Lust Thy Neighbor (6 page)

"Okay." She made a face, wondering if she had received anything lately from Alexandra. As she thought about it, she slapped a hand to her forehead and groaned.
Dammit! That calligraphy invitation I never opened.
"Um, when is it again?"

"Violet." Alexandra’s irritated tone rose a few degrees. "This Saturday at seven. And please dress appropriately. A cocktail dress and not something that you and your mother fished out of the clearance bin at Target."

Violet rolled her eyes. Some of her favorite clothes were reeled in from the sales pond. "Is Mom coming too?"

"No. She’ll be in Ohio for work."

Liar. Violet’s mother managed a band, and she happened to know that they had no upcoming gigs for the next two weeks because the lead singer was recovering from bronchitis. She made a mental note to call her mom and complain about her not including her own daughter in the fake excuse.

"There's a lovely young man I want you to meet,” her grandmother announced ceremoniously as Violet plucked her coffee from the hood of her car.

“No, Grandma!” The pit of her stomach fell. “No blind dates. Absolutely not.”

"Well, I can't have you sitting by yourself. Everyone else will be with a dining companion."

Way to remind me I'm twenty-nine, single and so pathetic I need a seventy year old woman to play matchmaker for me,
she thought. "You can't set me up.” She climbed into her compact car, placing the graded papers on the passenger seat and her coffee in the cup holder. “In fact, I forbid it.”

"And why is that? Are you bringing your own date?"

"No...." She struggled for an excuse, wondering if she could get away with bringing Beck. Her grandparents knew his parents, and he was well liked, but then she'd have to endure another night of long looks from Alexandra. That silent reproach she always got when Beckett ended up as her date. It was a knowing look from Grandma, saying without words that she wouldn't get anywhere with a guy who dated other guys.

"Then you'll enjoy this young man. He's a corporate lawyer and closely connected to one of your grandfather's associates."

Ugh. Gag me
. Violet could see it now. Her sitting there, uncomfortable, and him probably balding, middle-aged, and talking constantly about the declining economy and the upcoming presidential election.

"I already have a boyfriend."
Damn! Where did that come from?

"I have not heard of this.” Alexandra’s voice dropped to a sweet, dangerous murmur. “Why have I not heard about this until now?”

Violet gritted her teeth and considered beating her head against the steering wheel. Surely it would be more endurable than her grandma’s inquisition. "It's new."

"Your mother didn't mention it the other day at lunch."

"I asked her not to. I mean, I just met the guy. He can't make it on Saturday because he has to work. But I wouldn't be comfortable having another date to the dinner."

"Why not? Either bring your young man or take mine."

"It's not right, Grandma. I’m not a cheater.” God, she felt awful lying about this.

"There’s no need to yell, dear. Tell me about your boyfriend,” Alexandra said smoothly.

"Oh.” She stalled to think. "What exactly do you want to know?"

"Does he work? What does he do for a living?” Her grandmother's voice sounded crisp, as if expecting to hear bad news. “For god’s sake, he’s not a bum, is he?”

For a second, she considered telling Alexandra she’d met her imaginary boyfriend by the clearance bin at Target, but then she sighed. "Yeah, he works."

"Yes, Violet," came the correction. "You're a professor now; you need to set a good example."

"Grandma, I teach high school English. I'm a teacher, not a professor."

"So what does he do?"

Violet glanced around frantically until she saw some pieces of discarded two-by-fours leaning against Declan’s fence. "He owns his own construction company."
God, what am I doing? Making up a fake boyfriend? How low have I fallen?

"And how did you meet him?"

"He moved in next door."
Oh shit, oh shit....

"Owns his own company?” When her granddaughter responded with a muffled sound, she asked, “And how long have you been seeing each other?"

When did they move in?
"Just a few weeks. It's nothing too serious yet." Her palms started to sweat. "Listen, Grandma, I've got to get to school. I'll see you on Saturday, but please, no dinner date for me."

"Violet, dear, I already have the table setting planned out and the caterer has already confirmed with the amount of plates needed that night."

