Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,28

him half of her sandwich.

“Yes,” he bit out as he took a bite.

She shrugged with a mumbled, “You try too hard,” as she took a bite of her sandwich and before he could ask what she was talking about, she added, “I’ve decided that we’re going to be best friends.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you need me,” Charlie said and he couldn’t help but wonder if she had any idea just how much.

Chapter 13

“Pleeeaase!”

“No,” came the firm answer that had Charlie wondering why he was being so difficult about this.

“If you do this for me, I swear that I will never ask you for another thing,” she promised him as she shifted to get more comfortable on her front step only to rethink the move when the back of her foot accidentally brushed against the unforgiving walkway.

“Not fucking happening,” her newest best friend said, making her sigh.

Why must he be so difficult?

“Aw, come on, don’t be like that,” Charlie said as she absently reached down to adjust the gauze and debated trying to do this on her own, but…

She didn’t think it was a good idea, especially not after the incident this morning when she’d tried to use her crutches to get to the bathroom.

“You’re supposed to be resting.”

“And I fully plan on doing that, but first we need to decorate,” Charlie said with a hopeful smile as she reached over and picked up the giant spider that would look really good hanging from the tree by the driveway.

Narrowing his eyes on her, Devin folded his arms over his chest and shook his head, once.

“Think about how happy the kids will be when they see that we decorated the house,” Charlie said, gesturing towards the bins filled with Halloween decorations that she’d been hoarding since she was eighteen.

She loved holidays.

Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

She loved traditions, decorations, family gatherings, parties, and everything that they entailed. When she was little, she used to have to wait exactly twenty-five days before any given holiday before she was allowed to discuss her plans for the sake of Grandma Bea’s sanity. It was a rule that Ben demanded that they continue following after Grandma Bea passed away. Not that she could blame him, Charlie thought even as she couldn’t help but notice that the inflatable gingerbread house that she’d been eyeing for the past few years would look great in this yard.

When he only stood there, glaring at her, she said, “Pretty please!”

With a sigh and a muttered, “God, you’re a pain in the ass,” Devin grabbed the spider and headed towards the maple tree only to sigh and head towards the oak tree when she shook her head since she planned on hanging a ghost from the maple tree.

“I really am,” Charlie said, reaching over and pulling the bin filled with gravestones closer.

“Can I ask you something?” Devin asked as he tossed the black rope over a branch and tied it off.

“Will you set up the cemetery if I say yes?” Charlie asked, because she wanted to ensure that the cemetery was set up otherwise she wouldn’t have anywhere to put the zombies that she bought at a yard sale last year.

Sighing, he walked over and grabbed the bin of gravestones and-

“Why were you crying in your sleep?” Devin asked as he set the bin down and grabbed the largest headstone.

Slowly exhaling, Charlie shook her head as she admitted, “I don’t know. I never remember why.”

“How long has this been going on?” Devin asked, glancing up at her as he set the gravestone in place and grabbed another one.

“Since I was little,” she said, shrugging it off.

It used to upset Grandma Bea and Ben, but they’d eventually stopped worrying about her. At least, they’d stopped letting her know that they were worried, but she saw it on their faces in the morning, the way they watched her, the forced smiles, and the extra hugs to go along with her favorite breakfast, silver-dollar pancakes. It hadn’t taken long before she’d started hating waking up to the scent of maple syrup.

“Does anything help?” Devin asked, glancing up at her as he grabbed another headstone.

“No.”

At least, not until yesterday, Charlie thought as she watched him. Devin Bradford was an incredibly handsome man. There was no denying that, but up until yesterday, she’d never realized just how much she liked him. She’d always known that he was a good father and a decent boss, but that was all she knew about him. Then yesterday, she’d realized just how good