The Man Next Door: Orchard Heights Book 2 - standalone

by Roya Carmen

  I bit my bottom lip, and quickly did the math. “Seventeen, four months or so.”

  He raked a hand through my hair and combed it back. He then pressed down the folds of my skirt, making me presentable again. “Come back in about eight months or so,” he said with a teasing wink.

  I exhaled a long breath, knowing it was no use trying to change his mind or seduce him. He was a strong man, physically and emotionally, and his integrity was steadfast. It was, ironically, one of the reasons I liked him so much.

  I turned on my heel. “I’ll be back.”

  He grinned. “Later, kid.”

  I turned to him. “Can you make me a promise?”

  He raised a brow. “Depends what it is, kid.”

  “The day I turn eighteen, you promise never to call me ‘kid’ again. I kinda hate it.”

  He laughed. “I’ll try. Can’t make any promises.”

  I smiled at him as I turned to the door, my heart heavy, and my panties moist.

  27

  I’m tucked in comfortably in Noah’s arms, the best place to be. It’s Saturday morning and we’re both enjoying a long sleep-in. Although I suspect he enjoys long sleep-ins every morning, the perks of being self-employed.

  “Tell me about your parents again,” I ask, wanting to know more about him. “And your whole family.”

  He shifts, and I reluctantly lift my head.

  “I told you before,” he says, a hint of irritation lacing his words. “My dad died of a heart attack five years ago, and my mom’s well, hanging with her girlfriends. She was going out with a silver fox but that’s all over now.”

  I smile. “What does she look like? What’s her name?”

  “She’s very beautiful. Always has been.”

  I laugh. “Of course you would say that. Boys and their mothers.”

  “What’s her name?” I ask again.

  He rakes a hand through my hair, and I revel in the sensation. “Alice.”

  “What were your parents’ names?” he asks, boomeranging the conversation back to me.

  “Melissa and Robert. But everyone called my dad Robbie,” I clarify. “We should go to see your mother one time,” I suggest. “I’d love to meet her.”

  He clears his throat. “Yeah, maybe… one day. I’ve got a lot going on these days though. And she’s in Florida right now.”

  “Even better… let’s go visit her in Florida.”

  He keeps playing with my hair, and I enjoy the warmth of his naked body against mine. The night before was amazing; slow love. At first, we were fast and furious, but as the days went on, the more we made love, the sex became slower, more intimate. He gazed at me with the most intense expression. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he tore his gaze away and pressed his mouth against my neck.

  What did you want to tell me?

  “Have you ever loved someone?” he asks, changing the subject. “I mean… truly loved? Romantic love…”

  My mind is instantly full of Gavin. I don’t know if I want to talk about him.

  “Have you?” he asks again.

  “Yes…” I finally confess.

  “Your ex-husband?”

  I bite my lip. “No… surprisingly not. Daniel and I were best friends, partners in crime, but I never truly loved him the way he deserved to be loved.” My heart is in my throat. I’m not sure if I’ve ever admitted this to anyone, least of all myself. “He went and looked for love somewhere else, and I’m not sure I can blame him.”

  “Then who was it?” Noah asks, eager.

  “His name was Gavin,” I tell him. “He was an older man I fell deeply in love with when I was younger.”

  “Tell me about him,” he says with no hint of jealousy.

  “He was misunderstood. A quiet loner. A bit of a crank. But he had the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. He cared about me, more than anyone ever had before.”

  He trails slow soft circles on my arm. “Was he hot?” he teases. “Hotter than me?”

  I laugh. “No, you are both equally hot, in different ways. He was rough around the edges, the strong silent type.”

  “And what am I?”

  “You’re a pretty boy, the strong not-so-silent type. A real charmer.” I turn to face him, and he bends down to kiss me. I stroke his five o’clock shadow and gaze into his baby blues before my lips press against his.

  He doesn’t pry. What happened with him? Where is he now? How much older than you was he? None of those questions are asked, and I find it incredibly refreshing.

