The Neighbor

by Gerri Hill

  No, Laura wasn’t the type of woman she’d date. Actually, Laura really wasn’t the type she usually made friends with either. Wonder why that was? Why did she hang with the group she did?

  * * *

  Cassidy’s face broke out into a smile when she found Laura in her front yard, a garden hose in her hand as she watered flowers. Did she even own a garden hose? She buzzed her window down, still smiling as she eyed Laura in her cutoff jeans.

  “Sorry,” Laura said. “But if you want me out of here when you get home, you need to let me know that you’re coming early.”

  “No problem.” She arched an eyebrow. “Where did you find a garden hose? I didn’t even know I had one.”

  “You don’t.” She grinned. “Well, now you do.”

  “I see. So are you about done?”

  “Yes. I’ll be out of your hair in a second.”

  “No, no. I meant, if you’re about done, come up for a beer,” she offered.

  “You sure?”

  “Of course. I’ve had a stressful week. I’m ready to relax and get in the pool.”

  “Is that an invitation?”

  “It is.”

  “Good. Because I happen to have the weekend to myself.”

  “What a coincidence. So do I.”

  She was still smiling as she unpacked the groceries she’d bought. Three steaks—in case Laura’s mother wanted to join them, which now seemed like she wouldn’t. Potatoes for baking. Wild rice for the pilaf she’d make for tomorrow. Broccoli and cauliflower, which she’d steam for tonight’s dinner. Chicken—drumsticks and thighs—and the makings for the jerk sauce, which she’d get Laura to help her with tomorrow. Two bottles of wine, even though her wine rack was already fully stocked. And…a bottle of Crown, just because.

  She turned the AC down a little to cool off the house, then went upstairs to change into a swimsuit. She owned four suits, but gravitated to the black one-piece most often. The bikini was only for those occasions when she planned to take it off quickly, like when Claudia was still in the picture. She tossed the bikini back down and picked up the black one-piece instead. Not a romantic weekend, she reminded herself. It would be nice to have a stress-free few days where she didn’t have to entertain anyone—day and night. It would just be Laura and she’d found Laura didn’t need entertaining. That—as Tanya had suggested—was refreshing.

  When she went downstairs and back into the kitchen, she heard a splash. Looking through the window, she found Laura already in the pool, struggling to get onto one of the two floats that she’d apparently tossed in. Cassidy laughed as the float flipped over, dunking Laura. She opened the kitchen door.

  “Need some help?”

  “This damn thing always fights me,” Laura said as she grabbed it again, this time plopping across it sideways, then squirming onto it properly.

  Cassidy took the small bucket and put four beers in it and then filled it with ice. She brought two koozies and a couple of towels, then she walked into the pool using the steps, forgoing the diving board. She ducked under the water and swam toward the float, then paused to slick the hair back from her face before climbing onto it.

  “Okay, how is it that you can get on the thing so gracefully and I flop around like a beached whale?”

  Cassidy laughed. “Lots of practice. My college years were spent either in a pool or out in a lake. My parents have a pool. My brother has a pool.” She grasped Laura’s float and turned it a little to face her. “I see that your farmer’s tan is disappearing.”

  “That’s because I’ve started to wear this thing when I mow.” Laura grinned. “Much more convenient when I’m sneaking into your pool afterward.”

  “Speaking of that, did you get your mother in?”

  “I did. Two times. The first time was not very productive—she was convinced I was trying to drown her. Yesterday she did much better.”

  “And how is it that you have the weekend to yourself?”

  “My sister came about noon and picked her up. The twins—my sister’s kids—have some school program tonight that she wanted to go to. Then Carla—my sister—is taking Mom into the city for a day of shopping on Saturday. They asked me to go…I told them I’d be way too busy enjoying a root canal instead.”

  Cassidy laughed again. “Shopping isn’t your thing, huh?”

  “I love grocery shopping. It’s relaxing to me. But a mall? Clothes shopping? God…just shoot me.”

