by Claire Adams
I folded the check and stuffed it in the back pocket of my jeans. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“I would eventually like to have you make a couple of end tables for my trophy room,” he added as we walked out of the house and down the front steps of the porch.
“It will be after the season before I can start a new set. Plus, I may have a contract to produce several pieces for a retailer, so the sooner you can let me know when you’re ready for them, I can make sure you get a spot in my schedule.”
“Good for you, son. I’ll be sure to let you know.”
We said our farewells, and I waved one last time before driving off. He only lived about twenty minutes from me, and the drive went by fairly quickly.
When I got home, I spent a few hours cleaning the shop and found myself looking at the house from time to time wondering what my new neighbor was doing. After cleaning the shop, I pulled out the push mower and started taking care of the grass.
When Ryan bought the house, we made a deal that I would handle the grass, and he would handle any repairs the house needed. While I knew I got the short end of the deal, it was okay.
The difference between the two of us was that I had to work a lot harder to sustain my physique while he was naturally built. I worked twice as hard to keep myself toned. He laughed at me all the time about my six-pack and gloated often about his eight-pack. I honestly think he’s just jealous that I have a good three inches on him and have no trouble growing a beard. He makes fun of my abs, and I give him hell about his goatee. It all works out in the end.
Pushing the mower with a weighted backpack was often an extra workout for me. Though, today it was hot, so I skipped the backpack. I finished the acre around front and was starting the back when I saw Emerson walking out of the woods. She looked at me and just stopped. I released the lever on the handle and the mower went quiet.
“Do you ever wear clothes?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
“I have on clothes.” I looked down at my basketball shorts.
“Let me rephrase. Do you ever wear a shirt?” She looked me over again. I would be a liar if I said I didn't enjoy her eyeballing me.
I smiled indignantly. “I'm working out, and it’s hot.”
“You're mowing the lawn. I would hardly say that's working out.” She started to walk away.
“It’s exercise. That counts,” I called after her.
She shook her head and walked closer to her door. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“You wanna grill some chicken later?” I wasn't sure why I had asked or where it had come from... It just kind of came out. Maybe I missed grilling out with Ryan, and I figured she had to eat something. Plus, I saw the grocery bags she’d brought in, so I knew she didn't have much in the way of groceries other than coffee, a few cans of soup, and a loaf of bread.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she said before she walked the last few steps to her door and went inside without even looking back.
Shot down. I hadn’t exactly made nice with the new neighbor, it seemed.
I finished mowing then headed inside. After a long shower, I went about getting dinner prepared. I lit the grill and waited for it to heat up before I placed the three chicken breasts on it. I walked back in and put some brown rice on and threw a bag of green beans in the microwave to steam. I had to eat clean, and it sucked, once again jealous that Ryan could eat whatever he wanted. I cracked a light beer and sat in my lawn chair as the chicken cooked. I intended to prove I could be a good neighbor and fix her a plate even if she didn't want to eat it with me. And after I finished eating, that’s exactly what I did.
I carried the plate over and knocked on her door. She pulled it open and looked at me over the glasses resting low in the bridge of her nose. I smiled at the sight of a pencil stuck in the messy bun piled on top of her head.
“Yes?” she said as her eyes met mine.
I hesitated, caught off guard by the lump in my throat. “I brought you this. Peace offering?” I pushed the plate out in front of me.
A smile played over her pink lips. “Thanks.” She took it and let the screen door close behind her. I followed her inside.
“I had extra, and without Ryan here to eat it, it’ll just go to waste,” I tried to explain.
“Thanks again. I was just about to take a food break, so good timing.”
“From?” I asked as I watched her unwrap the plate and grab a plastic fork from a drawer.
She looked over at me as she lifted a forkful of green beans to her mouth then paused. “I'm working on securing a grant to help me study this new fungus that is killing the deciduous trees in the area.” She placed the beans in her mouth and chewed.
“I've heard Ryan’s dad talk about that. Causes root rot or something like that?”
“We aren't exactly sure why, but yeah, it seems to concentrate on the roots. I've seen it on branches before, but mostly it attacks the root ball.”
“Well, I hope you get the grant. I'll see you later.” I turned to leave.
She stopped me and said, “Thanks for this. I'll clean your plate and return it tomorrow.”
“No worries. I know where you live,” I smiled and then let myself out.
I laid in bed that night listening to her music playing quietly through my wall. When Ryan and I had planned this place, I hadn't thought about separating the bedrooms. When Ryan was there, more than once I had slept on the couch because of it. This was different, though. Her soft voice was muffled as she sang along and, to be honest, it was soothing. I closed my eyes and listened as she unknowingly sang me to sleep.
Chapter Six
Emerson
I finished my paper around midnight and proof read it quickly before getting the email ready to send it off. I had worked for hours and hadn’t even realized how quiet it was. I grabbed a cup of coffee, stuck it in the microwave, and waited. When it beeped at me, I pulled it out and headed out onto the back porch. The stars looked amazing, and I found myself wandering out into the yard with my head back just looking at them. The sheer magnitude of the little sparking lights brought a smile to my face. I stood out there and gazed at them until my coffee was gone. As I turned to make my way back to the house, a faint light in a window on Luke’s side of the house caught my attention, and I wondered if he was still awake.
