by Mia Belle
Boys Next Door
By
Mia Belle
Copyright © 2019 Mia Belle.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form without written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to real life, movies, television, games, or books is entirely coincidental and was not intended by the author.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter One
Lia
“Did you know new neighbors are moving in next door?” my best friend Sophie Walker asks from my bedroom window as she peeks through the blinds.
I flip through the novel I’m trying to read. “No, not really.” Dad might have mentioned it a few days ago, but I hardly pay attention to anything these days.
“Ooh, they’re getting out of the car,” she continues, stretching the slats to get a better look. “A man and a woman…” She presses her face to the window. “A guy. There’s a guy our age, Lia. Look.”
“Pass.” I turn the page.
She giggles. “He’s hot.”
“I’m sure he is.”
She turns to me, hands on her hips. “Come on, Lia. Aren’t you a little bit…” Her mouth drops as she faces the window. She gasps. “There’s another guy. And another!” She turns to me again, her hazel eyes bright and a little dazed. “Lia, there are three hot guys moving in next door to you. Three guys!”
“And I should care…why?”
She throws her hands up. “No one ever moves to our tiny, stupid town. And now three hot guys move in next door to you. Aren’t you a little curious?”
“Nope.”
Her mouth twists into a frown. She tosses her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder. “I know what Josh did to you sucked—”
“What did I say about bringing up that name in my house?”
Her lips press shut. “Fine, sorry.” She turns to the window. “I’ll just enjoy the view from here. They’re bringing in the furniture. And one guy’s not wearing a shirt. God, those abs.” She’s nearly salivating now.
“Stop spying,” I say, my focus still on my book, though my eyes wander in her direction. “It’s not cool.”
“Sure is and I’m loving what I see.” She pulls away from the window, grinning at me. I know that look—she’s up to no good.
“What?” I say.
“Let’s go over and say hi. They are your neighbors and it’s the neighborly thing to do.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She’s at my side on the bed within seconds and grabs my hand. “Come on. Don’t make me do this alone.”
I shut my book. “How about not doing it at all? They just moved in, Sophie. Give them a chance to breathe.”
She’s quiet as she mulls over it, her head rolling from right to left. When it comes to my best friend, sometimes I need to help her see reason before she does something stupid. “Fine,” she relents. “I’ll wait an hour.” She leaps back to the window.
The hour that passes is pure torture, both for me and for Sophie. She doesn’t stop ogling these boys and giving me a rundown of everything happening outside—from the boys chatting to their parents or one another, and hauling in things from the moving truck to their new home. It doesn’t end. I can’t focus on my book.
“Okay,” she says when the man and woman in my romance novel are about to kiss. “I waited an hour. Let’s go.”
“How about no?”
She locks her fingers together, tucking them under her chin, her eyes wide. She knows I can never say no to that begging face. Sometimes I wonder why I’m such a good friend.
She must see me caving because a wide smile fills her face and she sprints out my bedroom door.
Knowing there’s a high chance she’ll do something she’ll regret, I chase after her. She’s already outside, standing between my house and the new neighbors’.
I’ve known that house my whole life. An old couple used to live there until they died, the husband last year and the wife three weeks ago. It’s a little weird to see a moving truck and strange cars in their driveway.
“Where are they?” Sophie bounces on her heels. “I guess they brought everything inside already and are settled in. Let’s give them a warm welcome to Willow Lake.”
I grab her arm. “What are you doing with that?” I nod to the apple pie in her hands. “My dad bought that for dessert tonight.”
“Then buy another. We can’t greet the neighbors empty handed.”
I linger behind, only to force my legs to move as my best friend launches herself up the stairs. She rings the bell.
She shifts impatiently in place like she’ll explode if the door doesn’t open within the next two seconds. “You better not drop that pie,” I hiss. I don’t know what my dad will say when he finds it missing. Desserts have become a big deal to him now. Ever since…
The door swings open and a tall guy stands there. He has shaggy black hair that sweeps over his bright green eyes, the color of grass.
He stares at us, his eyes moving from my best friend to me like he’s trying to figure out how we got here.
I turn to Sophie, waiting for her to say something, but she stares back at the guy, her jaw nearly brushing the ground. I know what she’s thinking—this guy is super-hot. And though I’ve sworn off guys, I’m allowed to appreciate his hotness. Only a little bit.
Sophie’s eyes drop to his gray T-shirt. “You weren’t wearing a shirt before.” She actually sounds disappointed that he’s clothed.
He squints at her like he has no clue what she just said. I poke her with my elbow. That wasn’t the most neighborly thing to say.
“Who’s at the door, Zane?” a woman calls from inside.
