Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,11

to order.

“Why exactly am I doing this?” Ben asked as he continued playing Scrabble on his phone.

“Because I spent most of the night cleaning up the mess that you made of your company’s website,” she reminded him as she bit back a yawn, wishing that she could call it an early night tonight but that wasn’t possible with the hectic schedule that she’d set for herself.

After she put in nine hours at work, she had to go home and work on her new business, setting up her website, researching, watching videos, and working on her social media presence so that she was established by the time the company that she really needed to figure out a name for was ready to go. God, there was just so much to do and she was starting to wonder if a year was going to be enough time to get it done.

“That was last night. What have you done for me today?” Ben asked as he glanced up from his phone to throw her a questioning look.

“Let you live?” she said, blinking up at him even as she pointed towards the large glass display where today’s selection of pastries, cookies, brownies, cakes, and other delicious-looking baked goods awaited her. “You’re also buying me dessert.”

“I’m really not,” Ben said with a sad shake of his head as he returned his attention to his phone.

“Make that two desserts,” Charlie murmured absently as she found her attention drawn to the incredibly handsome man that better think twice before going near her desk again as he walked into Dixon’s Bakery.

She watched as Devin walked up to the counter and-

Did he just gesture to her? Charlie couldn’t help but wonder as her eyes narrowed on the man that had sent his henchmen to her office this morning to do his dirty work. As she stood there, admittedly glaring at him, she found herself running an appreciative eye over him, taking in the tight fit of his Bradford Creation’s black tee-shirt, his large biceps, cargo pants and couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be willing to work topless…to help with morale, of course.

“Why hasn’t he fired you yet?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Charlie said, because she’d been wondering about that for a while now.

It was clear that he didn’t like her, which made her wonder why he’d hired her in the first place. When she’d showed up to her interview five years ago, she’d been nervous but hopeful that this would work out only to wonder why the incredibly handsome man interviewing her wouldn’t stop glaring at her. Really hoping that he didn’t end up being one of those serial killers that Grandma Bea used to warn her about when she watched Dateline, Charlie had given him her best smile, prayed that she made it out of there alive, and did her best to get through the rest of the interview without making any sudden movements.

When it was over, or rather when she ran out of things to say, she’d cleared her throat, thanked him for the chance, and after another awkward moment when he didn’t say anything, she nodded, cleared her throat again, smiled, and hoped for the best as she stood up and headed for the door, resigned to keep looking. Before she reached the door, he’d texted her, letting her know that the job was hers if she wanted it. Since it meant that she no longer had to crash on Ben’s couch, she’d accepted the job only to end up wondering if she should keep looking the next morning when she showed up for work bright and early to find out that her new boss expected her to leave him alone.

That had been fine with her, more than fine in fact, since it reduced the chances of him trying to lure her to a secondary location, something that Grandma Bea had warned her about after watching America’s Most Wanted. It also allowed her to do her job without having to worry about having a boss that tried to micromanage her. To be honest, she’d actually expected him to fire her within the first year, only he never did and she had no idea why.

“I would have fired you,” Ben said, nodding solemnly.

“I know you would have,” Charlie said, watching as Devin headed for the door.

“I really would have,” Ben said as they stepped up to the counter and-

“All set,” the cashier said with a smile as she placed a large brown bag on the counter in