Page 4 of Dating Your Grumpy Neighbor
3
FELICITY
Living in one of two only affordable house rentals on the block, I’ve lived next to my fair share of grumpy neighbors, but Emmett takes the cake.
Ever since the day he moved in a few months ago, I don’t think I’ve heard him say more than three words total. But tonight, he's Mr. Chatty Cathy when it comes to blind dates banging on my door after I wrack up nearly a six hundred dinner bill and leave him to take care of it.
I lift my head out of my hands when there is a soft knock at the door.
“It’s only me,” Emmett says.
I push to my feet and click open the lock to let him in, but he doesn’t move from his spot on the porch. Instead of trying unsuccessfully to get him to come inside, I step outside to stand with him.
“Thank you for everything,” I say, feeling the embarrassment and shame of what I did and brought to his doorstep. “I’m not sure what I would have done if you weren’t here.”
His jaw ticks like that thought hadn’t crossed his mind until this moment.
“What are you doing going out with a guy like that?” he asks, but I can see in his expression almost as soon as the words leave his lips that he regrets asking the question.
“We got paired up on this dating app that my friend told me about.”
He scowls. “You really need to be more careful. I don’t want to think about what might have happened if—”
“I lost my temper.”
He scoffs like I've just made some kind of joke.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.” He shakes his head.
“I didn’t mean to get you pulled into this. I did something I'm not proud of, and I won’t do it again.”
“Good.” He turns to head back towards his house, but I can’t stop the urge to try and explain what happened to him.
“I needed a date to my cousin’s wedding,” I blurt out.
He stops and turns slowly to face me. Ever a man cloaked in silence and mystery, he only stares at me, curious to see if I’ll continue, so I do.
“My cousin is getting married this weekend to her kind of boss, but not really. I mean, he’s the son of the owner of the company that she works for, but she’s worked there longer, so I guess there are more like colleagues.” I pause, wondering if he’s following any of my ramblings. “Anyway, my date bailed on me last minute, so I’ve been going out trying to find someone to go with me.”
“Why can’t you go alone?”
Now it's my turn to scoff. "Me? A single woman showing up at a wedding by herself. That just screams pathetic, and I can't handle that type of shame and embarrassment.”
He shakes his head slightly like he doesn’t understand my reasons.
“It’s different for a guy,” I continue. “If you show up by yourself, then everyone considers you some handsome, available bachelor. When I show up by myself, people look at me like an old maid in the making. Like what’s wrong with her that no one wants to date her?”
“Not all people think that way.”
“My family does. At least all the old married hens that can’t understand why a woman my age isn’t already married with a house full of kids.”
“I had no idea,” he says.
I don’t elaborate that after my health scare, I experienced my own type of “life flashing before my eyes” moment, and I didn’t like what I saw. For too long, I put off living my life, so I could focus on building my small business. I was so focused on finding success that I didn't realize how I felt something or maybe even someone was missing. I love my work, but I have so much more love to share.
I walk over to the porch steps and sit down, resting my head in my hands. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m not going to go.”
