Boys Next Door Read Online Free Page A

and dark-brown eyes. So dark they were almost black.
    ‘Ms,’ I corrected, shaking the hand he offered.
    He gestured to a seat and smiled. ‘Sorry. I guess I’m old school. I “Mrs” everyone no matter how young. My wife gives me serous flak for it too.’
    I laughed, my hands still trembling from being trapped in the elevator – and, oh yeah, having spontaneous stranger sex – before my arrival. ‘No worries.’
    ‘I just need your driver’s license so I can write down the info before I turn over the key. After you’ve taken possession, you can go visit the lawyers down the road, at your convenience, I’m sure you’re tired …’ he said, writing something down. ‘But he will give you the information about the allowance that’s attached to the property.’
    Allowance. I suddenly felt ten years old. Though I was grateful beyond words that my father had thought ahead. To smooth out this part of my life for me should I come to take advantage of the opportunity.
    ‘Great. Do you have his –’
    ‘His card is attached to the paperwork I’ll give you.’ He took my offered license and started to copy the info.
    More writing and I studied the realtor’s small office. Mr Andrews, one other desk with a name plaque that read Anthony Travatoni. There was a receptionist at the front of the room and a younger man who was filing and copying.
    ‘Do you sell a lot of houses in Tower Terrace?’ I asked, nosy as hell.
    He glanced at me. ‘Not many. There aren’t many to sell. We’re a very small community in Terrace proper. But surrounding areas up to twenty miles around, we sell.’
    I nodded. ‘I was just curious. It seems such a sleepy little town …’ I caught myself and tried to backpedal. ‘I mean … I
don’t
mean …’
    He held up a hand. ‘Oh, I know you’re coming from the city. We probably are a Podunk town to you. But we like it here. We have the fall festival coming up. You should go. And I do know, and I might be wrong to say – you might have employment set up – but I do know that the dog salon is hiring.’
    I choked on a laugh and managed to keep it down. My first reaction was
a dog salon!
But this was a new life, a new outlook. A ‘hot sex in the elevator’ kind of existence: full of risks, both large and small.
    ‘Really? That’s great? Where is it? I am looking for work, Mr Andrews, thanks for asking.’
    He nodded once, finished filling out the last line on the paper, and handed back my license. ‘Down the road. Donna’s Dog Salon. Right past the diner, you can’t miss it. She’s a booming business, believe it or not. Everyone here seems to have a dog.’
    Maybe I needed a dog, I thought.
    ‘Great,’ I said again. My gut was full of anticipation that bordered on anxiety. I was going to do this, this new life, little town deal. All of it.
    ‘And your dad mentioned you act …’
    He clipped a bunch of papers together and fished a metal box out of his bottom desk drawer. Inside were stacks of keys labelled with paper tags.
    Uh-oh. ‘Did he?’ I kept my voice level.
    ‘He did. You know we have a local community theatre. I think this winter’s performance is … I want to say
A Christmas Carol
but don’t quote me on that. The wife says I don’t pay enough attention.’
    ‘I’ll look into it,’ I said, though I had no intention of doing that.
    ‘You do that.’ Mr Andrews rose and handed me a set of keys and an envelope of papers. ‘You’re all set. My card is in there. If you need anything or have any questions, call me and I’ll try and help you as much as I can.’
    Now my nerves kicked in big time. This was it. I owned a house. I was twenty-eight. I was starting a new life. It would hopefully soar and I’d find a direction and maybe eventually love and …
    I swallowed hard.
    ‘Are you okay, Mrs – sorry,
Ms
McGee?’
    I nodded. ‘Fine,’ I sighed.
    ‘If you need some water or –’
    ‘No, I’m fine. I just had a moment,’ I laughed.
    I left him with a