet the top of his head. “Well, hello, sweetie. You must be my new neighbor.”

ChapterTwo

Nash

“Rocky!” I called out to the yard, but the dog didn’t come trotting back like I expected. I was sure he was out on the beach terrorizing gulls. My phone rang as I walked to the window where I had a fairly good view of the sand below.

“Hey, Becky, what’s up?” My sister was taking care of our mom. Mom had gotten in a car accident a year ago, and it had wrecked her back. She went from being a vital, energetic woman who managed the local grocery store to a woman hunched over in pain and reliant on a walker. The doctors performed three surgeries. We were still paying for those. The insurance only took us so far, but when subsequent surgeries, home care and intensive physical therapy were added to the list, the insurance company all but ran to hide under rocks. Becky worked part-time near home and earned a stipend as Mom’s home caretaker. She didn’t seem to mind, but I worried she spent far too much time at home and away from friends. Becky and I were twins, but she was always the introvert, and I was the extrovert. Since I’d turned thirty, I was starting to see her way of thinking. Sometimes it was nice to be at home, hanging out and watching a movie or reading a book. I was working two jobs and sending a good portion of everything I earned to Mom and Becky. It was the only way to make sure they could keep the house and car.

“Mom is having a bad day today,” Becky said. “I think it’s the weather. We’ve got rain in the forecast.” Our childhood home, the one my dad worked hard to buy and then just as quickly left so he could be with his newfound love, Jill, was located in the heart of Texas. Sometimes it was dry as a bone outside, and sometimes, the rain fell like it was never going to stop, even in summer.

I glanced out at the crystal blue skies over the ocean and felt a twinge of guilt. I decided not to mention the fantastic weather. The window of the cottage was dusty on the outside, but I still had a clear view of the beach. After a sweep from right to left, I spotted my dog. It seemed he’d found a stunning pair of legs. I couldn’t see the rest of the woman because she was facing the ocean and wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and sunglasses. She was petting Rocky’s head, and, not surprisingly, he was enjoying the attention.

“Rocky’s found a volunteer ear scratcher down on the beach.” I decided to give it a few seconds. Rocky’s tail was swishing back and forth, and from the movement of the hat, it seemed he and the woman were having a nice chat.

“How is the new construction job?” Becky asked.

“Good. It’s a little hot right now, but the supervisor lets us have a lot of water breaks. They’re building a three-story office slash apartment building. I’ve been guaranteed work through October, and it’s good money. With that and what we’re earning at local gigs, I should be able to send you enough mortgage money for the next six months.”

“I’m talking to Nash,” Becky called into the next room. “Who else would I be talking to? Not like I have a long contact list,” she muttered in between. They were words meant for no one in particular. “We started with a new physical therapist, and he’s tougher. He doesn’t let her get away with taking it easy on the exercises. I think that’s what she needed.”

I listened to all the updates on Mom’s condition and, at the same time, watched the scene below. The woman was still hidden under a big hat, but Rocky had coaxed her down to the water. My dog had a smile that could melt hearts, and boy, did he know how to use that secret weapon. Her long, tanned legs carried her across the sand. She held her hat on her head as she followed Rocky to the edge of the water. My dog didn’t hesitate to jump right into the waves. Even through the window, I could hear the woman squeal with laughter as she waded in after him. I had to hand it to the mutt—he was a master flirt.

“What do you think?” Becky asked.

I realized I’d lost the thread of conversation, and I winced in shame. “Sorry, Beck, I was watching Rocky play in the water.”

“Fine. Then I won’t bore you with the details of my riveting life.” She was mad, and I couldn’t blame her.

“I got distracted.” I had no intention of telling her that the object of distraction was a nice pair of legs and an even nicer laugh. “What were you saying?”

She grunted in anger, then continued. “I was thinking of having a contractor come out and put in one of those walk-in shower-tub combos, so Mom can get in and out on her own. She’s against it because she insists it’ll make her feel really old, but frankly, it would really help.”

“How much do they cost?” I asked. It was a reasonable question, given that I was already working two jobs to make sure they didn’t lose the house.

“Right, so it’s all about the money. Never mind that my back hurts from having to practically lift her in and out of the tub and shower.”

“I was just asking so I know how much to save up. Get some quotes. And I’m sorry about your back, Becky. I know you’re working hard. We’re both working hard.”

“I know. Sorry, I got so snappy. I think I’m going a little stir crazy.”

“Why don’t you look into hiring one of those home care people who’ll come and sit with mom for a few hours, so you can go out with your friends,” I suggested.

A scoffing laugh came through the phone. “The few friends I had have moved on, either out of state or they’ve gotten married.” It seemed there wasn’t anything I could say to Becky today to pull her out of her mood. I couldn’t blame her, and at the same time, I wasn’t entirely sure how to fix the situation. It was just bad all around.

Rocky scratched at the door. I glanced toward the beach. The woman had picked up her things and left the sand. I couldn’t see her anymore. “I’ve got to get a towel and dry off Rocky. He was playing in the ocean.”

“So you did manage to snag that little cottage you were showing me. Nice.”

“Maybe we can arrange for someone to watch Mom for three or four days, and you can fly out here. Whisper Cove is a really cool small town from what I’ve seen. I haven’t had a chance to explore it yet, but I hear there’s a great café and bakery.”

“That would be nice. Well, I’ve got to start the process of getting Mom in the car for the drive to physical therapy.”

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