Chapter 3 Neighborhood Watch #2
“Shhhut up,” Eve hissed, taking her off speakerphone as she tried to get a better view of the culprit.
It was a willowy white guy with far too much hair on his face and head; he looked like he’d spent most of his time in the sun, his peachy skin bearing a golden glow.
His T-shirt and jeans were tattered but clung to his body as if they knew it well.
“I think he might be homeless,” Eve said.
“Girl, he was probably staying at your grandma’s and you done kicked him out. Squatters have rights, you know.”
“Girl, shut up.” Eve immediately tensed when the presumed vagrant spotted her and began walking toward her. “Shit, he sees me.”
“Maybe you should run.”
Eve strongly considered it, but where was she supposed to go? “Stay on the phone,” she said.
“Can I help you?” the man asked.
Eve was taken aback by his manner, talking to her as if he owned the place. She peered at him as he moseyed her way, and something about his gait made her question her initial assumptions. He didn’t seem to be lacking anything—certainly not confidence.
“I think I should be asking you that,” she said, deciding to match his gall.
“Well this is private property, ma’am. Are you lost?”
Now there’s a loaded question . “I’m aware this is private property,” Eve said.
And suddenly, she wondered if she’d gotten something wrong.
She was positive she had the right house, but maybe her aunt had sold the property and hadn’t bothered to tell anyone.
This man seemed so self-assured, he really had her questioning her sanity. “Are you saying you own this place?”
“A friend of mine does,” he said. “Or…did.”
Eve frowned.
“So can I help you with anything? Are you looking for the park?”
“Was this ‘friend’ of yours Hazel Beasley?” Eve asked.
He eyed her as if to question a story she hadn’t even told yet. “You know her?”
“I’m her granddaughter.”
“Oh shit.” The skepticism on this strange man’s face seemed to recede, replaced by recognition, like they’d known each other in some other life. “Evie,” he said. “Of course.”
It was Eve’s turn to be wary, responding with narrowed eyes, unreasonably rattled by the idea that this person could’ve known her grandmother.
Caught off guard by the familiarity of it all.
Her grandmother loved to add an ie to anyone’s name she could.
Her mother was Joanie; her aunt, Annie; and Eve was, well…
Evie. She’d forgotten about it until now.
She’d forgotten so much. And she liked it better that way.
“Eve,” she said.
“I’m Jamie.”
The man moved closer to extend his hand, and Eve ignored everything in her that wanted to retreat.
She returned the handshake and even felt some measure of comfort when their eyes finally locked.
His were the color of the sky, and she imagined there might’ve been an attractive guy hiding somewhere under all that hair.
He had a Southern drawl that managed to make her feel warm, not unlike her grandmother, and she fought the urge to smile.
“So why are you lurking around my grandmother’s house?” Eve asked, her typical New York brusqueness punctuating her words.
“I wasn’t lurking,” he said. “I was surveying. I’ve been taking care of the place for the last year or so. Mowing the lawn, pruning the hedges…”
Eve scanned the yard, taking special note of the grass hitting their shins, and stared back at him. “You’re doing a great job.”
Jamie grinned in a way that made his eyes twinkle. “I know. I haven’t been around the last few months, and I’m sorry about that.”
Eve averted his gleaming gaze then, mostly out of guilt, because she was the last person who could blame someone for not being around. “Well. Don’t worry about it. I’m here now.”
“You’re gonna cut the grass?”
“Are you implying I can’t?”
“No, ma’am. I just didn’t think Miss Hazel had a lawn mower.”
Eve hadn’t considered that part—she never had a lawn to worry about in Brooklyn—but refused to show it. “Well…I’m sure I can buy one.”
“At least borrow mine,” Jamie offered. “I can drive it down here for you now.”
Eve was reluctant to let this strange man with the smiling eyes any further into her life than she already had, loath to give the impression that she was friendly or anything like it. “I’ll pay you,” she said. “How much does something like that usually cost?”
“For the whole acre?” He looked around and shrugged casually. “Seventy bucks an hour, and it’ll take about four hours.”
Eve nearly choked on her tongue. That would really cut into her budget, considering she wouldn’t be collecting much of a paycheck for the next few months. “I thought it was supposed to be cheaper in the South,” she said.
“Well, I was gonna do it for free until you and your pride jumped in.”
Eve had forgotten Maya was still waiting on the phone until she detected the faint but unmistakable sound of her cackling in the background. “I hate you so much,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry?” Jamie asked.
Eve shook her head. “You’re welcome to do whatever you want. But don’t feel obligated.” She was already heading toward the porch, desperate to get away from this man and whatever he’d done to turn her into a bumbling idiot. “I have to get back inside.”
“Right. Well, I’m sorry about all the confusion,” Jamie said, seeming to detect her unease. “It’s rare to see another face but mine up here, so I thought you were trespassing.”
Eve found that encouraging—she wouldn’t have to worry about park visitors wandering around. “I’ll be sure to stay out of your way,” she said.
“Oh, that wasn’t what I meant—”
“You’re welcome to stay out of my way then.”
“Got it,” Jamie said, nodding. Though that damn twinkle told her he was more amused than offended by her statement, which, in turn, piqued her curiosity more than it irritated her.
“Well, if you need me in the meantime, I’m right down the hill,” he said.
Eve only responded with a slight wave as she realized the big cabin she’d spotted earlier when she sat at the creek belonged to Jamie.
She watched him walk away, because in the two minutes they’d spent together, she realized she enjoyed his walk.
And for the short time that she was in his presence, that overwhelming sense of grief seemed to take a break.
She unenthusiastically returned to her phone call, finding Maya still giggling. “Why are you like this?”
“I should be asking you that,” Maya said. “Not you out here embarrassing the whole bloodline.”
“He caught me off guard.”
“It’s hard to believe somebody gave you three whole degrees. What was that?” Maya continued, still snickering as she spoke.
“He caught me off guard,” Eve said, louder this time, and she hoped Jamie had gotten too far away to hear. She hated the idea of him knowing he’d managed to fluster her and, seemingly, without trying.
“Well, he sounds MAGA, so it’s probably best if you keep your distance anyway.”
“Looked it, too,” Eve said. But if he really had known her grandma well enough to recognize her, she trusted that he wasn’t. “I think he’s harmless, though.”
She hoped so anyway. She could see Jamie being annoying. Maybe even showing up at her door unannounced, obtrusive in the way that Southern people mistook for friendly. But beyond that, he seemed innocuous. Even safe. And she looked forward to staying as far away from him as possible.