Bec thumped him in the arm.
“Anyway, did I hear Mr Universe's name get mentioned?”
Bec laughed. “Rob is jealous of Quinn, your other neighbour.”
“No, I'm really not. I just get fed up of you talking about him.”
“He's a hottie,” she explained. “Looks like Stephen Amell. You know, Arrow?”
“Really?” I now couldn't wait to meet my other neighbour.
“I don't really know him, but I like to watch him unpack his car. I think he’s a gardener or something, but his arms…” Becca stopped talking as she remembered her husband was in the room.
“Just a moment,” she said, walking to her fridge, and extracting a bottle of white wine.
“Welcome to the neighbourhood,” she said. “By the way, I saw your builder this morning through the window. He was a hottie too.”
“Milo? He lives across the garden from me.”
“Seriously? It must be something in the friggin water around here. How’s a normal guy supposed to compete?” Moaned Rob.
“Ah, honey, I only have eyes for you.” Becca touched his arm.
“No, you have eyes all over, but as long as you only look that's all right with me.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek.
She handed me the bottle of wine. “Happy new house. Enjoy meeting Quinn.”
“Aww, thanks, but you really didn't need to give me anything.”
“It's a total ruse,” she admitted. “You have to invite me round to share it when the house is sorted. I'd love a girls’ night. I'm going to be your new best friend.”
“I do apologise for my wife,” Rob added. “No boundaries whatsoever. Feel free to not answer the door to her.”
“Girls’ night sounds like a plan actually,” I told her. “But I’ll have to rain-check for a while yet, until I’m a bit straighter?”
“You just let me know when. It’s lovely to meet you, Vi.”
“Likewise.” I told her. “Now if you'll excuse me, I think I need to meet my other neighbour pretty damn quick.”
Walking back past my house I realised that now I had been given a bottle of wine, I’d better drop that back off before I went to meet Quinn.
“Oh, fantastic. I’m ready for another cuppa.” Milo said as he scribbled pencil marks on a piece of plasterboard. “Is it getting close to lunch?”
“You had a full English this morning! How can you be hungry already? Anyway, I’ve only done one set of neighbours. I haven’t seen Quinn yet.” I protested.
Milo straightened up and stalked towards me. I felt my breath hitch as I wondered what he was going to do. He took the bottle from my hands. “I think if tonight’s a nice night we could enjoy this in my garden and toast your new house.” He said huskily near my ear. “Now, who’s this Quinn?”
I snatched my bottle of wine back. “That’s for a girls night, and Quinn is my next door neighbour at the other side apparently.”
“Hmm, never seen him due to the rather high fence he erected in his back garden. Elderly gentleman with a hunchback by any chance?”
“Apparently a Stephen Amell lookalike.”
“Fuck my life.” He took the bottle of wine off me again and walked away. “I’ll be drowning my sorrows while you go perve over your neighbour.”
I laughed.
“You can laugh, Princess.” He arched a brow. “But just remember you can look but not touch because I saw you first.”
“Milo.” I stuck my hands on my hips. “You are being quite ridiculous, and I don’t have to do what you tell me. I’m a grown woman.”
“Cuppa, Princess.” He ordered.
I huffed and headed into the kitchen to make him a drink before I went to see Quinn. Milo was guffawing loudly as I passed him. That man. He was driving me crazy.
Quinn turned out to look a lot like Stephen Amell. Around six foot tall, he obviously worked out, and he had a healthy glow, all of which made sense when he told me he was a horticulturist by trade and worked for the local council tending to flowerbeds and mowing the lawns on school fields etc.
“So how long have you lived here?” I asked him as he handed me a glass of water.
“Just over a year. It’s a nice neighbourhood. Quiet.”
I pulled a face. “Oh dear, I think I’m about to change that with all the refurbishment and renovation I have happening.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. You have to get your house habitable. I’ll just play a lot of music over the next few weeks to drown out any sounds of banging.”
I waited for a joke about ‘sounds of banging’ but none came. I was obviously spending far too much time with Milo Waite.