I smiled thinking about the moment I opened the door earlier and found him standing there with a plate of food in his hands, and the way butterflies skidded through me when he looked at me. I couldn’t help but wonder how obvious I’d been and if he’d noticed how quickly I turned away so he couldn’t see the flush in my cheeks. I shook the thought from my head. It didn’t matter how good looking the man was; he stood for everything I was against. In both his work and his play, he was destroying the trees I was trying to save. I pushed him from my mind and headed back in the house to get some sleep.
***
I groaned when I lifted my phone to check the time. Yup, seven o’clock. I could see this sound was going to be my new alarm clock—chopping and hacking. I knew better than to look, but on my way to the bathroom I pulled back the curtain and looked anyway. I tried not to look at Luke, so I turned my attention to the now shirtless Ryan. He was cut and had a thinner, athletic build while Luke’s physique was thicker but still extremely defined. I don’t know what it was about the man, but damn Luke was pretty. It was hard to look away, so I forced myself to let go of the fabric and continue on to the bathroom. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I made my way downstairs and made a pot of coffee. I sat on the front porch and enjoyed the crispness of the early morning air, listening as the guys continued in the backyard. After my third cup, I stood to get dressed so I could run to town for some groceries. As I was turning, I caught sight of Ryan in my peripheral vision and stopped to say hi.
“Morning.” I heard his cheery voice cut through the silence.
“Hey.” I waved and reached for the metal door handle.
“What’s up for tod
ay? You finish your report?”
“I did. I am going to send it in today. It should be about a week until I hear anything.”
“Awesome,” he smiled brightly.
“Where is the closest grocery store?” I asked him. “I stopped on my way in the other night, but I wasn’t sure if that was the closest or not.”
“Right in the center of town actually. Just around the corner from the farmers market, but it's a bit early yet for that to be open. I’ll text you the address.”
“Thank you. I love fresh vegetables,” I smiled back at Ryan.
“I am heading into town if you want me to pick some stuff up for you,” Luke said as he walked out of his door onto the porch.
“I can get it. I need to learn my way around. Thanks, though,” I said and then waved to them both and disappeared back into my house.
It seemed like he didn’t think I could do things for myself. I knew in the back of my mind that he was probably just being nice, but I didn't need anyone to take care of me. I had been taking care of myself for years.
I changed clothes and headed into town to find the store Ryan sent me the address for. While I was shopping, I got a text update that the truck with my furniture would be arriving a week later than anticipated. I frowned at my phone, not realizing that someone was standing in front of me.
“You must be Emerson,” a sweet-looking older lady said as she smiled at me.
“Yes, I am.” I smiled back.
“I’m Hildie, Ryan’s grandmother. My Ryan told us about you.” She looked over my buggy curiously.
“He did?” I questioned.
“Yes, he spoke very highly of you. He said you’re a tree person. We have that in common.”
“You love trees?” I asked.
“Yes, trees have provided for my family for years. We own the local timber company.”
“Oh, you cut down trees?” I tried to maintain a neutral expression.
“We make lumber, but don't actually cut them down. We buy them from several companies in the state.”
I felt my demeanor change, though I tried to fight it. “I work in saving trees,” I said as politely as I could, but it was obvious she noticed it bothered me.
“We try to buy from the companies that farm the trees so that our forests are preserved. And, we use every part of the tree and sell most of our scraps and leftovers to Luke so he can make furniture. Plus, the boys use the larger pieces for their silly competitions.” She smiled broadly as if that made everything okay.
I stood there looking at her, not sure what to say.
“I'll let you get back to your shopping, dear. It was nice to meet you. I just wanted to introduce myself. If you ever need anything, please let me know. Ryan can give you my phone number.”
“Thank you so much,” I said and smiled sweetly at her. I turned and started back down the aisle checking the shelves for what was on my shopping list. How did I manage to always get myself in these situations? Of course, it made sense that Ryan would have left certain parts about his life out of our conversations. He knew what I did and probably didn’t want to lose the chance I’d rent the house. Truth was, my tendency to be a little more than outspoken about my opinions was probably one of my lesser attractive qualities. Rachel had pointed it out on more than one occasion. Yet, somehow, I still managed to stick my foot in my mouth more often than not. And while I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore tree hugger (you won’t catch me chained to a tree to save it), my passion for saving trees was a hot spot for such behavior, even though I knew most people didn’t get it. They just didn’t understand; they weren’t educated about what was happening most of the time.
Still, I wanted nothing more than to make sure Ryan knew my displeasure regarding his family’s business, but I promised myself to be polite about it.
I finished my shopping, loaded the bags into the truck, then drove back to the farmhouse. I grabbed as many bags from the truck as I could and carried them into the house. I was putting the refrigerated items away when Luke appeared at my door, bags in hand.