  “I know what you mean. I buy most of my things online now.”

  “Do you have to dress up? I hated wearing business suits at my old job.”

  “Yes, we dress up. Corporate office and all. We have clients that come in. Builders, contractors, and the like.”

  “So what do you wear? I guess I can picture you in a power suit. A skirt? No way.”

  “No skirts. No dresses. But yes, power suits. I’ve got a closet full of them.”

  “Here too?”

  “No. As long as I keep my apartment—which is only about fifteen minutes from the office—I don’t really need them here.”

  “Do you plan to live here full time someday?”

  “I imagine so. In fact, I could work from here on some days. I just haven’t initiated that yet. Why?”

  “Just wondering when I’m going to lose my private pool.” Laura put her float in motion and drifted over to the side where the beer bucket was. “You ready for one?”

  “Please.”

  Cassidy watched as Laura put a bottle in each koozie, then shoved both between her legs as she paddled back over to her. Cassidy’s eyes were drawn to the beer cradled between Laura’s thighs and she had only one thought…a thought that surprised her.

  Lucky beer.

  Damn…where did that come from? This was Laura, for God’s sake! Not one of her skinny blondes. Not Claudia. Not Larson. Not Becki. Not even Ashly. But Laura.

  “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.”

  Laura smiled at her as she took a drink. “No…thank you.”

  Cassidy looked around, finally taking note of the manicured lawn. “The yard looks nice. The flowers are filling out.”

  “Thank you. Yes, the flowers are coming along. I turn the planters every couple of days so the flowers don’t grow one-sided.”

  “So you’re enjoying your part-time job?”

  “I am. So much so that I think I’m going to hit up some of the elderly neighbors and see if I can pick up a few more yards.”

  “Won’t that cut into your writing time?”

  Laura snorted. “Writing? I think I’ve given that up.”

  “Really?”

  “I decided the first book was a fluke. Or else I was so intimidated by the whole process that I’ve unconsciously created this writer’s block so that I don’t have to go through it all again.”

  “Fear of failure?”

  “Maybe. Or maybe I really just don’t have a second book in me.” Laura stared past her for a moment, then met her gaze. “I’m not a writer. It took me eight years to admit it, but that’s the truth. And honestly, since I’ve been taking a break from writing, my temperament has changed.” She grinned. “You probably can’t notice since I’ve always been so nice to you, but I feel like I have no more stress.”

  Cassidy laughed. “Yeah, right. You were Miss Sunshine when we first met.”

  “I know. I may have been a little moody with the whole mowing thing.”

  “I called you a bitch.”

  Laura laughed. “That pissed me off.”

  “Sorry.”

  “So, anyway, I was thinking that I’m little more than a slug…living with my mother, no job.”

  “You take care of your mother, that’s a job.”

  “It’s a job with no pay and no benefits. But my mother can’t live alone and we can’t afford care for her. I mean, realistically, she could probably handle things at night okay. They have services that will come during the day, cook meals, do light housework, that sort of thing,” she explained.
“If I was working again—and I gave up a really nice salary when I quit—we could swing it.”

  “Or if you got a job close by, you could still live here and be here for her at night.”

  “Yes. But there are no jobs close by so I’d end up working in the Metroplex somewhere and no way am I making that commute every day.”

  “So yard maintenance it is.”

  Laura smiled. “Like I said…I’ve decided I’m not a writer. I’m a yard girl. I had that revelation while sitting in the leaning tree.”

  “You found it?” Then she smiled. “Trespassing again, huh?”

  “Yes. And I literally stumbled upon it. It had grown up around there, but I could still climb the tree. I sat there for a while, absorbing the quiet, the sounds of the woods.” Laura’s voice took on a faraway tone and Cassidy knew she was going back there in her mind. Then Laura sighed and looked at her. “Anyway, I need to do something. I’m going to get fat and lazy if I don’t.”

  “I’ve seen you work. There’s nothing lazy about it.”

