Page 6 of Jeremy
Inever thought I could look at a man as handsome as this one and feel revolted,but that’s exactly what I feel. Taking a step back, I warn him, “Stay away fromme.”
Hisface drops into a sneer. “Wouldn’t fuck a sniveling little brat like youanyway.” Spinning around, he sways and stumbles his way back inside his house.
“Well,that was exciting,” Agnes remarks.
Walshshakes his head. “My dad is home if you want me to get him, Melissa. Or maybeyou should call the cops.”
Theguy’s curtains jerk closed as I watch. “Nah, he’s just drunk. It’ll be okay.He’ll probably pass out.” The last thing I want to do is call the cops.Everything that happens gets listed in the local paper, and I don’t need myname in there because I filed a police report. I doubt anyone from True Life isactively searching for me, but there’s no reason to announce where I’m living.
Thestack of bills starts to blow across the yard, so I scoop them up. Fifteenhundred dollars. He threw fifteen hundred dollars at my feet like it wasnothing. “I’ll give it back to him when he’s sober.”
“You’rebetter than me,” Agnes says. “That drunk bastard would be buying my new livingroom suite.”
Longafter we’ve cleaned up from the sale and I’ve taken Agnes home, I can’t stopthinking about the man next door. I don’t even know his damned name. It’sprobably a good thing. He’s obviously an asshole, and possibly an alcoholic. Nomatter what, he’s bad for me right now. I have enough issues to deal with.
I’lljust do what I planned to all along.
Keepto myself.
ChapterTwo
Jeremy
She’sout there again.
Myhead thumps as I flop into one of my deck chairs. After nearly a month of bingedrinking, I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like not to have a headache and asour stomach. Not that it matters. I have nowhere I need to be today.
Ortomorrow.
Orever.
Itprobably sounds like I’m feeling sorry for myself, but I’m not bemoaning mysolitude. The thought of it is comforting.
Myonly neighbor is a woman who likes to taunt me by lying out on her deck innothing but a tiny bikini. Okay, I’m sure her sunbathing has nothing to do withme, but it feels like a tease when I haven’t been laid in months.
Theearly afternoon sun beats down on me while I watch her. Small and slim, shestretches out like a cat before gathering her dark hair into a ponytail. Aslight smile tilts her full lips as she lies back and tucks her hands beneathher head.
Idon’t know her name. She waved at me not long after I moved in, but I ignoredher. She got the same response when she waved at me from her driveway a weekafter that, and now she ignores me.
Missionaccomplished.
Thelast month has gone by in a blur of whiskey, heartache, and regret. I’m worsethan a damn country song. Frannie’s death hit me hard, and while I’ve beengrieving for her and the future we should’ve had, I’ve also been accepting somehard truths.
Imissed my chance. I didn’t think I was capable of falling for someone, and Idid everything I could to deny my feelings for Frannie. Maybe we were too muchalike, because she did the same. We took turns pushing the other away. Hell, wepractically made a game out of it. Part of me always thought we’d get togethereventually, and I assume she thought the same thing. We were young. We hadplenty of time.
Buttime isn’t always granted to the young. My mother used to tell me I always hadto learn things the hard way, and in this case, she’s right. Our time was up,stolen from us by a group of fuckwits who had a problem with people shopping.Unfair doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Thewoman next door gets to her feet and climbs the steps to her back deck. Shemust feel my eyes raking over her taut body, judging by the middle fingerthrust in my direction. A snort of laughter jumps from my throat. I supposehaving a hungover guy who looks like he’s been dragged backward through a ditchof swamp water doesn’t exactly make your day.
Aknock on my front door is followed by a voice calling out, “Jeremy! Where thehell are you?”
Great.It’s Tucker.
“Dude,I’ve seen peep show booths that weren’t as disgusting as this living room.”
AndJustus.
Theyagreed to leave me alone so what the hell are they doing here?
