Chapter 5
Rhonan
Which Cards Do I Play?
“Why does this room smell like wet dog?” Fletcher deals the cards, nose scrunched up as he sniffs the air.
Elliot shrugs. “Beats the hell out of me. I just cleaned in here.”
Henley leans closer to me and sniffs a few times. “I think it’s our friend, Rhonan, gentlemen. Also known as the dog chaser. Remember?”
My friends laugh under their breath, and I flip them all off as I reach for my beer, draining the rest of it before tossing the empty bottle into the recycling can right next to me.
As planned before my day took an unexpected turn, my best friends and I are having blackjack night at Elliot’s house.
He’s the only one of us who lives alone, so it just made sense to have it here.
Besides, right now, I’m grateful for the distance from my house, especially after seeing Vienna over the fence.
The confirmation that she’s my neighbor made this all the more real. Space feels like the safest option.
“Earth to Rhonan.” Henley waves his hand in front of my face. “You thinking about what Ellis’s teacher looks like naked?”
“Fuck off,” I grumble while picking up my hand to find I have shit. A nine and a three only makes twelve, which is a shit hand to get dealt in blackjack.
“I think you almost getting fucked is why we’re all here tonight.” Fletcher chuckles as the boys slide their bets to the center of the table. “Fill me and Henley in since we weren’t invited to the night where you made sure Elliot’s dick is still working.”
Elliot flips Fletcher off while shaking his head. “Forgive me for not extending an invitation when you and Henley are both taken men now. You and I both know neither of you would have come anyway.”
Shoving my hand through my hair, I say, “Look, like I already told you, we didn’t hook up. Fuck, we didn’t even kiss.” Even though I desperately wanted to. “We just talked.”
“Did you two use protection?” Henley quips.
Fletcher barks a laugh.
Holding my middle finger up to Henley’s face, I keep my eyes fixed on Fletcher while I continue.
“Details aside, I’m fucking out of my element, you guys.
” I drift my eyes between my three best friends before taking my hand out of Henley’s face.
“There’s no way I imagined Vienna would end up in Blossom Peak as Ellis’s teacher, let alone my new neighbor.
How the fuck do I handle this?” I blow out a frustrated breath.
“I don’t get what the big deal is,” Henley says.
Fletcher chuckles. “Come on. The woman took off and never said anything. Any man would take that as a hit to their ego.”
“She didn’t bruise my ego…”
Elliot scoffs. “Yes, she fucking did. You pouted all the way home.” I shoot Elliot a glare, but he continues. “And I don’t blame you, but I’m sure you never expected her to reappear in your life.” Then he points a finger across the table. “And that’s what the fucking problem is, Henley. All right?”
Henley tilts his head side to side. “Okay, that’s fair.”
“Well, what did she say when you spoke to her earlier today?” Fletcher asks.
I think back to our conversation at the school and our talk over the fence as I toy with my cards.
“She assured me it was all coincidental. But fuck. Really? The one woman I’ve been genuinely intrigued by since Sarah turns out to be my daughter’s teacher and my neighbor?
” I dart my eyes over to Elliot and toss my chin in his direction. “This is all your fault.”
“Me?” He points a finger to the center of his chest. “You should be thanking me. Even though nothing happened, at least you didn’t leave worried whether your dick still works. If nothing else, think of the night as reassurance that your equipment is in working order.”
My dick twitches from the memory of Vienna licking her lips and seeing that sliver of her breast beneath her top, but I keep that detail to myself.
“If I had known that this turn of events would be the fallout, I would have said no thank you. And besides, the night was supposed to be about you and your dick, not me and mine.”
“My dick is fine. Thankfully back in full working order. Which means this conversation is officially about you and your dick, so stop trying to deflect.”
Henley clears his throat. “Can you two please stop with the dick talk?”
I glare in his direction. “Look, I just need some advice. I’ve never been ghosted, and I’ve gotta say, I’m not a fan.”
“Pretty sure no one is,” Henley says.
“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure most people don’t end up living next to the person who rejected them either.” There’s a pleading lilt to my voice that I’m not proud of, but right now I’m fucking desperate.
Fletcher and Elliot both look in Henley’s direction. “What?” he says, holding his hands out to the side.
Fletcher scoffs. “I think out of all of us, you’re the one with the most casual dating experiences.”
Henley points across the table at Elliot. “That’s not fair. Elliot used to get plenty of action too.”