"Fine, I'll bring him."
And then I'll come up with a last minute excuse when I show up to dinner alone.

"Good.” She heard the satisfied grin in her grandmother’s voice, a triumphant sound she’d heard far too many times. “See you Saturday."

"Bye." Violet disconnected the call and hung her head in desperation.

*

D
eclan's cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Reaching to accept the call, he recognized the local area code but not the exact phone number. "Declan Pierce."

"Declan?" his brother’s voice floated thinly through the other line and fear seized his chest.

"Jake, what's wrong? Why aren't you in school?"

"I am." Declan heard a sigh. "I'm not feeling good. I threw up in class and left my phone at home.”

Ah, shit. "You okay?"

"Did you hear the part where I said I threw up in class?" He could hear Jacob's incredulous voice injected with sarcasm but laced with hurt. "My shirt's covered in puke. Come get me. I need to go home."

"Jacob, I can't.” Guilt clawed at him like a poisonous dagger. “I'm in the city right now for a meeting and it's going to take me at
least
a couple hours to get home."

"What? No, I can't stay here. Dude, come get me!"

Declan shoved down his sudden burst of irritation. "Don't yell at me. It won't fix anything. I know you're uncomfortable and feel like shit, but I’ll get there as soon as humanly possible."

"I don't want to go back to class. Everybody's laughing at me."

His heart broke a little at that. He knew Jacob was sensitive and didn't have a thick skin. Being the new kid in school would have been enough, but getting sick in front of everybody would throw his brother over the edge. Jacob liked blending into the background in social situations, much like Declan had growing up, but unlike his older brother, he didn't ignore people as easily. He tended to internalize and absorb everything, analyzing it to death.

"I'm sure it isn't as bad as it seems. I'll get you around twelve-thirty, okay?"

"That's two hours from now!"

"It's the best I can do."

The line went silent for a second and then Jacob responded in a small voice that reminded Declan of a little kid instead of a fourteen year old boy. "Just hurry. Please."

He swallowed the lump in this throat. "I'll be there at twelve-thirty. Promise."

Right before Jacob hung up, Declan could hear a mumbled, "I wish Mom were here."

*

D
eclan watched as his brother opened the passenger door before the truck was fully stopped and placed into park. He had arrived at the school at twelve-fifteen on the dot to find a pale faced Jacob sitting on a squeaky plastic chair in the nurse's office. There was a wet spot on his t-shirt, where Declan assumed vomit had been washed off. Jacob had looked very uncomfortable and disoriented but when Declan reached to help him get up and walk out to the truck, Jacob shook off his arm without a glance.

"Jake—"

The truck door slammed before he could finish and Declan released a harsh breath as Jacob stalked through the front door and slammed that as well. "Fuck."

He followed, dragging his feet slowly, wondering what to do with a sick kid. Jacob hadn't gotten sick and was very healthy, but even an unknowledgeable Declan could tell that his brother would be out of commission for the next couple days or so. He locked the door behind him and dropped his laptop bag on the kitchen table. "You want some chicken soup?"

Jacob was lying on the couch, his skinny frame sprawled out, one of his thin arms covering his face. "Whatever."

Declan frowned. He was really getting tired of being whatevered. “I'll make some anyway. And some toast, okay?"

Jacob ignored him, picked up the remote, and flipped on the TV to
South Park
reruns.

"Why don't you change out of your clothes? You'll be more comfortable."

"Yeah, it's not fun smelling the puke, is it?” Jacob sneered. “How do you think I liked wearing this for two hours?"

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't come any earlier."

Jake snorted in response and Declan took that as his cue to leave his brother alone. At least for the time being.

*

V
iolet got out of her car, wondering if she should go next door and ask what had happened to Jacob. None of the other kids in class had known where he was and she had gotten worried. Still, she feared that going to his home to check up on him might be crossing the line. When she got to her front door, she found a folded up piece of paper taped to the glass panel.

Violet,

Jacob got sick, so he couldn't walk the grizzly today. Just in case he's still not feeling well for the rest of the week, let's just call off the walks until Monday, okay? Don't worry about paying him for this week. I'll take care of it. Sorry about the inconvenience.

