Page 12 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

“That’syourjob.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” She stands and wraps her arms around River, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “You don’t need to work all the time, River. We’re all in this business together now. Take a day off.”

Not that I give a shit about what River does, because that would imply thinking about her in any capacity outside of her annoying me, but Maya’s right.

Riverisalwaysworking. It’s a miracle she even finds time to complain to the building manager about me—she’s hardly ever home.

“I know, I know. It’s my baby though. You have your kiddo to take care of, and I have mine. Besides, I could use some getting out of the apartment and not dwelling on my horrid love life.”

“I’ll give you that, but promise me it’ll be a quick in and out. Deal?”

“Deal.” River returns the hug. “Love you. I’ll call you later.” She ruffles Sam’s messy hair, which is the exact shade of his mother’s. “Later, kiddo. I’m picking you up for ice cream tomorrow morning, right?”

“Ice cream in the morning?”

“You’re one to talk.” She drops her eyes to the empty plate in front of me. “You just ate cherry pie for breakfast.”

“It has fruit in it…”

“Fine. I’ll make sure they throw a couple strawberries on his ice cream.” She tosses a wink at him like I can’t see her. “Extra strawberries—Mr. Evans said so.”

Sam scrunches his nose up. “Can you not?”

“Bye, Lucy.” River sends her a wave.

“Have a good day, love. Your secret’s safe with me.” She winks, and River’s cheeks heat again as her eyes dart my way.

“What secret?” I ask.

“It’s nothing,” Maya says, attempting to cover for her friend.

“Oh, it’s not nothing. It’s a disgusting notion that I’m secretly crushing on you, which is damn absurd if you ask me. It’s perfectly clear I hate your guts.”

Lucy thinks River is crushing on me?

Interesting…

“Isn’t that ridiculous?” She rolls her eyes. “You? Please. You would be so lucky.”

My lips twitch at her confidence. She’s so sure of herself.

“I don’t think lucky is the word you’re looking for here.”

“Oh, trust me. It is.”

I snort, pushing back from my stool, stacking the plates together, and balancing them on top of Leo’s hut. I nod toward Maya and Sam. “See you guys next week.” I stop shoulder to shoulder with River and bend until my mouth is hovering at her ear. “Trust me. It isn’t. And don’t worry, your secret crush is safe with me.”

She cranes her neck to look up at me, her green and brown orbs full of ire.

I smirk. “Later, River.”

3

River

“Asinine,asshole jerkface.Trust me. It isn’t.Ugh. Whatever. You can shove your sexy-as-sin smirk right up your—”

“Um, River? Are you okay?”

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