Page 74 of Tempt Thy Neighbor

She’s lying. She’s definitely old.

I give the table of patrons a grin. “Nice to see you all again.”

“Oh, it’sverynice to see you too.” Marge bats her eyes at me before turning a sour look toward Holland. “Who’s your friend?”

I wrap my arm around Holland’s waist, pulling her close. “This is Holland, and it’s her first time, so be nice.” I give them all a pointed look, squeezing her hip. “Holls, this is my Aunt Alma, Betty-Ann, Marge, and that there is Freddie. He’s our DD for when we hit the bars later.”

They all give her a wave, which she returns.

“Holland, huh?” Alma asks, her eyes dropping to where my arm is slung around Holland’s middle. “As in your roommate?”

I nod. “Yep.”

A slow grin curls over her lips. “Well, Holland, it is lovely to finally meet you. I’ve heardso muchabout you from my nephew.”

“You have?” Holland worries her lip between her teeth, peeking up at me. “All good things, I hope.”

“Oh, yes.Verygood things.”

I scowl at Alma in warning but she ignores me, grabbing Holland and pulling her into the chair next to her.

“Come sit with me, dear. I’ll teach you all about bingo and tell you the story of the time Sutton shit himself in my pool.”

Holland barks out a laugh, looking up at me. “Oh, I amsohappy you brought me now.”

I spend the rest of the evening alternating between playing bingo and watching Holland and Alma bond.

I lose track of the number of times Holland peeks over at me with a secretive smile on her lips. Forget how many times she tosses her head back in laughter, a look of pure joy on her face. And I couldn’t even begin to count how often her smile makes me feel like I’m the only person in the room.

That damn lump that’s been in my throat for weeks settles in my chest, making itself at home like it’s here to stay.

15

Holland

“I can’t believeI let my brother talk me into this,” I gripe.

“Fop voving.”

“Huh?”

Caroline, the woman who is currently making adjustments to my dress, pulls the sewing pin from her mouth. “I saidstop moving. I almost stabbed you.”

“Oh, sorry.”

She ducks back down, tugging on my dress, and I try very hard to stand as still as a statue.

The night Dean guilted me into agreeing to go to the gala, he and River came up to my apartment so River could riffle through themanydresses I have from all my past events.

I know my mother won’t be happy about me showing up in something I’ve worn before, but I don’t really care. I don’t belong to that world anymore. It doesn’t matter to me if I’m spotted wearing something old and out of season. I’ll let her deal with that fallout on her own.

The gala is tomorrow, and we’re currently in River’s boutique where her friend and designer, who also happens to live in our building, is making last-minute adjustments for us.

“I’m not looking forward to it either, but your brother is. So let’s suffer through it for him,” River says from her perch on the front counter. “Besides, I hear the booze is free at these things.”

“They serve the cheap crap more often than not.”

“Free is free,” Maya, River’s best friend, says beside her.

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