  “Now that the flowerbeds are built, there’s nothing to sitting on a riding lawn mower. Weed trimming takes the most effort, that’s it.”

  “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. And you’re not anywhere near fat.”

  “Compared to your skinny model types, I’m huge!”

  Cassidy couldn’t help but let her gaze linger on Laura’s body. The odd tan lines were mostly merged now. Her legs were firm, well-muscled, evidence that she worked outside and didn’t sit behind a desk. Her feet were slender, her toes manicured, but there was no trace of nail polish. There was nothing huge on her at all, although her breasts were full…nice. Laura cleared her throat dramatically, and Cassidy finally met her eyes, smiling somewhat sheepishly for blatantly staring her up and down.

  “Not huge in the least,” she murmured around her smile as she paddled over to the beer bucket. “Another?”

  “Sure.”

  “Oh…I’ve got steaks. For dinner. You interested?”

  “I’ll never turn down a steak,” Laura said. “But we’re still on for jerk chicken, right?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Laura didn’t quite know what to make of the weekend thus far. Last night had been so relaxing and fun—the impromptu steak dinner. And this morning, as she was sitting on the patio having coffee, she had heard the now familiar “hey, you out there?” from across the fence again. Cassidy had come over and they’d had three cups each while chatting and watching the birds at the feeder. And now, when she should be doing laundry—which she’d put off for the last two days—she was slipping into her swimsuit to join Cassidy out at the pool. Again.

  Not that she was complaining…no. But it did puzzle her somewhat. Did Cassidy really want her company or was it a need on her part to have somebody around? To have somebody around so she wouldn’t be alone?

  Again, not that she was complaining. A day at the pool beat laundry by a wide margin. She looked at herself in the mirror, the one-piece clinging to her curves. Curves, yes. Not skin and bones. Not by a long shot. But at least her tan was more universal now.

  She met her reflection. Did it matter? She wasn’t trying to impress anyone—Cassidy. She couldn’t compete with the skinny, blond models that had been paraded through here. She arched an eyebrow at herself in the mirror. Compete? Where did that come from? She had a little crush on Cassidy, that was all. And who could blame her? She was cute—attractive. She was nice. She was charming. She was playful. She was…cute!

  “Oh, Laura…she’s so out of your league,” she murmured. Yes, she was. Because Cassidy had given no indication—not even a tiny hint—that she found Laura attractive or viewed her as anything other than a friend. Well…there was the full body perusal that Cassidy had done yesterday in the pool. When their eyes had met, she would have sworn Cassidy’s brown ones were a little darker than normal, but that hardly meant anything.

  So she vowed she would simply enjoy the weekend—and the pool—and Cassidy’s company and her cooking. Laura was going to help—mostly watch—Cassidy make the sauce for the green jerk chicken. Then playtime in the pool…all afternoon if they wanted. Then dinner, which again, Laura had volunteered to help with. Cassidy said she had a Jamaican rice dish she wanted to try, a pilaf of some sort. It would be another full day, and she knew she’d be scrambling tomorrow to get the house in order and laundry done before her mother came back. But for the time being, she was going to enjoy her free weekend…and not worry about the chores that were being pushed aside so she could play. Her mother would understand.

  * * *

  “Wow, that smells hot! I love it!”

  Cassidy grinned. “I suspected you liked things hot,” she said with a teasing wiggle of her eyebrows.

  Laura wasn’t afraid to meet her gaze. “Are you flirting with me?”

  Cassidy’s smile didn’t falter. “Flirting? I don’t flirt.”

  “No, I don’t suppose you have to, do you? Those women flock to you like a moth to a flame.”

  Cassidy made a show of looking around the kitchen. “I don’t see anyone flocking.” She held the spoon up. “You want to taste it?”

  “Dare I? I saw how many jalapenos you put in.” She watched as Cassidy’s tongue came out, grabbing a taste of the green sauce.

