by Megan McCoy
“Bad dog,” she scolded, grabbing his leash and then picking him up. “Hush! You aren’t catching that squirrel and you aren’t going on anymore field trips today. House and backyard for you, buddy. You know better than that.” Her tone softened as her heart slowed to a regular rate. “Crossing the street alone, what’s wrong with you?”
She got to her house, that she’d left unlocked, and went in, unsnapping his leash and putting him on the floor where he trotted over to check out his food bowl as if he’d done nothing wrong. He gave her a pathetic look, so she got his ‘diet’ food and put it in his bowl. “There. I hope you’re happy,” she said. “I’m not.”
Gathering her laundry from the bedroom, she took it to the laundry room off the kitchen, double checking she still had Sebastian’s key. Yup. Thank goodness. Last thing she needed to do was lose that. She pulled some chicken from the fridge and decided to make a lemon chicken pasta bake. Her dad loved it, and she would take it to them this afternoon when she went to visit. Getting her pots and crock pot out, she thought about her neighbor and appreciated that thinking of Sebastian kept her from worrying about her mom. She didn’t want to worry about her mom. Her mom was supermom and it would be years before she needed to worry about her, she hoped. Not wanting to think of either of her parents getting older or frail, she pushed it from her mind, and thought of Sebastian while she cooked.
What were the odds a strong alpha male would move in next door to her? He apparently wasn’t married, but that didn’t mean he was available, she reminded herself. Just because he helped her out last night also didn’t mean he was interested in her. It meant he was a decent guy. On the upside, he’d already met all her family, so if they did date, that wouldn’t be an obstacle for him.
Her brain skipped and hopped around while she put the casserole together in her crockpot, then put her wet, clean, laundry in the dryer. Not long after she saw the window truck pull up next door, and hurried over to unlock the door for them.
“Hey, Ms. Carpenter,” one of the men said. Oh, yeah, Toby’s dad. It was nice to know people. “This your house?” he asked.
“No, my neighbor’s. He’s at work and gave me the key,” she said, not adding the part where she, with a little help, had broken the window. Who needed to know that but Sebastian?
“Show me on the outside of the house where the window is, would you?” They walked around the back of the house to the other side. “Can we get in that door?” he asked, pointing to the back door that led to the back hall and basement, she assumed.
“I only have one key,” she said. “I’ll try it and if it doesn’t work, I’ll go around front and open it that way.” Like many older homes, it worked just fine and unlocked with a satisfying click. “Here you are,” she said. “Do what needs done. I’ll be in the front of the house, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Should take us about two hours at the most, depending.”
“No hurry,” she said and headed to the front room. After all, Sebastian wouldn’t want her leaving strange workmen in the house alone, now would he? Plus, she needed to lock up after them, and well, she’d sweep the floor and things because that’s what a good neighbor would do. Right now, she was going to look around a little more, because that’s what a nosy female would do, plus she needed to find the bathroom. Legitimate concern! She’d be here for hours, after all! It was probably close to the bedroom, at least it was in her house. She walked down a short hall off the living room, away from the kitchen, toward where she knew the spare room was, and opened that door. She saw a man on a ladder on the outside of the window, and waved. “Just yell if you need anything,” she said. He nodded back, obviously concentrating, so leaving the door open, she left the room, and went to the next door. The bathroom. Well, that took a load off her mind. There was another small room next to it, with only boxes and a desk with a very large computer and monitor on it. Had he never heard of a laptop?