“Not like you, my friend,” Elliot says while reaching for a handful of pretzels.
Henley snorts. “Yeah, well, I usually did the ghosting. The only time I ever had to face a one-night stand again was when Meghan got pregnant. Honestly, Rhonan, here’s my advice.” He sits up straight in his chair and looks me in the eye. “Ask her out on a date.”
My mouth falls open because that was the last thing I expected to come out of his mouth. “I’m sorry—what?”
Fletcher and Elliot are laughing, but I don’t find this funny at all.
“Ask her out,” Henley repeats.
My brows are drawn so tightly together that it’s starting to give me a headache. “Why on earth would I do that?”
The smirk on Henley’s face makes me want to punch him. “Because if the way you’re freaking out about this is any indication, I’d say you’re still into this woman and want to know if that connection was real or all in your head.”
Leaning back in my chair, I blink through my confusion as I consider his words, landing on an indisputable fact as my response. “She’s Ellis’s teacher.”
Henley shrugs. “And I slept with my nanny. Look how that worked out for me,” he says, a smug smile on his lips.
“If not, at least act like a fucking adult and keep things civil. Because you can’t change the fact that she’s here.
So, decide what you’re going to do about it, and fucking commit to the decision. Stop floundering.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m not floundering.”
Fletcher huffs out a laugh. “Uh, yeah, you are. It’s really simple, Rhonan.
If you like the woman, then just admit it.
All this back and forth about why her reappearance has your panties in a bunch is just going to drive you nuts.
I mean, when I realized I wanted your sister once and for all, there was no stopping me from making that happen. ”
My glare grows deeper. “No need to remind me of how that all went down, thank you. I think the two of you getting married is reminder enough.”
Elliot snaps his fingers. “Which reminds me, have we settled on a bachelor party plan yet?”
Fletcher turns to him. “I told Rhonan I didn’t want anything crazy, but since a bunch of guys from the team are going, we decided to have it in Charlotte.”
Grateful for the change in topic, I nod in agreement. “The plans are in the works. I’ve got it covered.”
Since the four of us have been best friends since high school, we agreed that when it came time to make the decision about who would be the best man for each of our weddings, we would take turns.
Fletcher was Elliot’s for his wedding that never happened, Elliot would be Henley’s, which we never thought would be a possibility but he’s very serious about Elodie now, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re engaged soon.
Henley was mine when I married Sarah, and that leaves me to be Fletcher’s.
I just never thought the fucker would be marrying my little sister, but I can’t stay mad about it forever, I guess.
Elliot studies me. “You sure your neighbor isn’t going to distract you too much?”
I glare at him as I lean back in my chair. “I’ll be fine. And just so y’all know, I’m not asking her out.”
Henley shrugs. “Suit yourself. But stop acting like this is the end of the world.”
Even though I want to argue, I refrain. It feels impossible to handle right now, just because the shock hasn’t worn off. That’s it. Once a little bit of time has passed, I’ll forget all about that night and things will just slip right back into the routine.
Vienna may be next door and my daughter’s teacher now, but she’s just like anyone else in town.
Yes, she infiltrated my mind the night we met with her wit, clumsiness, and heart buried beneath the sliver of fear I recognized in her gaze.
But maybe I’m building all of it up in my head because it has been so long since I’ve felt that comfortable with anyone.
Yeah, that’s it.
Enticements during a dry spell will do that to you, ignite that need all over again until you shove it back down and leave it dormant again for a while.
I can only hope that happens soon because having the temptation of her right next door might make forgetting damn near impossible.
***
“Have a good day at school, sweetie.” I bend to kiss Ellis on the forehead as we near the school’s front gate.
“I will. We’re gonna have pizza for dinner tonight, right, Daddy?”
“Yes, Ellis. I told you we would.”
She holds her pinky out to me, poised and ready to seal the deal. “Promise?”
I hook my pinky with hers. “Promise.”
With glee, she drops her hand from mine and I watch her walk toward the building. She waves at me as she looks over her shoulder. “Bye, Daddy! Be safe!”
Ever since Ellis found out about my job and the fact that I’m supposed to arrest bad guys—her words, not mine—she’s told me to be safe each time I leave for work.
Fortunately for both of us, Blossom Peak doesn’t see much action that could put me in harm’s way, but I appreciate the sentiment, nonetheless.