“No, I don’t think so. Thanks for asking though,” Brian responded.
“Okay. Well, I guess I’ll see you around then.”
“Yep. The two of us will be here for a while this time, as long as nothing goes haywire at my store.”
Jill was pleased with that statement. Brian being around for a while could be something she could get used to. But she played it cool, knowing full well that there was still an end in sight. “Sounds good.”
Buddy licked Jill’s hand right before Brian called him over. He listened right away to his owner’s call, and the two of them started walking on up Elena’s driveway.
The view in front of Jill made her smile. She quickly went inside her home to change her clothes and get her purse and car keys.
Heading to the store, it was Buddy who consumed her thoughts this time; he seemed like such a good dog.
I always wanted a golden retriever!
---------------
Jill found everything she needed at the store and started making her way to the checkout lanes. Before she turned the corner to do so, however, she noticed the pet section. She got the bright idea that it might be nice to get a little something for Buddy so she browsed through items found in the one aisle full of dog toys and treats.
There was a bag of medium-sized dog bones that looked appealing. It seemed like the perfect treat that would last a while, and it was something perfect for the size of dog Buddy was.
Placing the package in her basket, she turned around and went towards the front of the store. Lane five had an immediate opening, and Jill was greeted by a dark-haired teenage boy who must have been new.
The cashier scanned the items slowly to make sure he got everything, and the way he packaged all of Jill’s items proved her suspicions. However, it never bothered her when someone new worked in customer service. She knew that dealing with people could be a tough job and she was certain that he was just doing the best he could.
Finishing up her order, the teen told her the amount. Jill smiled and paid. She then grabbed her three bags and headed home after telling the young man to have a great day.
It was truly a beautiful day in Ashwin. Jill enjoyed the rays of sunlight that flooded the car window as she drove back home. It provided a warmth that only natural sunlight could give.
Arriving home, Jill stepped inside her home to put away the things she just purchased. With nothing better to do the rest of the day, she decided to take the dog bones over to Buddy and check in on Brian and Elena. After all, their company was better than having no one, which is exactly what was in store for Jill tonight if she didn’t do anything about the situation.
Jill knocked on Elena’s door, dog treats hidden behind her back. It was almost as if she was trying to surprise Brian as much as Buddy.
What she saw when the door opened was definitely not what she was expecting to see. The image in front of her stole her breath and had her eyes fixated in shock.
Albeit a delightful shock.
There Brian stood nonchalant, bare chested, with tattered jeans on and what looked like paint smudges in various places across his body. “Hey, Jill. Come on in.”
With one arm Brian motioned for Jill to go in ahead of him while the other was placed at just the right spot on the door so as to flex his muscles just a tad. Jill was in a daze from being taken off guard at the sight that she completely missed what Brian said.
Clearing her head and refocusing, she asked, “I’m sorry, what was that?”
Brian politely repeated, a subtle smile forming on his lips as he contemplated Jill’s obvious attraction to him.
As Jill stepped in front of him, he noticed the bag of bones she still had placed behind her back. “What ya got there?”
“What? Where?” Jill asked, the bones completely forgotten about. Her mind was still focused on only one thing.
“The bones.”
Duh, Jill thought to herself.
“Oh! Right! I saw these at the store and thought maybe Buddy might like them.”
“Like them? He’ll love them! That’s so nice of you, but you didn’t have to get them.”
“I know,” Jill said.
Brian called for Buddy to come over, and the good listener that he was, it didn’t take long for him to join the two in the kitchen. “Hey, Buddy. Look what Jill got for you!”
Buddy danced around excitedly. When Jill took one bone from the package, he sat obediently, anxiously waiting for Jill to let him have it. As soon as she let down her arm to offer the bone, Buddy sniffed it and then grabbed it gently with his teeth, running off to enjoy his treat. Both Brian and Jill smiled as they watched him trot off, tail wagging in delight.
“So was your mom happy to see him like you thought she’d be?” Jill asked.
“She was. You should have seen the look on her face! I think she may have been more excited that Buddy was here than me,” he joked.
“That’s not true.”
Brian quickly got a drink of water and offered Jill one.
“No thanks.” As he took a sip, Jill asked, “So what are you doing? Painting?”
“Mm-hmm. Here, let me show you.”
He led her over to his mom’s bedroom where everything had been pushed to the center of the room. One wall had been finished already, and from what Jill could tell, it looked very professionally done. She couldn’t believe there could be someone as talented as him out there.
“You can do just about everything, can’t you?” she asked, looking around at everything else that needed to be completed.
“Well, I wouldn’t say everything, but I sure try.”
At his words, Jill turned to him. There he stood, arms crossed in front of him, leaning against a wall. He had a huge smile on his face and twinkle in his eye. Jill could tell that he was proud of his accomplishments.
And do I sense a bit of cockiness?
Jill offered him an unsure smile in return.
Brian started moving towards his supplies so he could get back to work.
“How much more do you have left?” Jill asked.