“So I know your front garden looks okay, but how’s the back doing? Seeing as I’m a gardener, it wouldn’t be very neighbourly if I didn’t offer to help.”
Sighing heavily, I took a sip of my drink before explaining about how Milo had strimmed it down but that it was a mess.
“Come on.” He tilted his head towards his front door. “Show me, and I’ll see what I can do to help.”
Oh God. What on earth was Milo going to do when I turned up with Quinn? Beat his chest and throw me over his shoulder? I really was going to have to be clear to Milo about the fact my house was my priority and that I didn’t want a budding romance with anyone right now. I had to admit though that Milo was adorable and I was finding his Neanderthal act quite entertaining. Still, I’d also found Jay entertaining and adorable and look where that had ended up. Keep your distance, I reminded myself.
We walked together from the front of Quinn’s house around to mine and then began walking down the side path to my garden. I saw Becca’s curtain move back and as I looked over she did a mock faint act in the window. I pulled what I hoped was an ‘oh my god, stop it’ face in return. I unlocked the back gate and groaned. Half the garden was covered in wood. Of course, they needed somewhere to put the materials being used today.
“I didn’t think this one through. They’re repairing a hole in my living room ceiling/bedroom floor today.”
“It’s fine.” Quinn replied. “I can still see the, erm, grass.”
Milo came strutting out of the back door. There was no other way to describe it. It was almost like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
“Hey there, mate.” He held out a hand to Quinn. “I’m Milo Waite, live over the garden there.” He nodded his head towards the missing gate. “I tried to strim through this jungle, but it definitely needs an expert’s attention. It’s as dead as my love life.”
Quinn shook Milo’s hand in return. “Nice to meet you, Milo. Hear nothing but good things about the Waite family firm. Let me know if you ever decide to add a gardener to the mix.”
“It’s a family firm.” Juliet appeared from the kitchen. I hadn’t even known she’d come back around. She looked Quinn up and down, but her face was set in her ‘don’t mess with me’ expression. “That right? Looks like I’ll be staying working for the council then, until I get myself organised to start my own business.”
“Or you could marry Juliet.” Milo suggested shrugging his shoulders. “Wouldn’t wish her on my worst enemy but that way you’re family and we can expand the business into gardening.” He winked at Quinn who after first going a bit pale, began to join in, looking at Juliet and slowly doing the same up and down gesture she’d done to him. Good on you, Quinn.
Juliet grimaced. “I knew there was a reason I worked on my own separate jobs and not around Miley. I’ll catch you later, Vi. I just dropped around some old curtains I had up in my room. They should fit your back bedroom window.”
“Oh thank you so much.” I reached over and hugged her and was pleased that she hugged me back.
“Fuck me. The ice queen melteth.” Milo declared. He was rewarded with a middle finger as Juliet stomped off. She didn’t so much as look in Quinn’s direction again.
Milo carried on as if Juliet hadn’t just been here throwing a tantrum. “So, as I said, dead as my love life. Anything you
can do to help? She’s on a budget though.”
“She is perfectly capable of talking for herself. Aren’t you supposed to be repairing a ceiling?”
“I’ve never met Quinn. I wanted to introduce myself. We also have a large garden you know, and we do often get requests for gardeners after we’ve done everything else, so you got any references and do you do work on the side?”
To my complete astonishment the guys started having a business conversation while I was standing there.
“Shall I make everyone a hot drink?” I said sarcastically.
“Glass of water would be nice.” Quinn replied.
“Don’t have to ask me about cuppas, just keep them coming.” Milo answered.
I took off into the kitchen feeling like Juliet Waite as I had my own mini tantrum.
By the time I returned with drinks they were discussing the garden. Now they were really getting my back up because this was my house, my garden, and Milo bloody Waite was like a thorn in my side right now.
“Milo. I can take it from here. I know you’ve lots to do and I’m guessing a young guy like you has plans on a Saturday night.”