The guy blinks, his eyebrows furrowing as he looks from me to Sophie. “Hi.”
Sophie beams, shoving the pie forward. “We’re your neighbors. I mean, she is, but I’m her best friend and live a few blocks away. Within walking distance.” She beams again. “This pie is for you. And, um, your family. I…made it.”
His
eyes dip to the pie, but he doesn’t seem the least bit interested in it or the girl holding it.
“I live right next door,” I find myself saying. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
He takes the pie from her. “Okay. Thanks.” He makes a move to close the door, but Sophie presses her palms against it.
“Maybe we can meet your family? I want to welcome you all.” She smiles again. I wish I could tell her she’s trying a little too hard.
He shrugs, widening the door and disappearing inside. Sophie gives me a wide grin before stepping in, with me following behind.
I’ve been inside this house many times over the years, but it feels different. The walls are the same and some of the furniture, but it’s like I’ve stepped into another dimension.
The first room we enter is the living room, where many boxes and different items are strewn about. A guy with long blond hair is crouched by one of the boxes, emptying its contents. I can’t see his face because it’s hidden in his hair. But as soon as he senses Sophie and me standing there, his head lifts and his hair falls away. Eyes the color of the bright sky meet me.
He stands, holding out a hand to me. “Hi, I’m Caleb Armstrong.”
We shake hands. His is a little cold, but there’s some warmth to it as well. I don’t know how long we shake, with his eyes piercing mine. I’ve never seen eyes like that before.
Sophie grabs his hand, forcing ours apart. “I’m Sophie.”
He smiles kindly, his gaze darting to me. “I didn’t catch your name.”
“Amelia. I live next door. We brought pie.”
He chuckles lightly. “I love pie. Thanks. Where is it?”
“That other guy took it,” I say. “The one who answered the door. Your brother? I think his name is Zane.”
“Thanks for the welcome. Did you meet my parents?”
We follow him into the kitchen where Zane, a man, woman, and another guy our age are sorting through a few more boxes. The man and third guy look like exact copies of one another, with short blond hair and brown eyes. The woman’s hair is a reddish color and her eyes are blue-green.
When the woman notices us, her face brightens. “You must be the neighbors. I’m sorry, I don’t know your names.” She pulls Sophie into a hug, then me.
“I’m Sophie Walker and this is my best friend Lia Kelly. She lives next door.”
Her smile is warm. “I’m Julia Armstrong. This is my husband Craig, and our three boys, Aidan, Caleb, and Zane.”
The man holds out a hand, which we shake. The three guys watch us curiously. And from the delighted look on her face, I know my best friend is loving every second of this. Me? I kind of want to bolt. Teen guys and I just don’t mix. No, that’s a lie. I refuse to let us mix.
Sophie giggles a bit too loudly. “So what brings you to our small town of Willow Lake?”
The parents and boys exchange looks, but no one says anything for a few seconds. Then the dad answers, “New job.”
“Oh,” Sophie says. I can’t help noticing the odd expressions on their faces, like it’s more than that. It’s pretty rare for someone to come to our tiny Missouri town because of a new job.
Julia pushes a smile on her face. “Please thank your mother for the pie,” she says to me.
My throat tightens. Sophie’s eyes dart to me, her face alarmed. “Actually, I made it,” she says.
“No.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “It’s store bought.”
Sophie shoots me a look, telling me she’s trying to impress these guys and their mom. I’d rather stick to the truth. What’s the point of lying?
The awkwardness is so thick I can cut it with a knife.
Julia reaches for the pie sitting on the counter. “How about I cut us each a slice? I’m famished after that long drive. How about you kids?” She laughs. “I know I don’t have to ask the boys if they’re hungry. What about you girls?”
“That’s okay,” Sophie says. “The pie’s for you.”
The mom waves her hand. “Nonsense. Please have some. I’m sorry our dishes are still in boxes and we need to use paper plates.”
She cuts us each a slice and we stand as we eat. I don’t have much of an appetite, and even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to get anything down my throat. I keep thinking about…
“Lia,” Sophie hisses. “Are you okay? They asked you a question.”
When I lift my head, I find everyone’s eyes pinned on me. The one’s belonging to the guys are intense and a little curious. I pull my gaze away. “Sorry. Yeah?”
Julia smiles sweetly. “I was just saying that I’d like to invite your parents and you to dinner after we’ve unpacked.”
“Oh.” I shift from one foot to the other. “Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Of course we’d love to. And I’d love to meet your mother.”
Sophie’s eyes spring to mine. “I think we’d better go. Thanks for the pie.” One thing I love about my best friend is that she always bails me out when things get a little tough. Like now.
