Page 6 of A Very Grumpy Neighbor

“Thanks, I will. I’m still exploring and getting settled, but everyone here has been so friendly.”

“We can give you a tour,” Cameron offers as she grabs her margarita and takes a big gulp.

“That would be cool.”

“Sorry,” Lilou says as her phone rings. She declines the call and types out a quick message.

“Milo?” Cora guesses.

Lilou nods. “Yeah, he just got off work and wondered where I was.”

“Milo is her boyfriend,” Cameron tells me.

I nod, finishing off the rest of my margarita.

“Are you seeing anyone?” Maple asks.

“Uh, no,” I say as my mind flashes to my grumpy neighbor. “I’m single.”

“You’ll have to let us set you up,” Cameron says excitedly.

“With who?”

“How about Kye?” Cameron suggests, but Maple shakes her head.

“Kye is with Sienna.”

“Oh, yeah. Hmm, who else do we know who is single?” Cameron asks as she sips her drink.

“I’ll ask around. We can set you up on a blind date once we find someone,” Maple suggests.

I nod. The liquor must be hitting me because the idea of a blind date always sounded terrible to me before. Now? I can’t quite remember why I thought that.

My mind flashes to my grumpy neighbor again, and I wonder if he’s single.

Doesn’t matter. I doubt he’d go out with you anyway,I remind myself.

“What do you guys do for a living?” I ask, changing the subject from my sad dating life.

I listen as the girls talk about themselves and the town for the next hour and a half. I learn that Maple runs the sex shop, Wet and Wild, in town. Cameron works at the Nosh Diner, and her husband, Ford, is the owner. Lilou is dating a firefighter and has a few part-time jobs. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. Somewhere during the conversation, I order another drink, and I can tell as I stand to head to the restroom that I’m tipsy.

“What’s the cab or Uber service like around here?” I ask when I come back from the bathroom.

“Nonexistent,” Lilou says.

“One of our guys can give you a lift,” Maple assures me.

“Yeah, or you can crash with me,” Cora adds as she finishes her drink.

Her gaze moves past me, and she beams at someone behind me. I turn in my seat and bump into Cameron.

“Jeez, the drinks are strong,” I mumble.

She giggles. “I know. They’re not usually this potent.”

“Hey, babe,” Cora says.

I turn to see her boyfriend, Huxley, towering over me.

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