How can I pretend like our night didn’t happen? How can I push down the feelings he gave me of safety and comfort? How can Ipretend that I don’t remember how hard he made my heart beat? How desperate he made me, and how willing I was to see where the night would have led us if my conscience wouldn’t have gotten in the way.
“Your puppy is so cute, Ms. Lewis!” Ellis shouts from the yard, still running around while Roscoe chases her.
That’s how, Vienna. You’re his daughter’s teacher. You don’t really have an option now.
“Thank you, Ellis. Now, it’s time that I take him home.” Bending down to the hole beneath the fence, I call for him. “Roscoe! Come here, baby. Want a treat?”
Despite his resistance to other commands and words, my dog has definitely learned that one. With a leap, he crosses the yard in record time and crawls right back under the fence, jumping up on my legs until I pick him up, accepting his affection as he licks my face. “I missed you too, buddy.”
I glance back up at Rhonan only to find him staring at my lips. “Friends it is, Rhonan.” His gaze lifts and meets mine as I continue. “Sorry about Roscoe. I’ll see what I can do to keep him in my yard.”
Clearing his throat, he nods. “Thank you. Have a good evening, Ms. Lewis.”
“See you tomorrow at school, Ms. Lewis!” Ellis shouts, waving at me as she runs to the deck and stomps up the steps.
“See you then, Ellis!” I call after her before I turn back to her father. “Have a good night, Mr. Hart.”
I turn around and walk to my house, craning my neck back to stare up at the sky as I say, “God, Lydia. I sincerely hope you’re enjoying every second of my life right now, because this is something you couldn’t have planned better if you tried.”
A wind whips past me as I think about the bottle of wine I need to pop open even more now. And as I close in on my house, I can still feel Rhonan’s eyes trailing me. And just before I walk inside, I glance back to find him right where I left him—eyes locked on me, and the flame that burned between us that night far from extinguished.
Chapter 5
Rhonan
Which Cards Do I Play?
“Why does this room smell like wet dog?” Fletcher deals the cards, nose scrunched up as he sniffs the air.
Elliot shrugs. “Beats the hell out of me. I just cleaned in here.”
Henley leans closer to me and sniffs a few times. “I think it’s our friend, Rhonan, gentlemen. Also known as the dog chaser. Remember?”
My friends laugh under their breath, and I flip them all off as I reach for my beer, draining the rest of it before tossing the empty bottle into the recycling can right next to me.
As planned before my day took an unexpected turn, my best friends and I are having blackjack night at Elliot’s house. He’s the only one of us who lives alone, so it just made sense to have it here. Besides, right now, I’m grateful for the distance from my house, especially after seeing Vienna over the fence. The confirmation that she’s my neighbor made this all the more real. Space feels like the safest option.
“Earth to Rhonan.” Henley waves his hand in front of my face. “You thinking about what Ellis’s teacher looks like naked?”
“Fuck off,” I grumble while picking up my hand to find I have shit. A nine and a three only makes twelve, which is a shit hand to get dealt in blackjack.
“I think youalmostgetting fucked is why we’re all here tonight.” Fletcher chuckles as the boys slide their bets to the center of the table. “Fill me and Henley in since we weren’t invited to the night where you made sure Elliot’s dick is still working.”
Elliot flips Fletcher off while shaking his head. “Forgive me for not extending an invitation when you and Henley are both taken men now. You and I both know neither of you would have come anyway.”
Shoving my hand through my hair, I say, “Look, like I already told you, we didn’t hook up. Fuck, we didn’t even kiss.”Even though I desperately wanted to. “We just talked.”
“Did you two use protection?” Henley quips.
Fletcher barks a laugh.
Holding my middle finger up to Henley’s face, I keep my eyes fixed on Fletcher while I continue. “Details aside, I’m fucking out of my element, you guys.” I drift my eyes between my three best friends before taking my hand out of Henley’s face. “There’s no way I imagined Vienna would end up in Blossom Peak as Ellis’s teacher, let alone my new neighbor. How the fuck do I handle this?” I blow out a frustrated breath.
“I don’t get what the big deal is,” Henley says.
Fletcher chuckles. “Come on. The woman took off and never said anything. Any man would take that as a hit to their ego.”
“She didn’t bruise my ego…”