“That’s very true.” He nodded and my stomach suddenly felt like it had a stone in it.
“Right, well, don’t let me keep you.”
“Good to meet you again, Quinn. I’ll be in touch.” They shook hands and Milo headed back into the house.
“So, I’m going to sort this out this week for you. Get the lawn re-turfed. You won’t recognise the place when I’m done, but you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of the summer. Milo’s going to sort out getting the area in front of your window paved or concreted. Says he’s owed a favour.”
“I can’t afford it. I’m just going to buy some grass seed.”
“There’s nothing to afford. Milo’s sending some work my way that’s going to make a huge difference in me preparing to set up my own business and we’re going to go for a pint so he can advise me on getting started.”
“Then go do Milo’s garden for free.” I could feel my teeth grinding together every time I closed my mouth.
Quinn laughed. “He said you’d say that and his answer was his dad does their garden and seeing as his dad owes you an apology you can call it his apology.” I opened my mouth. “He then said if you protested again he’d send his dad around to insist.”
“That goddamn man.” I screeched. Then I took a deep breath. “My apologies. It’s just Milo keeps interfering.”
“It’s all good. I can tell he’s a decent bloke and he was telling me about the state of your house. Don’t feel proud about accepting favours. Sometimes we need a bit of help. I have in the past. Soon you’ll be on your feet and then you’ll be able to help someone else. Pay it forward.”
“I’ll have a lot to pay forward.” I sighed. “Okay. Thank you so much for helping me with my garden. I accept.”
“Good stuff.” Quinn grinned. “So, I’ll start tomorrow. Milo will have done the ceiling and all this will be gone by then.” He pointed to the wood. He then passed me his empty glass. “Thanks for the drink. I’ll leave you to it. Nice to meet you and welcome to the Smalldale estate. You’re being here has already improved my life.” He said, then he shook my hand and left.
I saw the privet move between mine and Becca’s. I wandered over and spoke through it. “I know you’re there, Becca.”
“Did I hear right?” She said quietly. “He’s doing your garden tomorrow?”
“Yep, looks that way.”
“Ooooh, I think I need to clean all my back windows tomorrow. I hope the heat is intense so he has to take his shirt off.”
I giggled. “If you’re good I’ll invite you around to look at my mess of a house while he’s here.”
“We’re going to be such besties.” Becca sighed happily.
Walking back into the house, I put the glass in the sink and washed it through. I put the kettle on yet again and then went to see how Milo was getting on with repairing the ceiling. He came down the ladder and took the mug from me. “Cheers, Princess.”
“Will you stop calling me that?”
He took a sip. “No.”
“Will you stop interfering with my house plans?”
“I won’t interfere with any of your design plans but if I can get things done for you for free or at a discount then no.”
“Are you going to stop being a Neanderthal?”
“Fuck, no. Now if you don’t shut up and just accept that Miley is in the house and Miley does things the way he does them, I’ll just have to put you over my shoulder, lady, and smack your arse.”
“This is sexual harassment.”
“We both know tomorrow that your tongue’s gonna be hanging out of your mouth when Quinn takes his shirt off so don’t even go there. Anyway, I haven’t touched you… yet.”
“And you won’t be. Strictly business. I told you.”
“I know.” He grinned. “And that makes me very happy.”
This man confused me on a minute by minute basis. “Erm, why?”
“Because we just employed Quinn to do your garden which means you can’t date him either.” He took another drink of his tea and smiled like a Cheshire cat.
Fucker.
Milo
Once upon a time there was a young boy playing in his garden with a hammer he’d pinched from his dad’s garage. He was hiding at the bottom of his garden next to a tree and smashing stones up. He needed to escape from the family who were always asking him to do something or get out of the way. Smashing stones felt so good, watching them detonate everywhere.
He stopped as he heard someone chatting. Surely he hadn’t been discovered already? But no, it was coming from through the gate. He shuffled closer to the privet hedge next to the gate that went between his and the people diagonal to them’s garden and listened in while he spied through the slats of the gate. He could vaguely make out a girl with long golden hair. He wasn’t really into girls but this one was really pretty and the sun was shining on the crown of her head like a halo. She had a Barbie doll in one hand and a Ken doll in the other and another smaller one on the ground.
