“Is this 32 Long Point Road?” the short, husky man who smelled like he’d bathed in a gallon of cheap cologne and garlic asked as he climbed out of the beat-up Taurus parked across Haley’s driveway, blocking her in.
Now, normally Jason would either just ignore the asshole or give him a quick nod and continue minding his own business as he pulled the keg of beer out of his backseat, but not today. Today, he was going to do his normally shy neighbor and co-worker a favor. After yesterday, he was pretty sure this wouldn’t piss her off and send her back into hiding.
Okay, maybe he wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but he just couldn’t help himself, especially when the jerk actually shoved a condom in his front pocket and gave Jason a conspiratorial wink.
Fuck it.
At that moment, he didn’t care if this sent her running for the hills and she slapped a restraining order on him, he was getting rid of the asshole.
“You’re not here for Haley, are you?” Jason asked, pulling the keg out of the car and set it on the ground.
The man frowned. “Yeah, why?”
Jason made a show of cringing as he quickly looked back at Haley’s house as though he was making sure that she wasn’t watching them.
“I really don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Jason mumbled.
“Why not?”
He gave the man an “Are you kidding?” look and had to stop himself from laughing when the asshole shifted nervously.
“You know...” Jason said, purposely letting his words trail off.
“No, my friend set me up with her,” he said, shooting a nervous glance towards Haley’s house.
Did the curtain just move?
Sighing heavily, Jason rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s really not my place, but I’m not sure that this is such a good idea.”
“Why?” the man practically whined.
After a pause, Jason shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t like talking about it. All I can tell you is that you really need to be careful,” Jason said as he gave the man a pointed look while he stressed, “Really careful.”
The man’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped open. He took several steps back, shooting nervous glances towards Haley’s house. When he reached his car, he said, “I, uh, just suddenly remembered that I have somewhere I’m supposed to be.” With that, he practically jumped into his car and sped away.
Jason chuckled as he made his way to Haley’s front door. He knocked on the door and wasn’t really surprised when a minute passed and there was no answer. He pushed aside his disappointment and knocked again.
Great.
It seemed that last night had been a fluke and that his shy neighbor was here to stay. He really liked spending time with Haley, more than he’d ever thought possible. Feeling like an idiot, Jason headed back to his house and the keg waiting for him.
A loud, wet hacking cough had him pausing halfway down her small walkway. The front door slowly opened as Haley said, “I’m sorry I took so long,” another hacking cough, “to answer,” another cough, “the,” cough, “door. But the doctor said that I was still,” several loud and disturbing coughs later, “contagious, so I-Oh, it’s only you,” Haley said with a relieved sigh.
Jason’s lips twitched as he took in her outfit. On her head was one of the ugliest puke green knitted hats that he’d ever seen. Her oversized ratty bathrobe was worse, but the large ball of tissues in her hand was a nice touch. There was no doubt in his mind that she was faking it since he’d hung out with her last night and she’d been the picture of health.
“Love the hat,” Jason said, smiling as he walked back to her front step.
Laughing, Haley pulled the offending hat off her head and chucked it at him. He caught it before it could hit him in the face. “What’s all this about?” he asked, gesturing to her outfit with the hat.
“Nothing,” she said quickly.
“Looks like date repellant to me.”
Blinking innocently, Haley said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m sick,” cough, “really sick,” and just to back up her bullshit story, she sniffled.
It was sad, adorable, but sad.
He couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes and chuckling. “I don’t know why you can’t just admit that you were ditching the love of your life.”