  “Good stuff,” she said as she reached for her water bottle. “Nice and hot.”

  “Okay, give it here.”

  Instead of handing her the spoon, Cassidy held it up for her, close to her mouth. Their eyes held as Laura licked a little from the bottom of the spoon. Cassidy smiled at her as Laura’s eyes widened.

  “Wow! That is so spicy. And so good!”

  “Thanks. When the chicken grills, the sauce gets a little smoky flavor to it. It’s not quite as sharp, but still plenty spicy.”

  Laura stood back as Cassidy coated the chicken—thighs and drumsticks—liberally with the sauce. It was a thick, green goo, and she didn’t remember all of the ingredients, but it smelled oh so good and dinner was still hours away.

  They cleaned up the mess together, easily working around one another in the spacious kitchen. After the Vitamix had been dried and put away, Cassidy announced that it was pool time…and beer time.

  “I’m glad you like beer,” Cassidy told her as she added ice to the bucket with four bottles in it. “Some women don’t care for it.”

  “You mean all your pretty model types?” she asked as she pulled their two floats from the closet.

  “Yeah, them.”

  “My dad was a beer drinker. When my mother wasn’t looking, he’d let me sneak a swallow or two.” She grinned. “Or three,” she added, remembering the fun conspiracy between them.

  “Yeah, my dad too. Back in the day when he not only ran the company but went out on calls too, I remember him coming home, usually at dark. My mother would meet him at the door with a can of beer and a kiss.”

  “Did your mother work?”

  “Yes. She’s a nurse. Well, retired now. Yours?”

  “No. Stay-at-home mom. Which was great when we were young. She was always here when we got home from school. At least once a week we’d come in to the smell of cookies baking.”

  “Did you have a lot of friends in school?”

  Laura frowned, wondering at the question. She shrugged. “I guess. Normal. Why?”

  “You never mention any that you’ve reconnected with, now that you’ve moved back.”

  “Oh. Well, honestly, when I left home, those friendships kinda fizzled. I had an inkling I was gay back in high school, I just didn’t want it to be true. And I had my share of crushes. When I finally gave up on the whole straight thing, I think I was embarrassed to let them find out…so I mostly avoided old high school friends.”

  “Why embarrassed?”

  “I didn’t want them thinking about gym class and how many of them I’d seen naked.” She laughed. “Oh, but there was one girl—Monica Russell—that I
had such a crush on. I’m sure she knew it. I always stared at her breasts.”

  “Why didn’t you want it to be true?”

  “Oh, the usual reasons. Turns out I had nothing to be afraid of. My parents were great when I came out to them.”

  “I came out in high school,” Cassidy said. “My mother cried.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Were you devastated?”

  “Not really. She was hugging me and telling me she loved me while she cried, so it wasn’t so bad.”

  “And your father? Brother?”

  “Dave claimed he knew it by the time I was ten. Tomboy to the max. My dad took the news with a shrug. In fact, to this day, we’ve never talked about it.”

  “Dads are like that, I think. My mother, on the other hand, wanted to know all the details.”

  Cassidy laughed. “Thankfully, my mother wasn’t quite as curious.”

  Laura tilted her head, watching Cassidy. “Why so many women?”

  Cassidy raised her eyebrows. “Me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Still looking for that…that one. Definition of insanity, remember?”

  “Still looking in the same places.” Laura splashed water on her legs, cooling them. “What’s the longest you’ve dated someone?”

  “Oh…a month, maybe.”

  “Claudia?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yet you knew she wasn’t the one, but you kept dating.”

  “Are you accusing me of using her?”

  “No. You must have more patience than I do. If after the second date I know it’s not going anywhere, I feel like I’m wasting my time if I continue to go out with them.”

  “I don’t know about patience. It’s easier, I guess.”

  “Easier to go through the motions than to hurt their feelings?”

  Cassidy smiled. “Is it arrogant of me to assume by ending it, that it’s hurting feelings?”