Dipping the paint brush into the gallon of paint, he answered, “The last three walls and then a second coat on all four.”
Jill watched Brian gracefully stroke the walls with his brush. Each section completed offered an even layer with no dripping streaks from excess paint or blotches from being too thinly applied.
“Could you use some help?” Jill asked shyly, afraid she might be rejected when she really badly wanted to be with him to help.
Brian turned toward her and, with eyebrows raised, he questioned, “You wanna help?” Ever since Jill showed up he was hoping she’d stay a while. And not just to be with his mom.
“I do, if you’ll let me. Although I may not be as good.”
Brian chuckled. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. I’d love for you to help!”
Jill walked over to some supplies so she could get started, but Brian’s cough interrupted her.
“What?”
Looking up and down her whole figure, his finger waving along with the eyes, he said, “You may want to go change your clothes first. Unless, of course, you don’t mind those getting dirty.”
Jill looked down and realized that would indeed be a good idea. “Oh, right. I’ll be right back then.”
She hurried off, slightly blushing at the way Brian had just looked at her.
---------------
Not more than five minutes passed before Jill reappeared. This time she didn’t even knock to be let in. She helped herself and made her way to Elena’s bedroom where Brian was finishing up the second wall.
“That’s much better,” Brian stated, acknowledging her return.
“What is?”
“Your outfit!”
“Oh,” she giggled, as she looked down on her attire: an old shirt from high school and sweats that had grass stains on the knees.
Brian got Jill’s supplies ready for her and directed her where to go. Each of them took
one of the last two remaining walls, and while they worked they made casual small talk. It wasn’t more than ten minutes, at least that’s what it seemed like to Jill, when Brian claimed he had finished. She viewed her own wall and still had more than half to go.
“Here, let me help you finish your side,” Brian offered.
“I’m clearly not as quick as you are,” Jill remarked as she dipped her brush back into the paint.
“Eh, I just think you’re a perfectionist,” Brian began before realizing that may not sound the best. He clarified, “Which is not a bad thing.”
The two of them continued to work together. Brian was beginning to notice that everything they’ve done together had been effortless, as if it was natural for them to work in unison. He enjoyed her company, her willingness to help no matter in what way and conversations were never hard to start or continue with her.
Feeling playful, Brian was going to try to have a little fun with Jill. Having just finished edging the corner of the room, he looked in her direction. There wasn’t a spot of paint on her yet, something he knew he had to fix.
Brian walked casually next to Jill’s side. He then quickly dipped his brush into the paint and wiped a streak unto Jill’s shirt sleeve, a bit of it marking the skin of her arm as well.
“Ah!” she shrieked, jumping aside. “What was that for?” Jill stared at her side to see the huge strip Brian just placed on her.
“I thought you could use a little something to make you fit in a bit more,” he laughed.
“What do you mean?”
“Look at you all neat and clean! Then look at me with paint all over!”
Jill did not need an excuse to look at him. So look she did, and she couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“Don’t make me give you another,” he teased, getting his brush ready to strike again.
“I can’t help it,” she laughed harder. “Maybe you shouldn’t go so fast. Maybe you should be a perfectionist like me.” Jill flashed a dainty smile, all the while thinking now she was being the cocky one.
The two of them were then startlingly interrupted by Elena. “What are you two lovebirds doing?”
Brian’s eyes grew wide with shock, and with a glare, he exclaimed, “Mom!”
Jill just stood frozen. Though she knew Elena was only kidding, she couldn’t help but feel funny about how she phrased those words.
Is that what the two of us look like together? Is that what she thinks we are?
Jill definitely didn’t want to give the impression that she was trying to be that way. She began to contemplate if she should even be there at all now.
“Oh, I’m only kidding. I’m glad you two are getting along so well though.”
Pushing past the uneasiness, Jill asked, “We didn’t disturb you, did we, Elena?”
“No, no, not at all! I’m just going to get a glass of water.” Elena took a glance at her newly painted bedroom and praised the work they did. “Thanks for helping Brian, Jill. I hope he’s behaving himself.” Then as quickly as she had appeared, quickly she left, continuing her journey to the kitchen for some water.
Brian turned to Jill and apologized.
“Yeah, I, uh, need to go now actually.”
Jill put her things down and started heading towards the exit. However, Brian grabbed her arm as she walked past. “Are you okay?” he asked, concern written on his face.
She didn’t want to lie, but she also didn’t want to be in the same room as Brian anymore. “Yeah, I just remembered I needed to do something.”
I hope that sounds believable, Jill silently wished.
“Oookaaay.”
Jill was grateful that Brian didn’t fight her. He freed her arm and off she went.
Brian watched her go, sighing.
Just when I thought I was getting somewhere.
Seeing as the first coat was done and he would now need to take a small break, he cleaned himself up a little so that he could take Buddy outside. He needed some fresh air to clear his mind. As he walked through the kitchen, his mom was still there sipping her water.
“Is Jill okay? She left awfully fast,” Elena mentioned.
