“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well, you owe me a new rose bush since he dug up one of mine.” He motions to the far side of his yard where a pile of dirt is resting on the ground with a bare rose bush right next to it.
“Of course. But he’s just a puppy. I’m working on training him.” My eyes drift over to Ellis and the dog where they’re playing on the deck. Roscoe is following her around and sitting every time she commands him to. “Although Ellis appears to be much better at it than I am. I haven’t been able to get him to sit for me once.”
“You move to a new townandget a new puppy?” Rhonan asks, clearly confused by my choice. But he doesn’t need to understand the decisions I’m making formylife.
“Yes,” I say, lifting my chin slightly. “And apparently not only am I your daughter’s new teacher, but also your new neighbor. As if this could get any more complicated.”
He closes his eyes and exhales slowly. “Trust me, I’m well aware of how complicated this is. But right now, I’m more concerned about keeping your destructive dog out of my yard. I’m going to move a boulder into this hole for now, but maybe you should keep him inside while you’re at work.” This man is far more irritable than the man I chatted with last week.
“He has a doggy door so he doesn’t have to be cooped up all day in the pen I have installed around the door. You want me to lock him inside where he’ll pee and poop everywhere instead? Or tear up the house? No thank you.”
His hands fly up in the air. “Not my problem. Figure it out.”
Irritation grows in my chest. “Wow, thank you for the sage advice.”
“Daddy! Can we keep the puppy?” Ellis comes racing across the yard next to her dad, Roscoe hot on her heels.
“No, Ellis. We’ve already discussed this. The dog belongs to Ms. Lewis.” Rhonan gestures to my side of the fence.
“Ms. Lewis, what are you doing in that yard?”
“This is my house, Ellis.”
Her eyes grow big as saucers, and her smile follows. “Really?”
“Yep. And your dad is right. That’s my puppy, but you can play with him whenever you want.”
She claps her hands. “Yes! Can I play with him right now?”
I glance back at Rhonan, whose annoyance is palpable. “Just for a few more minutes while I talk to your dad, and then I have to take Roscoe home, okay?”
Ellis nods. “Okay. Come on, Roscoe!” She takes off toward her playset, beckoning the puppy to follow her up the steps and down theslide. Her laughter is so precious, and I’m so consumed with watching them, that I momentarily forget Rhonan is still standing there.
Once I blink myself out of my trance, I meet Rhonan’s eyes. “Look, I’m sorry for how things turned out.”
“Why? Because the woman who ghosted me turned out to be my neighbor and my kid’s teacher?” he quips.
I clear my throat. “Well, yes.”
“Maybe it’s a lesson,” he says, brow lifting. “About treating others the way you’d want to be treated.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I said I was sorry. I can move forward and act like an adult. Can you?”
“I’m working on it,” he says through gritted teeth. “But this is my life, Vienna. My town. My daughter. I don’t normally—”
“Hit on random women in bars and almost kiss them?” I finish for him.
The narrowing of his gaze tells me he doesn’t like that I hit the nail on the head. Much to my surprise though, he simply nods, averting his eyes from mine as he does.
“Well, I guess I can’t fault you for that. I was into our conversation too. But rest assured, I had no idea who you were.”
“I believe you,” he says, his voice slightly calmer than before. I can’t decide whether he’s always wound this tight or if our prior connection is getting to him. “Can I assume you’re only here temporarily?”
“That was the plan until I figure out my next move, but staying isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility yet,” I reply honestly.
“Understood. Let’s just pretend like nothing happened and be friends then, okay?” His eyes meet mine and in that second, my heart saysno.
