Page 54 of Falling for the Guy Next Door

“I had no idea he’d react like this. Like I said—I’ve read stories like this online, but you never think it’s going to happen to you. I was sure I knew how to weed out the bad eggs on those dating sites.”

“Some people are really good at hiding their true selves. Ronnie dated a guy for a year, and she was really into him until she found his second phone. The one where he kept all his family photos—recent family photos. He had a wife and kids, and there was no divorce in their future. Although that probably changed after Ronnie followed him home one night and threw all the stuff he’d been keeping in her apartment on the front lawn.”

“Like I said—these are all plots for movies. Not real life.” I finished the water. “And I’d had such a nice morning. Emily and I rode bikes.” Then something important came back to me. The main event of the morning had been washed away by the unsettling experience, but I was thinking clearer again. “Let’s not talk about it anymore right now. It’s giving me a stomachache. Now, sir, please tell me—” I rested my elbow on the arm of the chair and settled my chin casually on my palm. I blinked a few times dramatically. “Anything out of the ordinary happen to you this morning?”

Nash smiled. “You saw the video.”

“I saw a viral video of an incredibly hot man singing a great song, a love song that will have all his fans swooning.”

“I only wrote it to make one woman swoon.”

I lifted my chin from my hand. “Do I dare dream that the copper-haired girl in your song is yours truly?”

“Don’t know any other copper-haired women.” He tapped the side of his head. “Scratch that. I know one other, and your sister is incredible, but her boyfriend looks like the kind of guy who could turn me into mashed potatoes, so I’m sticking with my original inspiration for the song. You.”

“You met Aria and Dex?” I asked excitedly.

“I went to the diner. They’re both very cool.”

“Dex is really protective over all of us.”

Nash nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

“Ella thinks I should have Dex talk to Dustin.”

“Hmm, might not be a bad idea. But I think a restraining order is the best way to go.”

I sat up straighter. “I know. Hmm, if only I had access to a big dog, a dog who could be by my side all day for protection.”

Nash laughed. “I’m going to assume you’re not talking about my giant, stuffed animal dog who would just as soon lick an intruder’s face as growl at them. And I could see him now in the bakery. I don’t think he’d be focused on protecting you.”

“Yeah, I suppose the baked goods might be a touch distracting for him.”

“A touch, yeah. What are you doing the rest of the day? I thought we could hang out. But after this morning, I’ll understand if you just want to stay home. I do, however, plan to stand sentry at your door. Rocky will, too.”

“I’m not going to hide, and you’re right, I’ll give some thought to getting a restraining order. But it’s Sunday, day one of my weekend, so let’s do something. We could go down to the beach or take Rocky for a walk. Aria’s got the café open till noon on Sunday, so we could go grab sandwiches.”

“The beach sounds good to me. Then we can play it by ear. I’ll go home and change, and be back here in twenty?”

“That works. Oh, and Nash, thanks so much for being there just now. I’m not entirely sure how bad it was going to get.” A shiver went through me as I replayed the scene in my head. “He didn’t even look like the Dustin I knew standing across from me on the driveway.”

“I’m sorry this is happening to you, Layla. But I’m here, right next door, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Ababy blue sky with small, wispy clouds hung over a mostly calm ocean. A group of gulls were floating peacefully about twenty feet off shore, just far enough to make Rocky give up the idea of trying to chase them. He’d settled on the end of Nash’s towel with a big chew bone. He was in a complete trance as he gripped it with his big, furry paws and gnawed on the end.

Nash glanced at his phone.

“Everything all right?” I asked. “How is your mom doing?”

“I talked to Becky briefly this morning. They’re still talking about the specialist.”

I sat forward in my chair. “Do you think you’ll be able to manage it? I wish there was something I could do to help, Nash.”

He spun around on his towel to face me. “You already have.”

“I have?”

“You know that song? The one about the copper-haired girl?”

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