Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,10

sure that the order was correct before they accepted it.

Nodding absently, Devin said, “Cancel the order,” as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket and ordered a dozen jelly donuts from Dixon’s Bakery for the ungrateful brat.

*-*-*-*

“Ow! Why are you hitting me?” Ben asked, pulling back his hand before she was forced to slap it again.

“You’re supposed to be working,” Charlie said with a sad shake of her head, wondering why it was so difficult to find good help these days as she took her time selecting a blue crayon.

“I’m not working until you give me a donut,” Ben said, folding his arms over his chest as he narrowed his dark brown eyes on her.

“Sorry, but donuts are for workers,” she said, sending her best friend a pitying look as she gave up her search for the perfect blue crayon and helped herself to one of the oversized jelly donuts that had been delivered to her office earlier.

“Then why does he get one?” Ben asked, gesturing to the cute little boy helping himself to a donut.

“Because he’s cute?” Charlie asked, blinking up at her best friend.

“I really am,” Dustin said, nodding solemnly as he settled back on the chair next to her as she returned her attention to finding the perfect blue crayon to help emphasize her turtle’s cuteness.

“Why do I have to unpack while you get to color?” Ben demanded as he gestured to the stack of coloring books that Dustin brought down so that they could color after she worked on his letters with him.

“Because moving was your idea,” Charlie reminded him, giving up her search for the perfect blue and started looking for a brown crayon to color her turtle’s eyes.

“Speaking of ideas,” Ben said, pulling a chair out so that he could join them. “Do you really think this was a good one?” he asked with a pointed look around her new apartment.

“Probably not,” she said as she debated making her turtle’s eyes green instead.

“It’s going to make things awkward,” Ben said, sighing heavily as he reached over to steal a donut only to glare when she pulled the box out of his reach.

“Probably,” Charlie said absently as she glanced from the sea turtle that she was coloring to the stack of Disney coloring books and couldn’t help but regret her decision not to color Eeyore when she had the chance.

God, she loved Eeyore.

“And you really think you’ll be able to pull this off?”

“Absolutely,” Charlie said with absolutely no hesitation because she was more than ready to finally see this thing through.

Chapter 4

“Not again,” Devin mumbled weakly as he rubbed his hands roughly down his face while he stood in front of Charlie’s apartment door, listening to the sounds of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse coming from the other side of that door, praying that this wasn’t happening because he honestly wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

“Morning, Daddy,” his baby girl said around a yawn as she walked past him, opened the door and left him with no other choice but to follow her.

“Abbi,” he said, sighing her name heavily as he went after her, praying that his children took fucking pity on him today only to find himself biting back a groan when he walked into the small apartment and found Charlie lying on her stomach with her chin resting on her folded arms, wearing a small tee-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. Before he could stop himself, he found himself running his eyes over her, taking in the delicate slope of her back hidden by the soft baby pink tee-shirt, the generous curve of her ass, short tan legs, and…sighed when Abbi climbed on the bed.

“Why must you do this to me, Daddy?” Abbi asked, sighing heavily as Devin threw her over his shoulder and reached for Dustin, who was currently nibbling on a Hostess Cupcake.

“We need to get ready for school. Let’s go,” he said, reaching over to pick Dustin up only to end up sighing when his son shoved the rest of the cupcake in his mouth, grabbed the other cupcake off the small tray between them, crawled off the bed, and made a run for it.

Resigning himself to giving Dustin another bath, Devin turned around and-

“The desk stays,” came the announcement that had his lips twitching as he headed for the door.

*-*-*-*

“How exactly is this staying on a budget?”

“Because you’re buying me lunch,” Charlie said as she perused today’s menu as she stood in line, waiting