Page 12 of More Than an Ex-Girlfriend

If he’s trying to get me to talk about Lettie, it isn’t going to work. “Yep.”

Now, Lettie is more than an ex-girlfriend. She’s my neighbor. And worse, we share a wall.

Moving on is going to be a whole lot more difficult.

CHAPTER5

LETTIE

With my treasured afghan draped around my shoulders, I open my apartment door. I’ve been moping since I returned from the new place.

Layla holds up a bag. “Burgers and fries. Nico is working, and I figured you were starving. You know, because of what happened this morning.”

I haven’t even told my best friend about the unexpected catastrophe.

“Come on in.” I step aside, dragging the end of my blanket out of her way. “Actually I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. Granted, I consumed way too many donuts, but still. It’s weird.”

“I’m sorry y’all’s reunion didn’t go well.” Layla sets the bag on the coffee table and opens her arms. “Need a hug?”

I lean down and give my short friend a big hug. “You don’t know the worst of it.”

“The worst? From what you said, this morning was pretty bad. How could anything possibly be worse?” She sets the bag on the coffee table.

My friend isn’t making me feel any better.

“You know how I’m moving to the venue and how Lilith mentioned that there would be someone else living on the other side of the duplex?”

Staring at me, she nods. “Okay. So?”

“There will be only two people living on that side of the ranch. Me and the other person.” I’m laying it on thick so she can experience a smidgen of the shock I felt when I saw Archer on that porch.

“You already told me that.”

I somehow refrain from rolling my eyes. “Just me and the cowboy living on the other side of the wall.” Eyebrows raised, I stare at her, waiting for it to click.

Her mouth falls open, and she starts shaking her head. “Oh, that isbad.” She scrunches up her face, then smiles. “Or maybe it’s a good thing. Maybe it’ll be like that movieThe Parent Trapwhen the girls are forced to share a cabin, but then they end up becoming like best friends and finding out they’re sisters.”

“Archer told Beau and Lilith that we went to high school together. That’s it. He mentioned nothing about the years we were friends or the years that we dated.” I drop onto the couch and peek inside the bag she brought. “Plus, I would seriously fall apart if I found out I was related to Archer. Not that it matters because I’m not sure he’ll ever speak to me again. But if it turns out Archer is my brother, I don’t want to know.”

Layla rolls her eyes. “Y’all look nothing alike. Nothing. And you know what I mean. Don’t be so literal.” She pulls the food out of the bag. “This might be the best thing to happen since you moved here.”

“Doubt it.” I lift the bun to see what’s on the burger.

“No onions, extra cheese, and there are ketchup and mayo packets so you can mix them before putting the stuff on your burger.”

“You’re the best, Layla.”

She grins. “Nico says that all the time.”

Laughing, I shake my head. My friend knows how to make me laugh even when I’m in the dumpiest of dumps. Like today.

“And you might want to put your blankie over there so you don’t get your special sauce on it. How would you explain that to Archer?”

I drape it over a chair far away from the food before mixing the condiments. “Thanks for bringing dinner. And I’ll be okay. The deal is too good to pass up, not that I’m opposed to living near Archer. But I’m not expecting things to change. It’ll be awkward.”

“Let me tell you about awkward. I never expected to be a mermaid in need of a rescue or to kiss a complete stranger before getting his name, but—you know—love happens.”

“I wish, but the look Archer gave me in the donut shop did not exude love. At all.”

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