“I was heading out for a run and saw these in the back. Thought I would carry them in for you.” I had no idea why, but I felt myself prickle at the fact that he always appeared and always helped.
“I could have gotten them.” I looked at his hands holding the bags.
“I know,” he said with a smile and set them down on the table then turned to leave.
“Thanks.” I said as I opened the fridge to place the eggs in.
“Mrs. Rich down the road has fresh eggs for sale and they taste so much better than the ones bought at the store. I'll grab you some next time I see her.”
Gah! Really? Why was he always so helpful? “That's okay.” I placed the carton on the shelf and grabbed the jug of milk from the bag and turned again.
“And Mr. Beck has a few cows that he milks. If you happen to want some fresh milk, I can point you in that direction.”
“Are you always this helpful?” I said, not even thinking about my tone or how it came out. My hands were on my hips when I turned to him.
He raised his hands in the air and backed away. “I was just trying to be a good neighbor. Sorry if I offended you.” He turned and left, letting the screen door slam behind him. I stood and watched him as he walked the mile-long driveway. He shook his head just as he passed the trucks, and then he started running. I lost sight of him over the roll in the land.
I pulled in a deep breath and finished putting the groceries away. I wanted to apologize, but at the same time, I didn't. He always seemed to be inserting himself into my part of this little bubble we lived in like I needed all this help. I shook my head and glanced back out at the drive he jogged away on. Maybe he was genuinely considerate and thoughtful, but I doubted it. In my experience, when men were that nice to you, they wanted something, and I’d dealt with enough of that type of kindness in my life. I didn't need or want any more of it.
I grabbed my laptop and went to sit on the porch to work on proofing my grant proposal and report before sending in a final copy. It took me nearly an hour, and just as I was on the last page, Luke walked up the porch steps and stopped briefly in front of the chair next to me.
“Your mail,” he stated flatly, placing something in the rocking chair, then kept walking. I heard the slam of his screen door echo down the porch.
Chapter Seven
Luke
The woman was absolutely infuriating. All I was trying to be was a good neighbor. I just wanted her to know that I was available to help her get settled into the new area if I could and maybe tell her about the local things I knew about. According to Ryan, she was a tree hugger, so I assumed that meant she also like locally sourced produce. Milk and eggs were fairly easy to come by right now, and the farmers market would be opening in the next few weeks. I only wanted to be friendly. After all, I have to live next door to her for the foreseeable future. Why wouldn’t I be?
I grabbed the mail after my run and found a letter for her, so I carried it to the house. I wasn't expecting her to be sitting on the porch, so I just sat the letter down and walked away.
I spent the next few hours working on some partially done small projects that I needed to completed, and then I watched a few videos of guys I would be competing against in the small room at the back of my shop that Ryan had dubbed “Luke’s Cage.” He read too many comics growing up.
By the time I was done, I checked the time and realized people would be arriving soon for the cookout Ryan and I had planned a few weeks before. Well, truth is, Ryan had planned it. I didn’t have much say in the matter.
As I walked to my back door, I found my plate sitting there, cleaned as she had promised. I picked it up as I walked in the house. Ryan was already in the kitchen stocking the fridge with his favorite adult beverage.
“Hey man,” he said as I walked in.
“Hey,” I replied.
“Well, that was unenthusiastic. We need to turn that frown upside down!” he sa
id in a chipper tone.
“I’m good. Just been a long day.”
“You need a beer, my friend.” He reached in the cooler next to him and pulled out a bottle, handing it to me.
“Thanks,” I replied, popping the top.
He went back to arranging things in the fridge. “Oh, I invited Emmy over for the cookout,” his voice echoed.
“She won’t come,” I stated coldly.
Ryan popped his head out of the fridge and shot me a curious look. “Why do you say that?” he asked.
“Because I’m fairly certain she can’t stand me. So, there’s that.”
“Hmm... I don’t think that’s the case. She might think you’re a jerkface for keeping her awake at night with all of your chainsawing and manly machine noises, but she can probably stand you. At least a little.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Well, I think she’ll come over. At least for a little bit. I told her there were some people I wanted to introduce her to.”
“We’ll see,” I stated and took a long swig of my beer.
***
Nearly twenty people had shown up for the cookout, and things were getting a little loud. I kept glancing at the door, secretly wishing Emmy would show up, but she didn't. I couldn’t tell you why I was hoping she would; like I’d told Ryan, it was pretty clear she wasn’t too fond of me. I wasn’t used to that. People generally liked me unless I’d really given them reason not to; maybe that was why it bothered me: I didn’t think I’d really given her a reason.
As the evening got later and later, I found myself wondering if she was trying to get to sleep and just getting madder at me for the noise even, though she surely had to know the cookout was all Ryan’s doing. The same guy who was currently stumbling up my stairs toward the guest room with some chick. I just leaned back on the couch, shaking my head.
“I really hate that guy,” the brunette said as she sat plopped down beside me. When I looked over, I knew her name was Sandy or Sharon or something close to that. “He is all over the place, all the time.”