Lovely Neighbor by Alexa Riley Page 0,1
it as a sign that I should never run again.
“Erin!” Jenna waves and calls to me from behind the counter. “The regular?”
“Yes please.” I walk up to the counter and keep my eyes on the cake pops. “This is always the hard part,” I sigh, unsure what flavor I should get.
“I think you should get one of each. I mean, there are only four types,” Jenna laughs, and I nod.
“I have to say I like your style. Hit me with all of them and I can save whatever I don’t eat.” We both burst out laughing knowing that’s not going to happen. There will be nothing left to save.
“What’s so funny?” Peter asks, looking back and forth between Jenna and me.
“Is this your cousin?” Jenna asks, nodding at Peter.
Thankfully I’m still laughing about the cake pops, so Peter doesn’t realize I’m now laughing at her question. She knows he’s not my cousin.
“No,” he scoffs and tries to put his hand on the small of my back again.
Luckily I’m quicker as I step sideways and pretend to be really interested in the coffee mug display and hand Jenna my card.
“I’ve got it.” He tries to take my card from Jenna’s hand, but she pulls it back, not letting him. I really don’t want him buying me anything because then I’d feel like I owed him something.
“I’ve got it,” I tell him as I pay for the two of us.
“That’s not right.” He shakes his head, looking confused.
“We’re friends.” I emphasize the word. “Friends buy each other coffee and I got my card out first and ordered more,” I try to reason.
“I guess.” He finally relents before he spouts off one of the longest coffee orders I’ve ever heard in my life. Jenna gives me a look when Peter turns to face me.
“I haven't seen you in a while. I thought you might have gone to visit your grandmother.”
“Work has been keeping me busy,” I tell her, and it’s not a lie.
There’s always more work to be done and it’s just a matter of how much I can do. I retouch pictures and some can take me a few minutes while others can take hours. It depends on each project.
Jenna puts my bag of cake pops down on the counter and I have to step around Peter to get them.
“You know those are really unhealthy.”
“Okaaay.” I drag out the word while I pick my bag up. What else am I supposed to say? I thought cake was the best thing for me? I get agitated and wish I could tell him to mind his own business. That’s what I want to say but then things would be more awkward than they already are.
“Erin,” Jenna calls, handing me my caramel-filled drink. Peter turns his nose up at my drink before taking his own.
“You want to sit?”
“No, they close soon and I need to get back to work.” That’s another lie. There’s a new Housewives starting in a few minutes. Plus, I’d rather watch paint dry than hang out with Peter a second longer. How does he get worse and worse each time I see him?
“Fine.” He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the door. I’m so surprised it takes me a moment to realize what he’s just done and I jerk from his hold.
“You’re hurting me.” I rub the spot he grabbed as I keep walking down the sidewalk back toward my place. I want to get away from him as fast as I can.
“Sorry about that.” He takes a sip from his coffee, not looking sorry at all. “Since you’re busy tonight we could go out this weekend.”
I’m so irritated now, I try to cut this off. “I have a date this weekend.”
“Wait?” He stops walking but I don’t. When he realizes I’m still going, he runs to catch up to me. “A date?”
“Yeah, I’ve been seeing someone.” I head up the stairs to our floor, cursing myself because I know I can’t break my lease. I still have a few months left, but maybe I could move units. The complex is pretty big.
He follows me to my door and I try to end it there. “I’ll see you around.”
“I've never seen anyone come to your place. How are you dating someone?” he says to my back as I try to unlock my door.
“It’s kinda new.” When I get the key to work, I open the door and he steps closer to me.
I back up into my place with my hand