Page 3 of Rubber Duckie Shifter Next Door

Men are off-limits. I swore them off when I promised myself I’d be a responsible adult. I can’t go back on that promise with the first hottie I see. Even if he is absolutely drool-worthy.

I lick my lips.

I bet women do that all the time when they see him, but he still seems concerned. “Are you okay?” he asks me.

“No, she’s not!” Lisa shouts. “And neither are we!”

At least we can agree on something. I sigh.

I just licked my lips at a stranger while standing in the back yard surrounded by stinky kids.

I grimace. “I need help.”

I really do, even if it’s not the ‘sweep me off my feet and get me naked’ kind.

I don’t usually offload on hot strangers, but it’s that or lock myself in the guest bedroom and bawl my eyes out. And that’s clearly not an option.

“No, we need help,” Lisa snaps. “She stole our nana.”

I gape at her.

Anna nods emphatically, and her tears turn to loud sobs, while Noah scowls at me like I’m some kidnapper.

“I didn’t steal their nana.” I rush to explain before Mr. Piercing-Blue-Eyes-Next-Door calls CPS, or worse, the police. “She’s on a cruise, and I’m watching the kids until she’s back. I’m their godmother.”

“She’s lying,” Lisa snaps.

“No, I’m not. I swear. I really am their godmother.” I instinctively reach for Janey’s ring and trace its wavelike shape. “You can ask Ada.” I hope he knows Ada. What if he’s the sort of next-door neighbor who keeps to himself? “You have to believe me!”

“Of course I believe you.” He chuckles. “You must be Rachel. Ada told me a lot about you.”

My shoulders sag in relief, and I let go of the ring. “All good things, I hope?”

“Bad things,” Noah snaps.

“Really bad,” Lisa adds.

Anna nods.

I’m inclined to believe them.

Chances are Ada told him I’m flighty, irresponsible, and I abandoned Janey’s kids when they needed me most.

“Of course they were all good things,” Mr. Bulging Biceps says politely.

I try not to stare at his muscles. They stretch the short sleeves of his polo as he casually rests an arm on top of the fence and watches me with those piercing baby blues.

I flush.

“Ada asked me to check in on you from time to time.”

Yup, she definitely told him I’m irresponsible.

He shoots me a winning smile. “I’m Sig.”

“He lives next door,” Anna says, stating the obvious.

Lisa places her hands on her hips. “Sig’s friends with Nana.”