Page 2 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

I slide my eyes Sam’s way, unsure if I want to spill the details of my latest dating misadventure in front of my godson. I’m sure he’s not paying much attention, but it still feels weird considering I continue to see him as a toddler and not an almost teenager.

Maya notices my hesitation. “Hey, kiddo, go grab us some pie, would you? Cherry for your aunt River, of course.” She digs around in her purse for far longer than is reasonable and finally thrusts her debit card into his hand. “And some coffee. You know what I like.”

He grabs the card. “You should get a wallet, Mom. I don’t think it’s safe to leave your card loose in your purse like that.”

“As opposed to leaving it in my wallet where a thief wouldknowwhere it is?”

He rolls his eyes in response, and she grins in triumph.

“For the record,” I say as Sam shuffles away, “I’m on his side with that.”

“Says the girl who separates her M&M’S by color.”

“The green ones are the best!”

“Remind me why we’re friends again? We have zero in common.”

“That’s exactly why—it keeps things interesting. Plus, I was the only person there for you during your whole pregnant-at-sixteen scandal.”

She snorts out a laugh. “Right. That.”

When I was eight, Maya’s family moved in next door, and we became instant best friends. It didn’t matter that we were total opposites and constantly fought over frivolous stuff like which boy band was better—we were inseparable.

We’ve been friends for twenty years now and have been through it all: high school drama, teenage pregnancy, marriage, becoming business partners, divorce…you name it. No matter what life throws at us, we’re still thick as ever.

She’s the sister I never had and always wanted.

“So, last night?” Maya purses her perfectly full lips, training her startling gray eyes on me.

“Right, right.” I tap my chin. “Last night was…interesting.”

“Good or bad?”

“Good…ish.”

“You’re doing a bang-up job clearing this up for me,” Maya deadpans.

“Well, it started when my date—”

“Cheddar!” She claps her hands together, grinning like a fool. “Say it. Say his douchebag frat boy name that he iswaytoo old to still be going by.”

Itisa ridiculous name. In fact, Cheddar might have been the first guy Maya didn’t try to convince me togive a shot. I went out with him to prove I wasn’t as picky as she claims.

My mistake.

“It started withCheddarspilling his drink across the table.”

“What was he drinking?”

“Why is that important?”

“A drink order says a lot about a person.” Maya waves her hand impatiently. “Let’s have it.”

“Frozen strawberry daiquiri.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret telling her.

She’s laughing so hard she’s not even making a sound as I sit there throwing daggers her way. I cross my arms over my chest, leaning back in my chair, letting her get it out.

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