Page 8 of When You Least Expect It
My sister shot me a knowing look.“Absolutely nothing.”
Two hours later, we were checking wedding packages in Las Vegas because Loving Calligraphy and Ancient Elegance had been really kicking our asses.
Chapter 4
Myer~
While my diplomatic talents had landed me that managerial position at work, I still wasn’t a big people person.Oh, I didn’t mind large crowds or shooting the shit with people, but with my house being my sanctuary, it did bother me when people just stopped by without calling or texting first.With my family being the exception, there were just times when I wanted to enjoy the peace and quietness of my home.
Nonetheless, my afternoon had been interrupted when I’d gone to grab my mail, and then Mrs.Lewis had decided to introduce herself to me.Unfortunately or fortunately, our mailboxes were located at the end of our yards like some 1950’s sitcom, and so there’d been no stopping Mrs.Lewis from walking on over to welcome me to the neighborhood.
Now, while she’d been as sweet as pie, her enthusiasm for historical re-enactments had been a bit much.She had also seemed rather bloodthirsty with how disappointed she was that re-enactment actors weren’t allowed to use real weapons.I mean, short of a Renaissance Fair, it wasn’t like you could just walk into a Walmart and purchase a cat-o-tails.At any rate, she’d held me hostage in my front yard until my phone had begun to ring, thank you Lord.
I had also made sure to keep my left hand in my pocket most of the time, lest she’d see that I hadn’t been wearing a wedding ring.Again, though sweet as could be, it was also easy to see that she was the type of grandmother that had the perfect granddaughter for me, and the last thing that I was trying to do was date someone whose grandmother felt that bloodshed was the only way to teach someone a lesson.
Nonetheless, all-in-all, I was happy with the neighborhood.After breaking up with Paula, I’d wanted a fresh start, and moving had seemed like the first step in accomplishing that.Now, while it hadn’t had anything to do with sentimentality, the house that we’d been living in had always been too big for just the two of us, and I knew now that Paula had chosen it to make a statement, not to start a family in it, and it hadn’t been that hard to sell it for something different.
I’d also been here only a week, and between work and trying to get settled, I hadn’t been able to meet anyone else, though the neighborhood seemed like a good one.I had also noticed a lot of families last week when I’d been moving in, and so far, everyone seemed respectful of each other’s space.Of course, one week wasn’t enough to determine that for sure, but I was still hopeful that no assholes would be popping up later.
Setting my copy of The Control by Michael Layne down, I went to go check on Lilibeth when a knock sounded at my door, and my first instinct was to pretend like I wasn’t home.If it was Mrs.Lewis again, I might actually have to consider moving again.However, when the doorbell rang in addition to another knock, a voice also called out, telling me to answer because he knew that I was home.
I immediately went to answer the door, and when I did, Zachary was standing on the other side, his scowl deep with annoyance, though I wasn’t sure what I’d done to annoy the man.I mean, after letting Mom dump on me all throughout dinner last week, you’d think that he’d be feeling more grateful.
“What took you so long?”he asked as he muscled his way past me.“I sent you a text that I was on my way over.”
“Well, you must have text when I was taking a piss,” I told him as I shut the front door.“Unlike you, I don’t take my phone with me everywhere.”
“Everyone’s addicted to their phones,” he pointed out.“It’s not just me.”
“Are we going to start talking about the fall of society, or are you going to tell me what you’re doing here?”I asked as I followed him into my living room.
Turning around to face me, he said, “I think Whitney’s pregnant.”
Okay.
I hadn’t been expecting that.
