Chapter 4 #3
There’s no way the man I had the most natural and liberating night of my life with turns out to be the father of one of my students and my new neighbor.
Would you expect anything less at this point, Vienna? Perhaps Lydia is pulling some strings up there to force you to live recklessly?
For a second, I debate how much longer I’m supposed to let this go on before I say something, but Ellis spots me first and her face lights up.
“Ms. Lewis?”
Joanne and Rhonan’s heads twist in my direction, meeting my eyes as I stand frozen in place. I wave timidly. “Hi, Ellis.”
Rhonan pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing before walking in my direction. When he arrives at the fence, I can see the frustration on his face. “Your dog—”
“Got out of my yard,” I finish for him. “But there’s no way that this is…” My words trail off as I gesture helplessly to his side of the fence.
“My yard?” he finishes for me, a displeased arch in his brow. “Oh, it absolutely is.”
Shit. I don’t even know why I’m surprised at this point.
“Okay… So, now I understand how you knew about my dog,” I say, trying to make light of the situation.
Rhonan looks less than amused. “He dug under the fence this morning and already got my heart rate up. I put bricks in the hole, but he won’t be outsmarted because he just dug another hole and returned this evening.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well, you owe me a new rose bush since he dug up one of mine.” He motions to the far side of his yard where a pile of dirt is resting on the ground with a bare rose bush right next to it.
“Of course. But he’s just a puppy. I’m working on training him.
” My eyes drift over to Ellis and the dog where they’re playing on the deck.
Roscoe is following her around and sitting every time she commands him to.
“Although Ellis appears to be much better at it than I am. I haven’t been able to get him to sit for me once. ”
“You move to a new town and get a new puppy?” Rhonan asks, clearly confused by my choice. But he doesn’t need to understand the decisions I’m making for my life.
“Yes,” I say, lifting my chin slightly. “And apparently not only am I your daughter’s new teacher, but also your new neighbor. As if this could get any more complicated.”
He closes his eyes and exhales slowly. “Trust me, I’m well aware of how complicated this is.
But right now, I’m more concerned about keeping your destructive dog out of my yard.
I’m going to move a boulder into this hole for now, but maybe you should keep him inside while you’re at work.
” This man is far more irritable than the man I chatted with last week.
“He has a doggy door so he doesn’t have to be cooped up all day in the pen I have installed around the door. You want me to lock him inside where he’ll pee and poop everywhere instead? Or tear up the house? No thank you.”
His hands fly up in the air. “Not my problem. Figure it out.”
Irritation grows in my chest. “Wow, thank you for the sage advice.”
“Daddy! Can we keep the puppy?” Ellis comes racing across the yard next to her dad, Roscoe hot on her heels.
“No, Ellis. We’ve already discussed this. The dog belongs to Ms. Lewis.” Rhonan gestures to my side of the fence.
“Ms. Lewis, what are you doing in that yard?”
“This is my house, Ellis.”
Her eyes grow big as saucers, and her smile follows. “Really?”
“Yep. And your dad is right. That’s my puppy, but you can play with him whenever you want.”
She claps her hands. “Yes! Can I play with him right now?”
I glance back at Rhonan, whose annoyance is palpable. “Just for a few more minutes while I talk to your dad, and then I have to take Roscoe home, okay?”
Ellis nods. “Okay. Come on, Roscoe!” She takes off toward her playset, beckoning the puppy to follow her up the steps and down the slide. Her laughter is so precious, and I’m so consumed with watching them, that I momentarily forget Rhonan is still standing there.
Once I blink myself out of my trance, I meet Rhonan’s eyes. “Look, I’m sorry for how things turned out.”
“Why? Because the woman who ghosted me turned out to be my neighbor and my kid’s teacher?” he quips.
I clear my throat. “Well, yes.”
“Maybe it’s a lesson,” he says, brow lifting. “About treating others the way you’d want to be treated.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I said I was sorry. I can move forward and act like an adult. Can you?”
“I’m working on it,” he says through gritted teeth. “But this is my life, Vienna. My town. My daughter. I don’t normally—”
“Hit on random women in bars and almost kiss them?” I finish for him.
The narrowing of his gaze tells me he doesn’t like that I hit the nail on the head. Much to my surprise though, he simply nods, averting his eyes from mine as he does.
“Well, I guess I can’t fault you for that. I was into our conversation too. But rest assured, I had no idea who you were.”
“I believe you,” he says, his voice slightly calmer than before. I can’t decide whether he’s always wound this tight or if our prior connection is getting to him. “Can I assume you’re only here temporarily?”
“That was the plan until I figure out my next move, but staying isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility yet,” I reply honestly.
“Understood. Let’s just pretend like nothing happened and be friends then, okay?” His eyes meet mine and in that second, my heart says no.
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 I pretend 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.