The Other Guy: A Textdoor Neighbor Romance

by Van Wyk, Jennifer

  I follow behind with our coffee cups and settle in at the table we’d already set with our plates and forks.

  “No. He hadn’t. And it’s… well, it’s substantial.”

  “Wow! That’s awesome.” He places two pieces of toast on my plate and passes me the syrup before reaching over for the sausage.

  “Yeah.”

  We eat and compliment each other on how great the food tastes but I can’t help but think about why he’s not asking more about the account. Maybe I’m too nosy of a person, but I’d think he’d be a little more curious than he appears to be.

  “Don’t you want to know more?”

  “About what?” He wipes some syrup from the corner of his mouth and takes a drink of his coffee, draining the last of it. He points to my cup as he stands. “Want more?”

  I nod and scrunch my eyebrows, turning in my chair to watch him as he gets us more coffee.

  “About the account.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He sets down our fresh coffee on the table and spears another piece of sausage with his fork, dragging it through the leftover syrup on his plate.

  “How much clearer do I need to be? Aren’t you curious about the savings account my uncle set up for me?”

  He shrugs. “Should I be? Was it done illegally?”

  I gasp. “No!”

  “Then what am I supposed to be curious about?”

  “Are you serious right now?”

  “I am, but I’m also confused.”

  I laugh and shake my head. “Wow. Okay, I figured you’d be curious about how much money he piled away and why he kept it a secret and what I plan to do with it.”

  “Why would I need to know that? Your uncle set aside money for you. He doesn’t have any children of his own, so this isn’t really a surprise. It doesn’t matter to me how much it is, in my opinion, it’s a blessing that you’ve received it and you’re an adult so I figure you’re not a complete moron and know what to do with money, whether it’s ten dollars or ten thousand.” He shrugs and leans back in his chair. No shirt, of course, and only a pair of flannel sleep pants, his hair is still a mess and it’s tempting to reach over and run my fingers through it.

  “I’m kind of blown away right now.”

  “About what? About me not being curious?” He chuckles and I nod. With a shrug, he explains further. “Don’t mistake that for me not caring, Sierra. I do care. But I don’t see where it’s my business. I’m happy for you, sure, and think that Kyle is awesome for doing something like that for you, but that doesn’t mean you have to tell me all the details. If you want to, I’ll listen. If you don’t want to share, that’s fine, too.”

  Rather than say anything else, I stand from my chair and lean over to kiss him. I hope he reads everything I’m putting into the kiss.

  Thank you for being amazing.

  I can’t believe I found you after all these years.

  I like you more than I thought was ever possible to like another person.

  Our tongues tangle, tasting of syrup and spice and coffee, much better than morning breath, and we kiss for a long time. Me hovering over our breakfast plates and him holding the back of my head to keep me close. We take our time, not rushing through the kiss. It’s one of the best kisses I’ve had in my life. We aren’t kissing only to lead to sex. We’re communicating our feelings through this less than simple act.

  We slowly pull away from each other, giving soft and gentle kisses before parting completely. I sit back down in my chair and he reaches over to hold my hand.

  “Just to say, I approve of your way of telling me you approve of my way of thinking.”

  That makes me beam.

  “I’m serious. Anytime you want to give me your response by sticking your tongue in my mouth, you have my permission.”

  “Good to know.”

  “What do you feel like doing today?”

  I waggle my eyebrows and he laughs, throwing his head back and exposing his neck. I want to lick the column.

  “I’m good with that. Want to get Toby? See what your uncle is up to? Maybe we can meet him for lunch with Rebecca?”

  “They’re going to church first,” I explain.

  He shrugs and answers without even thinking, “So we can go, too. It’s been a while since I’ve been to church and maybe it’s time I stepped in. Just got lazy and liked to spend my Sundays doing nothing. But, I have a lot to be thankful for. Wouldn’t hurt to show my thanks in His house.” He gives my hand another squeeze.

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “I don’t really have church clothes,” I remind him.

  “Wear what you wore last night and we’ll stop at The Landing for you to change, say hi to Toby and play for a few minutes, Kyle can ride with us if he wants. If I remember right, they have a service that starts at eleven so we’ve got plenty of time. And I’ve been there enough to know that the people dress pretty casual. Not like sweatpants, but…”

  I’m not sure why it makes me feel like crying. I’ve never been with anyone who wanted to spend time with my minuscule family. My eyes well with tears and he places a hand on my cheek, rubbing his thumb against my skin and wipes away a tear that slips out.

  “Hey, what’s this? I think I liked you kissing me in response better.”

  I sniff and hold back the rest of my tears. “I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to apologize for. You’re allowed to feel, you know?”

  I haven’t given myself that kind of permission for a while. Keep my emotions buried, don’t let them surface. That’s the way I’ve lived my life. It’s obvious from the people I chose to spend time with.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re thanking me for, but you’re welcome.”

  “The fact that you don’t even know why I’m thanking you is just more proof of how truly wonderful you are.”

  “I’ll take it,” he says, grinning shamelessly. “Let Kyle know the plan, see if he’s good with that. If he is, I’ll change and we’ll head out.”

