Page 118 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

I sigh. “You know we didn’t break up, right? We weren’t dating. She was just letting me stay there. That’s all.”

Darlene pins me with a stare. “I wasn’t born yesterday, Dean. I know you two had a thing and I know you left and moved back into your apartment.” She points toward River. “I also know that girl hasn’t been in here with a smile sinceandmissed cherry pie day all last week.” A shake of her head. “If you’re going to go with the ‘just roommates’ bit, might want to make it more believable.”

With that, she scurries off to grab my order.

I’m left standing there surprised.

River hasn’t been in since I moved out?

That’s…interesting.

And damn surprising.

Maybe my moving out had more effect on her than I thought.

“Thanks,” I say to Darlene when she slides the pie and coffee across the counter. I toss her a big tip in her jar, just to make her feel bad for taking River’s “side.”

She grunts again, and I grab my slice, balancing my plate on Leo’s hut with ease, something I’ve perfected over the last year.

I make my way over to River’s table. Slip onto the stool across from her. Not to be an ass and screw with her, but because Ialwayssit here on Sundays. Besides, it’s a community table. I can sit where I please.

Lucy, who I didn’t even notice before, is sitting in her usual corner. She snickers when I plop down, and I toss her a wink.

“Hey, Lucy.”

Another laugh. “Dean.”

I pull my plate off Leo’s hut and work to get us situated.

“River,” I say to her, reaching for a green M&M.

She slides them all away before I grab hold of one. “Ass.”

She’s not calling me one. She’s using it as my name.

My lips twitch. “No Maya and Sam today?”

“Nope.”

“How have you been?”

“Doing great,” she snaps. “I’ll be even better here soon.”

“That so?”

“Yep. I—oh goodie! Here they are!”

She holds her hands out for thetwofull pies being thrust her way.

“Thanks, Darlene,” she says. “You’re the best.”

“Anything for you, dear.” She smiles sweetly at her, then shoots daggers my way before returning to her spot behind the counter.

River sets her pies on the table and pops the lid open on one of them. She grabs the fork I didn’t even notice she had and stabs into it.

Right in the middle.

“That is just wrong on so many levels.” I shake my head.

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