“Stop shouting at me, you’re scaring her.” She made the Ken doll speak.
“You’re an idiot, I don’t know why I ever married you.” Said the Barbie doll.
She placed them down and picked up the small one and whizzed it around. “Abracadabra, I am a magical princess and I am sprinkling around my happy dust and you shall live happily ever after.” She said. Then she placed the doll down, picked up Ken and Barbie and made them kiss.
Ew. Gross, he thought.
But he kept watching her from afar for years to come, until kissing suddenly didn’t seem so gross anymore.
He nicknamed the princess Rapunzel and said that one day he would save her.
But before he got the chance, she disappeared and he didn’t know where she went.
The boy grew into a man and he tried to live his life. He had girlfriends and hoped to fall in love. But his memories of Rapunzel created an ideal no other woman could live up to.
He became increasingly frustrated as he told himself again and again that Rapunzel wasn’t real; she was a fairy tale princess, mainly living in his mind, and even if he ever met her again, she wouldn’t be anything like he imagined.
But one day the princess returned to her castle.
And the man was right. She wasn’t like he had imagined.
She was even better than his imagination and now he was determined that he would be her happy ever after.
I still felt so guilty for how my dad had kicked off at Vi. It made me more determined than ever to help her get her house sorted to a decent enough standard where tonight she could settle in her own home and not feel unsafe, because I knew whatever happened tonight she would not venture across to ours again. That was okay though. I had a plan. Wasn’t going to tell her about it yet though. I could see I needed to rein it in a bit. I’d had years to get used to the idea of Rap
unzel being mine. She’d had a couple of days to accept I was hers. And now I knew there was an ex in the equation. Vi exuded vulnerability, even through her determination to sort out a home for herself. Deep down I knew she was yet to find peace in life. I don’t know how I knew this, I just did. Or maybe I was projecting my own feelings. I just felt that we were two halves of a whole. But I needed to take my time; be less of the Wrecking Ball Miley! A whole new Milo Waite was going to emerge, patient Milo. God, that was going to be hard. Even harder than my dick right now and that was saying something. Her face when I threw her not dating people she had working with her back in her face. Ha. Anyway, I’d seen how Quinn had looked at Juliet. Like a starving artist and Juliet was a walking palette. Pity she was so closed off, my sister. He’d have his work cut out there.
So at least I wouldn’t have to threaten Quinn to back the fuck off. Just joking. I wouldn’t have threatened him. I’d have just snogged Vi’s face off and then while she was either hitting me or in utter shock I’d have picked her up, moved her into the house and locked the door.
I carried on repairing the hole in the ceiling. Occasionally Vi would drop a fresh mug of tea nearby, but then she got to work herself. She used a hell of a lot of sugar soap and I knew that by tomorrow she’d be dusting the place down again, but for now I could see that determination back on her face.
“Hey, Girl Friday.” I called out.
She looked at me from where she was cleaning the front window. “You can’t possibly want another drink. You’re going to explode.”
I pointed at the ceiling where I’d just put in the last screw on the piece of plasterboard.
Vi came running over. “Thank you so much for filling the hole.”
I should have been given some kind of endurance award for not answering that the way I was tempted to, but I’m glad I didn’t because it would have stopped what had happened next.
Vi had flung her arms around me in a thank you.
Her hot little body—and I meant that in a working-hard-in-summer kind of way—was pressed against mine. Those perfect tits encased under that baggy t-shirt she’d put on were pressing into my own hard chest. She was too excited about the repair to be aware of what she was doing to me. Until my dick got so hard I was surprised it didn’t punch a hole back through the ceiling. Then our Violet turned crimson as my erection pressed against her. I held her away from me.
Waiting For Milo: THE WAITE FAMILY - BOOK ONE Page 6