Then the last one had to be his bedroom. Should she? Why not? Since she couldn’t think of a single reason, she opened the door, feeling slightly guilty and a little devious. Why? He wasn’t home, and it wasn’t like she was going to do anything like rummage through his drawers or anything, now was it? Nope. Just being curious. She’d babysat a lot while she was in high school and had peeked in lots of rooms, and a few drawers. Mostly they were boring. Just clothes. Some neatly folded, some tossed in haphazardly, but the same kinds of things. Seen one pair of panties, seen most of them. Boxers. Ugh. Ugly things. Why weren’t men’s underwear cute? She had no idea. She’d never made any really shocking discoveries like they did in the movies. There was no reason to think this would be any different. So, she’d just look a bit. She opened the door, and peeked in. This room was much bigger than her bedroom and she felt a little envious. But really, what did she do in her bedroom? Sleep and get dressed. That was it.
There was a huge king-sized bed with a dark blue comforter, and the bed was neatly made, of course. There was a nightstand on one side with a phone charger and a clock with huge numbers that seemed to shine off the ceiling. That would be handy when you woke up at night, she thought. No book, no water glass, no lotion, all things on her nightstand. She looked over, and there above the dresser across the room from the bed was a big, flat screen TV. Did he watch TV at night in bed? She did sometimes. He didn’t look the type though. It was probably set on an all-night news channel. Maggie grinned thinking of him watching one of her favorite reality shows.
She peeked in the closet. He hung up his t shirts? Who did that? His jeans, too. Weird. But to each their own, she figured, and looked down. About four pairs of shoes. Enough, not overly extravagant but adequate. Very neat, but of course, he’d just moved in. Room darkening curtains, and a few comfortable throw rugs. It, too, looked cold and sterile. Maggie wondered if he had any personal pictures to hang on the wall, or any landscapes or, what would a man like him hang on his walls? Maybe the answer was in one of the boxes?
Grabbing the phone vibrating in her pocket, she picked it up. “Cambry! What have you heard?” she asked, and wandered into the living room, settling down on the couch to chat.
“I’m picking them up in about an hour. Mom got the go ahead to come home,” she said.
“Oh, good. I started a casserole I’ll run out there later and make sure things are going fine,” Maggie sighed in relief. “So glad it was nothing more serious.”
They chatted about family for a while, until a man came down the hall, calling, “Ms. Carpenter?”
“Gotta go, Cambry. I’ll call you after my visit later,” she said.
“We’re done, ma’am,” he said. “Want to come see?”
“Sure,” she pocketed the phone and walked back with him. “That was fast.” She must have been talking to Cambry much longer than she thought.
“Despite this being an older house, we did the double paned thermal glass windows,” he said, “The rest of the house has those, so we just matched. You won’t beat those for keeping in the heat in the winter.”
Yeah, that sounded expensive, she thought. “Got the bill?”
“No, ma’am. We’re just the labor. The office staff handles the paperwork, they will mail you a bill.”
“Just make sure that you send it to me and not here,” she reminded him.
He saluted and grinned at her. “Will do.”
“Thanks for everything,” she said.
“If everything is fine, we’ll head out.”
He left by way of the back door, carrying his handful of tools, and she looked around a bit more, and decided they cleaned up pretty well, but she’d sweep the floor again and maybe wipe down the sills.
She watched them go out the back door, and then went to the kitchen to find a broom, and get a cloth. Gathering her supplies, she headed to the back room to clean up something that really didn’t need cleaned. It took her just a few minutes when her curiosity got the better of her. What was on his big computer? Dare she fire it up and take a peek before sh
e left? Why not? She hadn’t checked her email today after all. Who would mind if you checked your email? No one, it was practically like a given. Right?
She leaned the broom against the hall door and went to the office room. Finding the power button, she turned it on and sat down in the surprisingly comfortable office chair. He didn’t skimp on the nice stuff, did he? While the computer was powering on, she looked around the room again. Yes, boxes, all neatly taped and labeled. Had he hired a moving crew? Must be nice. She’d moved into her house with a stock trailer her dad had borrowed, and with some family friends helping. Opening the drawer of the desk, she peeked in. Papers! Just as she started snooping through the papers, she heard the front door open and close. Panic surged through her, and she scrambled to power down the computer, and shut the desk drawer. Hurrying out to the hall, she saw Sebastian standing at the room with the now fixed window, as if looking for her. Her heart pounded wildly, and she felt as if she were a little girl who got caught doing something wrong.