  My head was buried in the latest Dean Koontz book when I spotted Izzie in the distance, walking to the bus stop. I shot her a wave and earmarked my book. I was thrilled to see her because she’d been missing in action all weekend.

  She ignored me and walked right by as if I weren’t even there. She chatted up Kelly and Karla who were practically glued at the hips. I was irked by the sight of the three of them, blonde, perky and babbling about who knows what.

  What the hell is her problem?

  The three of them wore short skirts and tight t-shirts.

  The three fucking slutty Musketeers.

  Kelly flipped her long hair, an annoying habit of hers. And Karla chewed at her nails. Izzie shot me a sidelong glance. If looks could kill, I would have been dead on the ground.

  I needed to get to the bottom of this. I slowly made my way to join them. Kelly and Karla were all smiles. “Hey, Abby. What’s up?” Kelly asked. “I like your hair up like that.”

  “Thanks,” I replied meekly. “I’m good.”

  I ventured a look at Izzie, who was still shooting daggers at me. “What’s going on with you, Izzie?”

  She tore her gaze from mine. “The usual.”

  Uh… so it’s going to be like that.

  The yellow bus turned into the park, and all the kids packed up their things, threw their backpacks over their shoulders, and waited patiently for the driver to drive up and pop open the doors.

  I stood at the back of the line and nipped at Joey Davidson’s heels. He was the smallest kid on the bus and always the last to climb in. He always sat by his lonesome at the front by the driver.

  When I finally made my way up on the bus, I smiled at Miss Melody, our driver, and studied my options. I always sat with Izzie, and there she was, sitting alone. Kelly and Karla were seated together just behind her.

  Izzie sat at the edge of the seat, refusing to welcome me in. I scowled at her and shoved myself next to her aggressively. She had no choice but to move.

  “Why don’t you sit somewhere else?” she scoffed.

  “Because I want to sit with you,” I snapped back. “What the hell is your problem anyway?”

  “You’re a slut,” she whispered. “That’s my problem.”

  I stifled a laugh. Me… the slut. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. “What?”

  “I saw you,” she fumed.

  “You saw me when?” I asked, extremely confused.

  “I followed you on Friday,” she confessed. “When you and Gavin were talking outside. I knew something was going on between you two.”

  “You followed me where?” I asked, still confused.

  “You went to his place,” she said, a little too loudly. “And you were there for a while. What did you guys do in there?”

  I was fuming. “None of your business.”

  “He’s like thirty or something,” she went on. “You’re such a little slut.”

  I turned my head. The whole bus was listening, highly entertained.

  “He’s twenty-seven actually,” I whispered.

  “You’re still a tramp.” She smirked. “He’s just using you.”

  She was taking it too far. Way too far. “You’re just jealous, Izzie. You’re jealous because for once, you’re not getting all the attention. He likes me and not you, and you can’t stand it.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Uh…” she faltered. “I’m not jealous. I’m not jealous because I’ve been there… done that. He wasn’
t even good.”

  Kelly and Karla’s mouths were hanging in disbelief. So was mine. It couldn’t be true. “You’re lying.”

  She lifted her chin, like she always did when she was being particularly full of herself. “You know the older man I’ve been talking about… well, guess who?” A slow grin traced her lips, it was both playful and pure evil.

  “You’re lying.” I rose. “You’re a lying narcissistic bitch.” I shoved my backpack over my shoulder and headed to the front of the bus, my heart pounding a mile a minute.

  “Sit down,” Miss Melody called out.

  I quickly scampered and sat next to Joey Davidson who was clearly shaken by my sudden appearance. He shifted a little closer to the window. We didn’t exchange a single word.

  And I never looked back.

  28

  My mouth is dry. It always is when I’m nervous. I’m not sure why I’m such a wreck. I dig into my oversized bag and grab my water bottle. I take a swig before ringing the doorbell. I press the button, and impatiently wait. Colleen swings the door open and is all smiles.

  “Mrs. Cooper,” she says. “Please come in. It’s so nice to see you.”

  Mrs. Cooper. I still have Daniel’s last name and I cringe a little every time someone says it.

  I’ve been here before, but this house still manages to impress me.

