Page 30 of A Very Grumpy Neighbor

Jade smiles and kisses me one last time before she grabs her things and heads out. I watch as she crosses the yard and into her house. A few minutes later, she comes back out in a change of clothes. Our eyes meet, and she grins, waving before she climbs behind the wheel and heads off to work.

I sigh as I return to my bedroom and look at the messy bed. Last night was mind-blowing. It was perfect. Jade is perfect.

I can’t believe I wasted so much time fighting my attraction to her. I should have known it was a waste of time. I don’t know how anyone couldn’t like Jade. She’s so sweet and open. Irresistible.

My phone rings in the other room, and I hurry to answer it, wondering if it’s Jade. I grab it before it can go to voicemail, surprised to see Luca’s name on the screen.

“Hey, you okay?” I ask my old Army Ranger friend.

“Hey, man. Yeah, I’m good.”

I hear the whirr of a helicopter's blades in the background. “Where you at?”

“Overseas. I’m headed back in a few days.”

“Good.”

“I hear you’re in Wolf Valley now.”

“Yeah. Been here a few months.”

“My brother lives there.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. His name is Milo. He works for the fire department. He’s been there about a year.”

I nod, though he can’t see me. “Are you coming for a visit?”

“Actually, I’m getting out.”

“You are?”

“Yeah, it’s just…not what I want out of life anymore.”

We’re silent for a moment. I don’t get it. I loved being in the Marines. I would still be in the military now if I hadn’t been shot. I miss it. I miss having a purpose, waking up every day knowing exactly what’s expected of me and what I’m going to do that day.

“I’m moving to Wolf Valley. I want to be close to Milo. I haven’t hung out with him for a few years, so it’ll be good to reconnect.”

“I bet.”

“I’ll be there in a month if things go right.”

“Let me know when you get here. I’ll help you move in and buy you a beer.”

“Thanks, I’ll take you up on that. Can you let me know if you get any leads on a place? I’m having a hard time finding anything for sale that doesn’t need a ton of repairs, and there aren’t many rentals in the area.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for anything that’s about to be listed.”

“Thanks, man. I’ll hit you up when I’m headed out there.”

“Sounds good. Be safe.”

“You, too. Talk to you later.”

We hang up, and I toss my phone on the counter, looking around the place. There’s not much to clean, so I get to work. My eyes keep straying to the clock, and I count the minutes until Jade comes home.

I smile as I think about all the things we could do together, and for the first time since I left the military, I’m excited for the future.

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