  “You’re wonderful,” I repeat.

  “Keep thinking that because I’m sure sometime down the line I’ll do something to piss you off.”

  That makes me giggle and the mood is lightened. We clean up our breakfast, hand washing the skillets and putting the rest into the dishwasher then we go to Jack’s bedroom so I can put on the clothes I wore last night and he can change.

  Wearing a pair of dark jeans and a pale green plaid button down shirt that makes his dark eyes stand out even more, I stare in wonder at how beautiful this man is. But it’s what’s inside that makes him that way. The sharp lines of his jaw, soft almost black hair that I love to run my fingers through, small laugh lines that angle out from his expressive eyes as inky as the night sky… the incredibly lovely combination that makes up Jack Cole on the outside is only a fraction of how impressive of what drives him to be who he is.

  A compassionate, funny, intelligent, patient, kind man.

  It scares me, a little, how easily I could see myself one day falling completely for him. Especially with how much I’ve fallen already.

  But what scares me even more, is the thought of not allowing myself to fall. Of letting the fear rule whatever is building between us.

  It might become everything, and if that’s the case, which a big part of me hopes it does, I’ll consider myself lucky. And not for one minute will I take Jack Cole for granted.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  JACK

  It’s been a month since Sierra and I had our first date. Not a day has passed since that we haven’t seen each other. Even if it’s only five minutes, we’ve made time to connect every single day. I crave her, and I’ve never craved anyone like this before. She spends the night at my place several nights a week, and the nights she doesn’t, I miss the hell out of her.

  She’s brought me to my knees, and I love it. Wouldn’t have it any other way, in fact.

  In the month we’ve
been together, we’ve learned a lot about each other. Just like I told her we would, we’re taking our time. She’s outspoken but not rude, has a sarcastic streak that cracks me up on the daily. She hates running but loves going on walks outside, which she’s been doing with Toby almost every day, weather permitting. She loves art. Loves it. Doesn’t own any and, according to her, doesn’t have an artistic bone in her body, but can get lost looking at it online for hours. Her dream trip is to go to Italy and France and immerse herself in museums. By herself. She’s told me the trip is one she’ll eventually take on her own because she doesn’t want to feel guilty dragging someone around who doesn’t want to be doing the same thing she wants to. I told her I’d gladly go along to every museum she wanted to if she indulged me wanting to eat my way through Italy and maybe learn a few new tricks along the way. She turned it dirty, which turned the conversation into one where we explored each other’s bodies again, which turned into her giving in and saying I could come along to Italy with her.

  We shared pictures of our “ugly” years where we both had braces and acne and our bodies were awkward and gangly. Even then, I would have lost my mind for the chance to date her.

  She loves mangoes, the pound cake that you can buy in the grocer’s freezer, Pepsi over Coke, playing tic-tac-toe while we wait for our meals if we’re out to eat. Loves to take baths, which moved up my bathroom remodel which now includes a huge bathtub with jets. When she was younger, she hated reading but now she’s been getting into it as an adult. I bought her an e-reader and now she doesn’t leave home without it.

  When she was eighteen, she learned to drive a stick shift but has since completely forgotten how. She swears if she climbed behind the wheel of a five-speed she’d immediately remember how to do it, though. I told her I wasn’t going to be the guinea pig who got in the passenger seat with her.

  She absolutely hates scary movies but loves action or Rom-Com movies. Could curl up in front of the TV and watch two or three movies in a row, cuddled up with Toby and me. I don’t hate it. Not one bit.

  I introduced her officially as my girlfriend to my parents. I’m sure the rest of the family is dying for their chance, but after the entire picture-taking incident, they know not to push. When she’s ready and not a moment sooner, is what I’ve told them about meeting the whole clan. My mom immediately fell in love with her. Invited her to lunch or manicures, just the two of them. My dad gave me a knowing grin.

  We’ve made a weekly lunch date with her uncle Kyle and his friend Rebecca. We join them at church, go out for lunch, and then go our separate ways. All of us being business owners, we have a lot in common but we also enjoy their company. I’m used to being around family, but it’s new for Sierra and Kyle and I think they’re realizing how much they missed not having it.

  Last weekend Sierra’s parents, Keith and Samantha, joined us. They’re an eccentric couple but welcoming and nice. Not once did they make me feel like an outsider. Even when telling stories of Sierra’s childhood, making her blush and beg them to be quiet, they somehow included me and made me feel like I was there, rather than hearing it for the first time.

  Samantha gave Sierra a container of “special” brownies before we parted from each other and even though Sierra tried to refuse them, Samantha thrust them into her hands.

  “Mom! I can’t take these!”

  “Why not? They’ll help you relax if you’re insecure about trying certain things,” she says suggestively.

  “Mom!” Sierra admonishes and looks around the parking lot. “Do you have no filter?”

  “No, but you already know that. I’m serious, Sierra, your dad and I each ate one to relax the first time we tried…”

  Sierra throws a hand in the air and interrupts, “Okay, Mom! Okay. I’ll take the damn brownies.” Sierra shoves the container into the back seat of my Jeep before her mom could finish whatever she was about to say. I’m not upset about that, though.

