Outside, I can see Knox working on his car. More specifically, I can see his muscular frame moving around the car as he works on it. My fake bedroom is on the second floor, but it’s on the side of his garage and I’m actually physically close to him.
I fight the urge to open the window and yell at him.
Focus. I have to forget about having to live beside him for the next however many years and think about work. God, I hope he moves.
Maybe moving to this town was a mistake. Maybe I should’ve stayed in Cincinnati.
Depressed, I FaceTime Darla. Her red hair fills the monitor.
“Hey, babe. What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing,” she says, exaggerating a frown.
“You know, it’s just getting set up in a new town where you don’t know anyone. I just wanted to talk to a friend, is all.”
The second I say it, I curse myself and brace for her lecture.
“Tell me you’ve gone out and met people.”
Ugh.
“Actually, as a matter of fact I’ve met my next door neighbor.”
She mock smiles in surprised approval. “Very good. What’s she like?”
“It’s a he, actually,” I say, wondering why I brought Knox into this.
“Is he hot?” Darla leans into the webcam in anticipation.
“Whoa, how do you know he’s not eighty?”
“That wasn’t the question. You can be eighty and be hot, you know. Now spill.”
“He’s a single dad, to this really cool thirteen-year-old girl.”
“So he’s single, excellent. Is he also hot?”
“You have a one-track mind,” I say, chuckling.
“Yes, now answer the question.”
“Let’s just say you won’t be disappointed when you come visit.”
“Fuck, yeah, baby. Are you sure you don’t want him for yourself?”
“No thanks, he’s actually a dick.”
“As long as he knows how to use his, he can be all the dick he wants.”
“Easy girl,” I say, giggling.
Movement outside the window catches my eye. Knox is standing, moving around the back of his car. I quickly point my laptop out the window.
“What’s that?” Darla asks.
“It’s him. Tell me when you see him,” I say, moving the laptop. I can’t see the laptop screen to know if he’s showing in view or not.
“Down more. More. Holy fuckballs, babe,” Darla says and whistles.
“And that’s from far away. You should see him up close.” I pause and add, “And smell him.”
“Damn. Why does he have to be an ass shat?”
“That’s what I keep asking myself,” I blurt.
“You should totally fuck him.”
I burst out laughing. “As if. He won’t even have a conversation with me. Not that I want to sleep with him anyway, he’s my neighbor and that would be messy. I just want to have a normal, neighborly relationship.”
“So you won’t mind if I fuck him when I come visit?”
“Good luck. Actually, probably a good idea. If you sleep with him, maybe you can convince him to be civil to me.”
“Hey, babe.”
“Yeah?”
“His face is just as good, too. He’s standing staring straight at the webcam.”
“Fucking hell! Why didn’t you say anything?” I shriek as I yank the laptop away from the window as fast as I can.
What do I do? He’s going to think I’m a weirdo. He’ll be ruder than he already is.
Oh God, what if he starts asking questions. What if he digs into me and finds out what I do?
“You okay?” she asks.
“No, I’m not okay. How am I going to explain that?”
“It’s no big deal, just tell him your friend is coming to visit and wanted to check out the goods on offer.”
“You know what, I take it back. You’re not allowed to sleep with him.”
“What? Why?”
“Because… because.”
“That isn’t an answer, but I get it. I’m leaving him for you. You’ve clearly got the horn on for him.”
“I do not.” I say, daring a glance out the window at him. “He’s eye candy, nothing more.”
I force myself to remember the rest of my time in the garage, and how he wouldn’t even have a normal, civil conversation with me, especially after Piper went inside.
Jerk.
“That’s fine, you need some eye candy after Nathan anyway.”
My heart wrenches again. Like the whole Knox thing isn’t bothering me enough, why did she have to go and say that name?
“Nathan can fuck himself,” I say, my teeth gritted.
“Want to hear the latest?”