But I don’t follow her as she makes her way to the door. Instead, I say, “Actually, I don’t have a mother.” There’s no point in avoiding it. They’ll find out eventually, anyway.
“I’m so sorry,” Julia says, while her husband nods sympathetically. “I shouldn’t have assumed.”
“You didn’t know, Mom,” the guy who I assume is Aidan says. He faces me. “I’m sorry, too.”
The kitchen grows painfully silent.
“I should get back home,” I say. “My dad’s probably waiting for me.”
Julia and Craig nod, bidding us goodbye. Julia still promises that dinner, if Dad and I are up to it. I tell her I’ll talk to him about it.
“I’ll walk you out,” Aidan offers, leading us through the living room crammed with boxes.
The October breeze smacks my face, blowing through my crazy curly brown hair. Aidan’s hair is the same shade of blond as Caleb’s, but shorter. It’s long enough for the breeze to thrust it in different directions, though.
Sophie grins at him. “Thanks for showing us out. How old are you guys? You’re in high school?”
“Yeah. We’re sixteen. Sophomores.”
“Like us.” Sophie beams at me. Then her eyebrows furrow. “Wait, are you guys triplets?”
Laughing softly, he shakes his head. “No. Caleb is my cousin and Zane is my adoptive brother.”
Sophie’s mouth forms an “o”. “You guys are going to Willow Lake High, though, right?”
He nods.
“Cool. I’ll see you there, then.” She tugs me into her arms for a hug. “Bye, Lia.” She gives Aidan another wide smile before hoping off.
I turn to go.
“Hey, Lia?”
I face him.
“I’m sorry about what my mother said,” he says. “She didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I shake my head. “She couldn’t have known. Don’t worry about it.”
It appears like he wants to say more, but nothing leaves his mouth. I give him a stiff smile before making my way to my house.
Chapter Two
Aidan
I watch Lia leave, wishing I could do something but not knowing what. Of course my mom didn’t mean to hurt her. She tends to assume things about other people without asking them first. She had no reason to suspect Lia didn’t have a mother, but I wish she wouldn’t have brought it up. The look on my new neighbor’s face was so…dejected. Her eyes were hollow. It was like the walls were closing in on her.
I don’t know what it is, but something about this girl tugs at my heart. I don’t know her—she’s a complete stranger—but…I don’t like seeing her upset.
I shake my head. Weird. I’ve never felt like this before.
When I’m back in the house, I find my parents unpacking more of our stuff in the kitchen. Caleb’s in charge of the living room, Zane’s busy with his room, and I’m off to mine.
As I pass the kitchen to climb the stairs, I overhear my par
ents talking.
“Such a sweet girl,” Mom says as she fishes out the salt and pepper shakers from a box. “But she’s so sad.”
Dad’s quiet for a few seconds, and from the look on his face, I know he’s thinking about something unrelated to our new neighbor. “You think this was a good idea, Julia? Uprooting ourselves like this?”
Mom rests her hand on his chest. “We had no choice. If we want to keep the boys safe, we need to make some sacrifices.”
Dad doesn’t respond and the room grows quiet. I don’t want to hear this anymore, and make my way upstairs.
Mom’s right. We’re doing the right thing. And not just to protect my cousin, but to protect all of us.
I push my door open and drop down before one of the many boxes in my room. I have a lot of crap. Dad tried to convince me not to take all my things with me, but I couldn’t leave them behind. They’re memories, proof that once upon a time I was actually somebody. Not a has-been. A shadow of my former self.
Shoving those thoughts aside before I completely lose it, I tear open the box and start emptying its contents.
Chapter Three
Lia
When I enter the kitchen, I find the top half of my father swallowed in the fridge. I stop dead in my tracks. Oh, no. I know exactly what he’s looking for.
“Dad?”
As he turns around, his head bangs into the ceiling of the fridge. He winces as he pulls his head out, rubbing the sore spot. He smiles widely, though his brown eyes are empty, just as they’ve been for the past month, after our world changed forever.
“I had a surprise for dinner,” he tells me. “But it seems to have vanished.”
“Surprise?” I ask innocently.
“Yeah.” He scratches his head, frowning. “I could have sworn I put it in here.”
“Um.”
He looks at me.
“We might have taken it,” I tell him. “Sophie and me, I mean. Sorry, but we gave it to the new neighbors.”
“That was very nice of you.” He shuts the fridge door. “I suppose I’ll order dessert when I pick up dinner. What are you in the mood for?”
What I’m really in the mood for is Mom’s lasagna or her pesto chicken or her awesome mashed potatoes.