  “Madison,” Colleen calls out. “Mrs. Cooper is here.”

  “Please call me Abby,” I insist.

  She smiles. “Yes… Abby. I keep forgetting.”

  Madison pops her head in. She looks really happy. She looks healthy, not as gaunt as she was before. Her hair is shiny and her cheeks are rosy. A second later, another sweet face makes an appearance.

  “This is Maddie’s friend, Cassie,” Colleen tells me. “She lives three houses down.”

  “Hi, Cassie. Nice to meet you.”

  She smiles shyly. She’s very pretty, dark hair, dark complexion.

  “Can I offer you something to drink,” Colleen asks. “I have everything. Is it okay if Cassie is here? They were having such a blast… I couldn’t ruin their fun.”

  “Uh… no. It’s fine.” I certainly don’t want to be the bad guy, the big mean social worker. Madison and I have established a good relationship and I don’t want to mess with that. “As long as Madison can sit for a bit, and answer a few questions.”

  “No problem,” Madison says and plops her rear on one of the kitchen table chairs. Her friend follows suit, right next to her. They both fix me with inquisitive eyes and huge smiles. Obviously, they find this all very exciting and fun. “I’ll have a tea, please,” I say, finally answering Colleen’s question. “Any flavor… surprise me. Two sugars.”

  I smile as I flip open the Perez case folder. “So how is school?” I ask. “You like it?”

  Her face visibly lights up. “I love it. It’s so much better than my last school.”

  I’m so happy to hear this. “And you’ve made friends?”

  She nods enthusiastically. “Yeah… everyone is so nice. And Cassie goes there too. She’s in my class. We met on the bus.”

  I smile. “Perfect.”

  “We’re both in the badminton club at school,” Cassie tells me. “Maddie is so good.”

  Madison smiles shyly.

  “And she won first place in a math competition in our class,” Cassie points out. “She’s really smart.”

  I jot down a few notes, including Cassie’s remarks, in my observations. “Of course she is.”

  I glance up at Madison again. “You look really well, Madison. You’ve been sleeping well? Eating well?”

  She nods. “Yeah… my bed is so comfy. And auntie Colleen makes the best muffins for my lunch. She also makes awesome spaghetti and hamburgers and all sorts of yummy foods.”

  “No more canned foods?” I joke.

  “Well, she buys the chili in the can because she knows how much I love it.”

  I laugh. “Yeah, that stuff is good.”

  “Ewwww… chili,” Cassie chimes in. “There’s beans in that.”

  We all crack up, and I reach for the cup of tea Colleen hands me.

  We cover all the bases, and there’s absolutely nothing to be concerned about, no red flags. It’s a clear cut case. Madison is clearly happier and better off with her aunt. She seems a little sad when she speaks of her visits with her parents and her dog, and you can see she truly loves them. Her parents are struggling to get better, but for each step forward, it seems to be two backwards. I don’t think Madison will ever live with them again. They’ll always be part of her life, but they’ll never be a family again.

  Colleen waves me a goodbye and closes the door behind me. A heavy weight presses at my core as I think of my own childhood, my own family. I never really had one, and I wonder how that has shaped me. Is it the reason I couldn’t make it work with Daniel? Or was it that I never loved him enough? Am I even capable of true love? When I never truly had it as a child?

  Gavin loved me. Gavin taught me how to love. When I think about Noah, I think I could possibly love again. Perhaps I’m capable of it. He fills me with excitement and longing, in a way Daniel never did.

  Perhaps I’m capable of love. Of loving Noah Parker.

  Summer was slow and kind of sad. Izzie and I never spoke again. We saw each other here and there during summer break, but we avoided each other as much as we could. She, Kelly and Karla became a happy trio. And she even managed to turn KK (as everyone called them) against me. They were convinced I was a slut and not worth their time.

  I no longer went to the Reeds, only seeing them occasionally here and there. Adele asked me why I wasn’t coming around anymore, and I told her I was just very busy with my new job. Little Abe would sometimes stop by when I was out in the yard, and we’d chat a little.