Oddly he had one shoe in his hand, why?
Might as well bite the bullet and admit to being there, still. It wasn’t like she was going to hide in the closet after all, was it? Oh, now she thought of that. Next time. She grabbed the broom and said cheerfully, “Hi! I didn’t expect you. Window guys just left, and I was doing a little bit of sweeping up before I left.”
He turned slowly to look at her and said, “The window is fixed.”
Hadn’t she just said that? “Yes?” She’d looked at it. They’d done a good job.
“Did they bring a dog?”
She cocked her head. “No?” Why was she answering his questions with questions?
“I stepped in something on my way in.” He held up his shoe with the remnants of Simon’s poop bag that she’d tossed on the porch earlier and forgotten about. Oh man.
“Oh, no,” she said. “I’m sorry, can I help you clean it up?” Did he even know she had a dog? Yeah, he did, he’d been over last night. She was a pro at cleaning up dog poop off shoes or anything else. She’d always had a dog and quite literally, crap happened.
He just stood there and stared at her, so taking yet another deep breath, she walked over and took the shoe from him, deliberately not touching his hand, and headed to the kitchen to get paper towels.
Walking over to the trash can, she started scraping his shoe, and tried to act as if she didn’t notice him behind her.
“Why were you in my office?” he asked very quietly.
“Being nosy,” she said flippantly, heart pounding. “Just wondering what the rest of the house looked like.” She glanced over at him. “I’m sorry.”
“How’s your mom?” he asked.
Okay, we’re changing the subject and that’s just fine, Maggie thought, going to wet a clean paper towel. “Should be going home today,” she said. “I’m going out to take her and Dad a casserole later, see if they need anything.”
She turned and handed him his well cleaned shoe. “There you go, all better!” Fishing in her shorts pocket, she pulled out his key. “Here’s your key back.”
He waved her off. “I don’t know anyone else in town yet. Why don’t you keep it in case something comes up?”
Maggie smiled at him. He must not be mad about her snoopy ways, after all. She stuck it back in her pocket. “I won’t use it without permission or an emergency,” she promised.
“I’d appreciate that,” he said in his usual dry tone. “You done here?”
“Sure am,” she said, turning to wash her hands.
“Good. I have to get back to work,” he said.
“Oh, I need to make sure the guys locked the back door,” she said.
“Thank you,” he said. Then he walked out the front door, both shoes on his feet, and got in his car. She shook her head, made sure the front door was locked and then scurried out the back door, flipping lights off as she went. He was an odd one, but she didn’t want to get caught in his house, in case he just drove around the block and came back. Would he? She was actually a bit disappointed he didn’t get more stern with her.
She locked the back door behind her, and skipped a little, thinking at some point she would have to confess about Simon and her poop bag. Surely, he would realize her actions needed consequences then? Maybe? Giggling, Maggie wondered what she was thinking? It was almost as if she wanted her suit and tie and fancy dress shoed next-door neighbor to spank her! Well, in her fantasies, she sort of did. But she would only admit that to herself. Never out loud and never to him, or anyone else. It was like a married guy looking. It was okay to look at a pretty girl walking by, but you never told your wife how pretty you thought she was. She could dream about a strong dominant man putting her over his knee and making her bare bottom a bright rosy red, but, in reality, it probably would hurt, would be awkward and she’d feel silly, and who would do that? Men of his generation, unless they were psychos, didn’t hit women. It had been drilled into them since they were toddlers. They probably couldn’t. If they did, it would probably short wire their brains. Although, he had swatted her bottom. That was probably an exception.
Maggie sighed and slowed as she neared her house. Well, she got his window fixed and still owed him a casserole or something to say thank you for taking her to the hospital last night. She needed to pack up her casserole she’d already made, the leftover pie and her dog and head out to her mom’s for the afternoon and be home in time for ball practice.
