Page 62 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

Necessary so I don’t commit murder? Also yes.

I’m sure I could conjuresomethingup and sneak off to the shop, but I could use a day away.

I love Making Waves—it’s my baby—but even I need a breather every so often, and this week has been extra hard. I could use a break.

Besides, I have a feeling after showing up to the shop yesterday when I wasn’t supposed to be there, if Caroline and Maya found out I did it again…well, let’s just say facing their wrath isn’t on my list of things I want to do anytime soon.

“For the first time in a long time, not a damn thing. Do you work?”

He shakes his head. “Summer school doesn’t start until next week.”

“Anything to take care of with the apartment?”

“Stalemate with insurance.”

“You’ll be home today, then?”

He nods. “Yep.”

“Oh.”

He takes a bite of whatever it is of mine he’s eating, chews, and swallows. “Do you want me to get out of your hair after breakfast so you can have the place to yourself?”

And there he goes making me like him just a little bit more again.

Would it make my life easier if I didn’t have him hanging around all the time and was able to truly relax in my own house? Yes.

But am I going to kick him out for the day when he’s already going through all the shit he’s going through? No.

He might be the world’s most obnoxious person, but I’m not cruel.

He stretches his legs out, placing his feet on the coffee table. I reach over and smack at them, but he disregards me, leaving them where they are.

Morris, who’s hiding under the table, snakes his paw out and swats at him, backing me up.

“Son of a…” Dean yanks his feet down, taking the not-so-subtle hint.

He glowers at Morris as he climbs into my lap, curling into a ball and purring.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Just that I had a lazy-fest the other day myself. I bet you could use one too.”

“Are you saying I’m wound tight?”

“Given that you were up doing yoga at midnight the other night, yes.” He peeks over at me with a coy smile. “Unless you weren’t up because you’re stressed and it was something else entirely.”

Not coy. Sinister.

For a split second, I forgot Dean is the devil in disguise.

“I don’t do well with sitting still,” I tell him. “That’swhy I was up doing yoga.”Partial lie.“It had nothing to do with anything else.”

“I’m not good about sitting still either. It’s why I sign up for summer school every year and spend so many hours at the shelter.”

“Shelter?”

He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “Where I got this shithead.”

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