  I unfortunately did not find new friends, save for the few coworkers I hung out with occasionally at the movie theatre where I worked. I thanked the Lord every day for that job. I worked the concession stand and was very good at my job, very efficient. Every Tuesday night (Tuesday $5 special) when the place was a zoo, we’d have a competition for the highest till take (the most money made). I often won. The prizes were movie posters. They covered my walls; Lord of the Rings, Moulin Rouge, Shrek, Jurassic Park III, The Fast and the Furious, Vanilla Sky, Harry Potter and more.

  I ate a lot of popcorn and watched a lot of movies, by myself mostly, and occasionally with my coworkers. And sometimes I’d invite Gavin. Movies, popcorn and soda were free for employees, but the packaged treats were regular price. I was saving for college so I never indulged in the Skittles and Kit Kats (they were overpriced anyway).

  And of course, I had my books, and most importantly, I still had Gavin, and was still madly in love. We hung out in his backyard during the summer. He was always fixing something; ATVs, dirt bikes, motorbikes. I happily assisted him, and he taught me a few things.

  My dad eventually got off my case about him, clearly understanding that I couldn’t stay away. The only sage advice he had to give me was: “Don’t you get knocked up, you little tramp. Because if you do, I’m throwing you out of here. Ain’t having no crying baby around here.”

  That summer Gavin and I shared was truly the most wonderful summer of my life. We took long rides in his Benz, we shared picnics in the meadow behind the park and we watched a lot of movies. Just to annoy me, he continued to call me ‘kid’.

  Nothing happened between us because he promised me that once I turned eighteen, everything would change. Just like a kid waiting eagerly for Christmas morning, I was very patient and good.

  I was just happy to be with him.

  It’s about nine o’clock and I’ve already binge watched three episodes of The Good Wife, and things got a little steamy in the last one. I bite my lip, thinking about Noah next door. He’s busy working on a deadline, and we agreed that we’d spend the night apart. I was fine with it at the time, but now I’m all worked up.

  I bounce off my sofa, an
d head to my bedroom. I’m aroused as I dig into my lingerie drawer. I’m looking for my black lace corset teddy and thigh-high stockings. My heart skips a beat when I finally find it. I head to my closet where my shoes are kept. I don’t have that many high heels. I don’t need them since I’m already five foot seven, but I do have these sexy black suede Steve Madden pumps. I reach for them, an impish smile on my face.

  I’m giddy as I slip on the teddy and stockings. I tousle my hair and apply some makeup. It’s quite the transformation. Ten minutes ago, I was in my pajama pants and an oversized t-shirt.

  I saunter to the front door, heels in hand. I grab my red trench coat, usually reserved for rainy days. I slip on the heels, the tallest in my collection.

  I’m a bit nervous. First off, I’m supposed to leave him alone tonight. Secondly, we don’t often spend time at his place. I’m a little weary about inviting myself like this. Yet, I’m hoping that he won’t mind when he sees me all dolled up for him.

  My knock is timid. No answer. I can hear music. He’s probably hard at work. Maybe this was a bad idea. I turn on my heel and hesitate. I don’t often wear this get-up, and I’m sure he won’t mind a quickie. I’ll be in and out in ten minutes. I knock a little louder. Still no answer.

  I ring the bell, which is annoyingly loud. All the units in Orchard Heights have the same ear-assaulting buzz.

  Finally, the door swings open, and his jaw drops. Mission accomplished.

  He looks sexy, effortlessly so; mussed up hair, three day beard, white tee and worn jeans.

  “Wow,” he whispers. “I love those shoes… and that jacket.”

  I shoot him a coy grin. “Are you going to invite me in or what?”

  He extends his arm eagerly. “Come in!”

  My legs are a little unsteady as I walk in. I usually don’t do this kind of thing. I pull at my belt, and fiddle with the buttons on my jacket. I slip off the jacket and let it fall quietly to the floor. I turn around to catch his expression. His jaw is on the floor.

  “Wow.”

  I smile and take a few steps in his direction, my heels click-clacking on the hardwood flooring.