Sebastian allowed his lips to twitch as he drove back to work, not even sure what gave him the impulse to swing by home earlier. Sure, he was within a few miles of there after a business meeting with the Chamber of Commerce president that morning, confirming a promotion his company was doing this afternoon, but still, it wasn’t needed, and it wasn’t on his list.
He’d come home and caught his nosy little neighbor in his office, probably sneaking on his computer or going through his desk drawers. He also knew she had a dog, and though he hadn’t seen it this morning, it must have been there at some point. He’d heard it barking at birds, or squirrels, or air, or whatever dogs barked at, in her backyard a few times and saw it in her house last night. He’d never had a dog and had no idea what they barked at, or why one would have its poop on his porch, all neatly bagged up. People used bags to pick up dog poop? Whatever works.
Why would she confess to the window and the snooping but not the dog bag? It made no sense to him, and he rather liked a challenge. She wasn’t quite the angelic, sweet little thing he thought she was yesterday, but she was the most interesting woman he’d met in a while, and if he was very patient, perhaps she could be trained. That would be very enjoyable. It had been a while since he’d trained himself a girlfriend, and since he seemed to be attracted to her, and she was convenient, and adorable, why not?
A few hours later, he headed to his last appointment of the day and wished he was going home. Tired, worn out and frustrated with the manager at the last store, who thought because he’d been doing things the same way for twenty years he was doing things right, and wanted no part of change for the better. At some point he was probably going to have to be replaced, and already had his first warning, but really Sebastian just wanted to go home, have a beer and watch a game on TV.
But he had to go make an appearance at a park, announce the groundbreaking of the new store on the outskirts of town, plug the other two stores, and hand out T-shirts to the athletic team the company was sponsoring. Tony, his PR guy had arranged for the local TV station to cover it. It was good PR to have his name all over the backs of kids, and shirts were cheap. Kids made good TV. He’d done this before in other towns, the new shirts had arrived a few days ago, and this should take less than an hour. Then home, cold beer and a ball game that was more exciting than a kids’ game.
The lovely lady inside his car’s computer announced he was almost to the ball park and he saw the TV truck and crew over in one corner. Grabbing the box from the trunk he headed over that way. The ball field was full, but of g
rown women, not kids. Were the kids next or was he sponsoring a women's team? That thought hadn’t occurred to him, but he had no concerns about the sizes of the shirts. Tony, the man in charge of all things detail, and who had set this up, would know and have done everything right. He always did. Tony was almost as anal as he was, and that was very much needed in his line of work.
He walked up to the truck, focusing on the man the young blonde with the mic in her hand was speaking to. Probably the producer and the person in charge and the man he needed to speak to. “Hi, I’m Sebastian Jones,” he said walking up to the group.
“Mr. Jones, great! We’re going live in about twenty minutes, have you been on TV before?” The blonde with the mic asked him professionally. Okay, maybe she was in charge. He needed to not jump to conclusions. Turning his attention to her, he smiled and nodded, then waited for her to tell him what they would be doing and showing him where they would be standing.
About five minutes later, a coach blew a whistle and the team came off the field toward her, then after a few minutes, they all came trooping over so they could be arranged behind them facing the camera. There she was. His window breaking, snooping, brunette, adorable neighbor. They locked eyes, and she looked surprised, but smiled and gave a half wave, while taking her place in line with the other players.
Their segment was over in less than five minutes, and he felt pleased with how it went. He got his advertising plugs in, the coach held up the shirts with the Jones’ Farm Equipment logo over the front. Good publicity, and he wasn’t even a bit disappointed that these weren’t adorable little kids, but fully-grown women, especially when the coach said they were on track for state finals in a few weeks, and were very excited about both the sponsorship and the new shirts. They could wear his shirts to state, that would be more than fine.