Irresistible (Neighbor from Hell #11) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,78
and gestured to the exam room at the end of the hall.
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t say,” MaryAnne said with a helpless shrug.
“Okay, that’s fine. How’s my schedule after this?” Aidan asked over his shoulder as he made his way down the small hallway.
“Your three o’clock appointment had to reschedule,” she said as Aidan glanced down at the file in his hands, noted the “Jane Smith,” on the folder. Frowning, he opened the door and really wished that he hadn’t when he spotted Melanie’s sister sitting on the exam table, holding a paper gown against her chest, and-
“Oops!”
Turned around and left, closing the door behind him when she dropped the paper gown with a feigned gasp and a coy smile, deciding to use this time to make sure that everything was ready for tonight.
*-*-*-*
“Don’t even fucking think of it,” Arik bit out only to curse as he ducked out of the way and-
“So, does he know?” Rebecca asked, popping a Hershey Kiss in her mouth as they sat there, watching as Arik made the mistake of ducking left instead of right and-
“Goddamn it!”
-ended up covered in what looked like ranch dressing as Rylie, who really seemed to hate the large Bradford that went out of his way to piss her off, reached inside the bag with Black Jack’s written across it-
“Knows what?” Melanie asked, biting back a yawn as they watched Arik get hit in the chest with a large Caesar salad.
“That you’re in love with him,” Rebecca said, sounding bored as they watched Arik move to grab the bag away from Rylie only to rethink it, curse, and-
“Oh, come on!”
“He won’t let me tell him,” Melanie said, unable to help but smile as she glanced down at Cody, who was sitting in his bouncy chair, to find him turning his head so that he could watch his uncle try to duck out of the way of a large pizza only to smile around his bottle when it nailed Arik in the chest.
“I see,” Rebecca said, sounding thoughtful before she asked, “and that seems normal to you?”
“Nothing about this is normal,” Melanie admitted, sighing heavily as she leaned over so that she could kiss Cody’s baby toes.
Keeping his eyes locked on his uncle, Cody wiggled the toes on his other foot in silent demand, making her lips twitch as she moved to kiss his other foot. He was such a sweet baby, Melanie thought, unable to help but smile as she watched him close his eyes and fall asleep with a small smile playing on his lips.
“True,” Rebecca murmured absently as she leaned back as they watched Arik trip over the curb to get away from Rylie’s food assault only to end up getting shoved to the ground, having the small woman that he should probably stop antagonizing straddle his stomach, grab a handful of fries, and shove it in his face.
“I’m scared,” Melanie finally admitted.
“Because of Adam?” Rebecca asked, sighing heavily.
“Yes,” she said only to frown when Rebecca closed her eyes and said, “Please, tell me that you’re not still in love with that asshole.”
“It’s not that,” Melanie said, shaking her head with a sigh as she moved to take Cody’s bottle away only to have her son open his eyes, glare, grab hold of his bottle, and commence suckling as his attention once again went to Arik as Rylie shoved one last handful of fries in his face before she got up, muttered something that had Arik’s eyes narrowing dangerously on her as she grabbed her delivery bag and stormed off.
“That doesn’t really answer my question,” Rebecca said as she got up and walked over to the outside faucet, turned on the water, and-
“Goddamn it, woman!”
-began hosing Arik off as she waited for an answer, one that Melanie wasn’t sure how to give her.
“No, I don’t love him. I don’t even think that I like him to be honest,” Melanie said, moving over so that Arik, who was now completely drenched, could storm past her and head inside where he would most likely spend the rest of the night trying to come up with a way to get back at the small woman that was providing them with countless hours of entertainment.
“And you’re afraid that you’ll end up hating Aidan, too,” Rebecca guessed as she tossed the hose aside and joined her on the front step.
“No, I’m afraid that he’ll end up hating me,” Melanie said with a sad smile as Rebecca wrapped her arm around her and-