Love At First Fight: My Next Door Neighbour

e's

The way she'd melted into that first bite of my grandmother's arroz con leche – it was like wat

iliar routine of washing dishes usually cleared my head, but tonight all I cou

a text from Marcus:

then added, She's comi

immediately. FINALLY

ses, how carefully she held herself apart from everything. Whatever ha

der his arm. His shaggy blonde hair needed a trim, and his oversized hoodie had seen be

shuffling in. "Was tha

rected, pulling out left

the one with the wobbly leg that nobody else

I was holding. "Ruby need

ing the chipped tooth he'd gotten in a fight before we met. "Besides, she's r

Tommy had become like a little brother to me over the pas

outhful of fettuccine. "Usually looks scared,

as we ate, how her walls had sta

t in like a colorful hurricane. Today she was wearing a vintage dress that look

on the stool next to Tommy. "Mar

life gossip about me?

and Ruby sa

y. I knew from experience she wouldn't leave until s

the plate to her. "We talked. She at

. "Finally! What are you making? What's the menu? Ple

t yet," I admitted. "And w

ht stick. "Zane. Honey. Sweetheart. This is yo

t," I protested. "I just want..." I tr

Tommy asked, g

smile more. Want to understand why she flinches at loud noises

oftened. "Oh, honey

-sounding rap that made us all freeze. I motioned for Tommy and R

l woman who could only be Skye's sister – they had the s

," she said, flashing a b

l,

ide. "Can I offer you some coffe

the multiple place settings in the dish drain, the industrial-sized pots on

finally. "You'r

wanted to intimidate me in my own kitchen, she'd have to w

ay away fro

h all due respect, Detectiv

where I'm standing, you're taking advantage of someone who

hat happened to Skye, and she hasn't told me. But I do

now anything

classical music, usually Bach. I know she's brave enough to face her fears for people wh

n – surprise, maybe, or reluctant re

worried, why don't you stay for dinner tomo

rly not expecting

usually some of our regulars. Come see what h

prise, she smiled slightly. "You're either very brave or

n what we're doing here. Maybe I th

allowed. "S

n o'c

om the back room. "Dude," Tommy said, eye

ed. "Pass the word to the regulars – anyone who's n

nge expression. "You really care a

e'd let me hold her hand, the way she'd said "seven" like s

id softly. "

my, you're on dish duty. I'm handling decorations. And you..

y perfectly good c

Feet is officially launched!" She cla

my apartment from Skye's. On the other side, I could hear the faint sound of her

hing, one way or another. I

d I wouldn't have