My Beautiful Neighbor (The Greene Family #1) - Piper Rayne Page 0,37

his glasses down as though he needs an extra good look.

Presley’s laughing so hard, she slips, and I feel her falling to my right. Somehow, I catch Presley before her head hits the floor. Her laughter stops when she realizes she’s under me, and our eyes lock. My gaze falls to her lips and she licks them.

“Cade Greene!” Grandma yells as though I’m five.

And just like Grandma put me in this situation, she drags me out right as things got interesting.

Two weeks after game night at Northern Lights Retirement Center, I still laugh whenever I think about all those elderly people’s dirty minds. Then again, I hope I have one when I’m their age. I haven’t laughed that much in a long time.

A flyer slides through my mail drop and I pick it up off the floor Adam installed for me last week. He’s a hard worker but pretty quiet, which I guess makes sense given that he’s nursing a heavy heartbreak. As for his oldest brother, I’m wondering why he’s suddenly disappeared this week—even though I shouldn’t care what Cade gets up to.

Reading the piece of paper, I’m happy to see that the committee hasn’t selected my company as one of the duos for this month.

Twisted Stem and Fired Up will be teaming up for the duo this next weekend.

Come to Fired Up and paint one of three flowers they’ve designed for the night

and then buy a bouquet of the real flowers.

Sounds like fun.

Clara knocks on the window. I unlock the door and she slides in, folding up what looks like the same flyer I was just reading and sticking it in her purse. “Oh, it looks so good, Presley.” She walks around and takes it all in.

Clara and I have met for coffee a few times and shared one meal at the diner one morning when Adam was painting and she had an evening shift at the library. A friendship has been slowly forming between us. She didn’t want my parents’ money, but I gave her no option other than to take it.

We tend to stay away from family talk because that subject still feels awkward between us. She feels guilty for her parents’ decision, and I feel guilty for popping up and invading her life. It’s a cycle I’m hoping we get through in time.

“I wanted to pop in to see if you wanted to go with me to the duo night?”

“Are you sure?”

She laughs and sits on one of the toadstools I just unwrapped. “I think if people see us together, the gossip might stop. Plus, it’s your first duo night and since I kind of talked you into staying here, I want to see you actually enjoy it.”

I sit on the other stool. “Thank you. I’d love to go.”

“Then it’s a date. Except for one thing.” She clenches her jaw, and I can see that I’m not going to like what she has to say. “Xavier will be with us.” I open my mouth to respond, but she quickly puts up both her hands. “He’s really great, and I made him swear not to mention his family, especially Cade.”

I laugh. “Okay. Should we invite Adam?” I whisper so he doesn’t hear me from the storage room he’s dry walling.

She shoots me a look as if I’m crazy.

I roll my eyes. “Just as a friend. I feel bad for him.”

Clara nods. “I get it. I doubt he’ll even come. Remind me to tell you more about his wife later.”

“Okay, I’ll ask him, and if he says no, at least we tried, right?”

She stands. Her dark hair is in a high ponytail that falls to the side as she tilts her head and fixes her gaze on me for a moment.

“What?”

She shakes her head. “It’s a nice gesture, to invite him.”

“Did you think I was a bitch?” I can’t help but chuckle.

“Not at all. It’s just really nice to think of Adam like that.” She reaches out to touch my arm but stops midway as though she isn’t sure if she should. “Then it’s a date. Oh, I can’t wait to see what you think of it. I always have fun at these things.” She’s more excited than me. “I need to get back to the library. Remind me later that I have some suggestions for the young adult book club.” She waves and walks out the door before I have time to respond.

Once she’s gone, I venture into the back and find Adam on a chair,