“Gee, mom. I wonder what could have happened,” he answered sarcastically.
Upset, hurt and frustrated were just a few words to describe how he felt towards his mother for ruining a good moment with Jill.
“It wasn’t something I said, was it?”
“Bingo!” Brian said a bit on the harsh side.
Brian called for Buddy and Buddy came running towards him in good spirits. “Come on, Buddy. Let’s go outside.”
Both of them left, leaving Elena to herself.
9
The next day Jill found herself being rudely awakened by her alarm, having forgotten to turn it off the night before. Blindly reaching out for her clock, she pushed a button or two in hopes to turn it off.
It was the third button that did the trick.
Not wanting to get up, she turned over to her other side and tried falling back asleep. Sleep never came. Jill checked the clock to see what time it was after she had laid around for what felt like eternity.
Only five fifteen?
Letting out a groan, Jill again tried turning back over and falling asleep only to end up with the same results. Finally giving up and deciding to head downstairs to catch the morning news, Jill stretched as best she could and sat up. The clock in front of her was displaying a time just shy of six o’clock, too early to get up on a day she didn’t have to work. But with sleep escaping her, she figured she would take the morning slow, enjoy some hot tea and catch up on worldly events.
After giving her cat, who was sleeping at the end of her bed, a quick pet, Jill slipped into her slippers and tied her robe around her pajamas. Slowly she made her way down stairs. Turning on the TV to her favorite news station, she shuffled into the kitchen, a yawn escaping her lips as she decided which flavor of tea to consume. Nothing stroked her fancy, but then she remembered she had bought some chai tea while at the store yesterday. The blend of spices in that tea sounded heavenly so she looked around her kitchen to try and figure out where she put it. She ended up spotting it behind her purse on the counter next to the refrigerator.
As soon as Jill opened the canister, the smell of the chai tea heightened her senses. It was perfect for fall and winter weather; a tea that brought warmth on the inside while it was chilly on the outside. Jill quickly heated some water and added some of the tea mix. As she stirred the contents, she overheard one of the news anchors declaring the weather report was coming up next. Not wanting to miss it, she took a seat on her couch and slowly sipped on the tea. “Mmmm,” she let out with eyes closed and a smile, enjoying the first sip.
This was just what Jill needed. The tea tasted wonderful and the feel of the warm cup between her hands was delightful.
After the commercial break, one of the meteorologists appeared on screen. At first he talked about some of the nice weather they were having, but only used that as a segue into the type of weather that was coming. Jill listened carefully to the words and paid attention to the maps that were displayed. Sooner or later this type of weather was bound to come, but Jill had to admit that she preferred the unseasonably warm weather over the coming snow.
I guess I should get my annual furnace tune up done.
Jill was not impressed with who she had come over last year to check out her furnace. The man lacked customer service skills, and it seemed like his prices were a bit on the steep end. Plus there were times she questioned if he really did anything at all because he wasn’t in her basement very long.
I wonder if Elena will know of anyone that can help, she contemplated.
It took Jill a few minutes to figure out if she wanted to get a hold of Elena or not. On the one hand, she might have a good recommendation, but on the other hand, it was a little too early in the morning for any human contact, at least for Jill when it was her scheduled day off. It was also possible that Elena would
n’t have a recommendation anyway, and she didn’t know if she wanted to disturb her neighbor with a silly question as this either.
Then of course there was Brian. She thought about how he might be the one to answer the phone and she still didn’t feel right about yesterday. Jill felt like she was going crazy because one moment she was fine, and then out of nowhere it seemed something would throw her off and she would go back to hiding.
This is ridiculous. Just call and get it over with!
Having waited another half hour, Jill set her cup down and went to look for her phone. Once it was in her hands she dialed Elena’s number. On the third ring, Elena’s voice greeted her.
“Hi, Elena. I’m sorry to bother you so early,” Jill began.
“Oh, no, no, no. I’ve been up for a while. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just have a quick question.”
“What is it, dear?” Elena asked.
“You know how every year I get my furnace checked out? Well, the guy I had last year was not that great. I was just wondering if you could recommend someone. Perhaps let me know who you’ve used in the past?”
“Saw that weather forecast, did you?”
“Yep,” Jill chuckled. “That’s why I want to get this out of the way so I’m ready for all the cold weather.”
“I don’t blame you.”
She didn’t want to be rude, but she also didn’t feel like chit chatting so Jill again asked, “So do you know anyone?”
“I’ve got to be honest with you, Jill. I was never really good at faithfully tuning the furnace. That was something Ricky always took care of. Off the top of my head I can’t think of anyone I’ve used before either. I could look through the phone book to see if anything looks familiar if you want.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. Thanks anyway, Elena.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. Thank you for helping out with the painting yesterday. It looks good!”
Not wanting to talk about the subject, Jill said, “I’m glad to hear that! I’ll talk to you later, okay? I’m going to make some calls.”
Next Door Neighbors Page 8