Declan

Violet puzzled over the note in concern but smiled weakly at Declan's messy scrawl and the way that he had written Bear’s name. She found it oddly endearing that he gave her dog a nickname.

She opened the front door to find Bear zipping around doing house laps in his crazy, energized way. He stopped to lick her hand and darted into the kitchen. She opened the back door for him and he sniffed around and finally did his business in the backyard.

The doorbell rang, and she left the door open for Bear to come in when he was ready. "Coming!"

When she flung the front door open, her heart stopped beating for a second at the sight of the petite woman with artfully styled salt and pepper hair standing on her porch, a large clothing box tucked under her arm. To her horror, Alexandra’s delicately boned face was worked into a look of determination. That was never a good thing.

"Grandma!" she squeaked.

"Hello, Violet. May I come in?"

As if she could say no. "Um, sure?" Violet stepped aside and twisted her fingers together. “What are you doing here?”

"Well, I saw this dress in the display window this morning while shopping and thought that it would be lovely for you to wear to dinner on Saturday."

Violet peered at the white Lord & Taylor box and took it hesitantly. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"I
wanted
to. And now you'll have something appropriate to wear to dinner so you won’t have to raid your mother’s ... wardrobe.”

"Well, thank you so much. I'm sure I'll love it." Her mind whirled at the thought of her fake boyfriend next door. Up until now, she had completely forgotten about the fib she’d told Alexandra that morning, but now she realized it was probably coming back to bite her in the ass.
Please don't ask about him. Please don't ask.

"I'd like to meet your young man."

Dammit
.

"He's not home."

Alexandra picked a piece of lint off the sleeve of her sweater. "There's a red truck in the front. It is the neighbor to the left, correct?"

"Yes."
What am I going to do?

"Introduce me." Her grandmother pressed her lips together for a second then shook her head. “On second thought, I'll introduce myself.”

Violet dropped the box on the chair by the door and ran to chase after her grandmother. "No, we can't. He's busy. And plus, I haven't prepared him and all that." She forced a thin laugh.

"Don’t be silly. I want to meet him first so I'll know what to expect." Alexandra’s sensible heels clicked down the path and onto Declan's driveway, getting closer and closer to the front door and exposing Violet’s lie with every passing moment.

"Grandma!" She ran after her, gently pushing her away by the shoulders when she caught up.

"Violet! For heaven's sake. What on earth has gotten into you?"

"Please,” she begged breathlessly. “I promise to have a date for your dinner."

"Good. I want to meet him now." She reached around Violet to knock on the front door.

Please don't be home; please don't be home.
But her eyes widened in fright when she saw Declan approach the door, an amused smile gracing his handsome features when he opened it wide and took in the sight of her flushed face. "What's up, neighbor?" he drawled.

Violet could just feel the disapproval radiating from Alexandra at the slang but she jumped in before her grandmother could open her mouth. "Declan! I've missed you, baby." She launched herself into his muscular arms, immediately thankful for his quick reflexes. He caught her tight up against him and she leaned in for a kiss. Right before their lips made contact, she mouthed, "Please, please, play along."

She could see a flicker of interest pass his dark brown eyes and her body tightened in response. He caught the back of her neck in his large palm and brought his mouth to hers. When they touched, little electrical sparks leapt from their bodies, combining. Combusting. Her world dissolved around her, and all she could focus on was him. Declan and his sinful lips. His kiss was surprisingly tender, masterful without seeming like it was too practiced. His lips moved gently against hers, coaxing her to open up to him. When she felt his other hand creep across her back, she arched up into him and bit down on his lower lip. Apparently, he liked it because he kissed her harder, his hand sidling to the small of her back, resting just above her ass.

Violet felt something stir against her belly, and she shivered from head to toe.

"Ahem!" Her grandmother cut in with a loud sound of disapproval.

She felt Declan retreating from the kiss, and for the longest pause, he stared down at her breathlessly. "Hey again, beautiful,” he said at last.