  “Good. Enjoy!” She wiggles her fingers in a wave and winks at me and I chuckle when Sierra mutters, “Kill me now.”

  I wrap an arm around her and pull her close, kissing her temple. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’ll relax after you have one of the brownies.”

  She elbows me in the side.

  We watch as they pull out of the parking lot and Sierra turns to me, “So, those are my parents.”

  Kyle says to Rebecca, “And that’s my brother and sister-in-law. Can’t say we didn’t warn you.”

  Rebecca and I share a look and laugh.

  They did warn us. Over and over again. That we’d have to watch as they fed each other during lunch. That her mom’s hand would slide up her dad’s leg and he would grab her breast. And all that happened… and a little more. Right in the middle of Applebee’s. It was slightly uncomfortable at first but soon it was obvious that was just their way.

  It also helped me to understand Sierra’s hesitance when it came to being with someone she felt passionate about. Her parents lack of inhibitions turned her off from that. Lucky for me, she’s over it, and fully embraces how we feel toward one another.

  We cook, exercise (okay, so that’s an exaggeration — I work out while she pretends to skip rope or just distracts me by being cute), and run errands together. She even let me tag along with her once when she went to the trampoline park then she joined me at the indoor rock climbing gym. She laughed as she bounced off the rock the first time she tried to glide back down but then got the hang of it and soon tried racing me up the wall.

  Six weeks.

  That’s how long I’ve known Sierra.

  And still, I can hardly remember a past without her in it.

  Six weeks.

  That’s how long it’s taken for me to realize that I don’t want a future without her.

  She’s under my skin.

  I love the way she smells of coconut and sugar. I love the way she looks at me like I can hang the freaking moon. I love her laugh anytime of the day, but especially in the morning when her voice is still a little tired; and the way she always takes a tiny sip of her coffee first to check the temperature of it. There’s a million little things that I like about her but not a single one that’s better than the rest. It’s all of them combined that makes me eager to see her and talk to her and touch her.

  And the way she responds to my touch? It’s addicting. It doesn’t take either of us but a graze of our fingers to get turned on. Hell, just being in her presence is enough for me to be ready for more. We run hot constantly.

  I used to think doing the same thing day in and day out and not making a deep connection with anyone else was enough for me. I thought since I made a good living, owned my business and home, had a pretty nice vehicle and a great family that doubled as friends, that I didn’t need anything else. Physically and financially, I was satisfied and I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on emotionally because of it. Until Sierra.

  She blew all my ideas out of the water. Reminded me there’s definitely more to life than simply functioning.

  “Earth to Jack,” Kyle says, calling my attention by snapping in front of my face.

  I lift my head from where I was staring at the paper on the table in front of me and grin.

  “Sorry,” I say sheepishly, embarrassed that I got caught zoning out to thoughts of his niece.

  But of course he knew exactly what was going through my head. “Thinking of Sierra again?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Not that I’m opposed to that, because I like you for her and so do Keith and Samantha, but let’s get back to work so you can get to your girl, yeah?”

  “Good plan.” I grin.

  We’ve been going over his current menu and marking it up, changing just about everything that can be made from — or mostly from — scratch and adding items that will make The Landing more unique and might draw people in for more than just the drinks.

  “Have you thought about putting in a commercial brick oven or smoker?”

  “I haven’t
. That’s pretty expensive, isn’t it?”

  I pull out my phone and open the search browser to show him what we’re looking at for pricing. “There’s quite a range for the ovens. Anywhere from around three grand to quite a bit more. You’d be in the quite a bit more range because of using it indoors and commercially, and you’re not currently set up for it. But, the brick oven isn’t only for pizza. You can bake pretty much anything in there and it’d be unique. Or you could build a back patio with a brick oven back there and do it only in the summer. I believe outdoor ones are a little cheaper.”

  “What about smokers?”

  “Again, your price range is all over the place. Though, unless you’re a pro at smoking meat, there’s not as much about what you’d be offering that brings something people can’t do at home. A lot of people have their own smokers, me included.”

  “You do? What the hell, man? Why haven’t we been using it?”

  I roll my eyes. “Relax. We will. I just haven’t had the chance to use it lately.”

  “We won’t discuss what you’re filling your time with instead,” he jokes.

  For several minutes, we write down different options and he decides in the end that he wants to think on it for a few days.

  “If you decide not to purchase anything right now, which is completely fine, we’ll work on the menu. If you go with the new oven or a smoker, then the menu will be a little different.”

  “Makes sense. Maybe we can come up with a few ideas for menu items for all three options? That way I have a little more information to help me decide.”

  “Absolutely. If you decide to purchase a smoker, your options seem endless. Pulled pork, smoked chicken wings, brisket, turkey, or chicken. It’s pretty wide open. You can smoke vegetables, too. Give them a different flavor. If you go with the brick oven, I’d recommend starting just with pizza. You can build up your name through that and add menu items later but people will come for the pizza alone. But you can do individual baked pastas and appetizers in there, too. If we just update your kitchen without purchasing anything major… man, I have so many ideas.”