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“I’ll just…unpack,” she said, ready to be by herself.
“Katie told me about what happened to you,” he said with unvarnished authority.
“Does everyone in town know what happened to me?” Because that was not going to work.
“No. Promised I’d keep an eye on you. I’ve got a connection at the department in Humboldt County. He filled me in on the details. If you think of anything new, you’ll be sure to tell me? Even if it doesn’t seem important. Small details crack cases.”
Lucy began to reply when the door opened, and the full force of Dixie erupted into the room. “Everyone’s settled,” she said to Jeff before turning to Lucy. “Lizzie, our neighbor right next to you, died a week ago. She was only ninety-eight. Bless her heart. And I mean that in the southern way.” Dixie’s eyes glittered as if letting Lucy in on her private joke. “So we got a new tenant there, too. Been a busy day ’round here.”
“I’ll head over and meet her,” Jeff said.
“Him,” Dixie corrected.
“I’ll go welcome him to the neighborhood.” Jeff gave a curt nod to Lucy as he hunched to fit through the doorframe.
“He’s handsome.” Dixie crossed her arms over her chest.
“Excuse me?”
“Your neighbor.”
“Well, that’s”—Lucy paused, searching for the right word—“nice.”
“I know what happens when a good-lookin’ man and a woman live close together. I’m a God-fearing Christian lady, so no for-ni-ca-tion in my houses.” She finished with a withering stare.
“I, uh, promise not to…fornicate.” The last word caught uncomfortably on Lucy’s lips.
Dixie held her head high when she rambled from the house. She slammed the door, shaking the very foundation. Lucy moved a box to the kitchen where a breeze blew through the curtains above the stove. She opened a bag of trail mix and stuffed a handful in her mouth, sliding open the door to the tiny patio and stepping outside. Apparently, she shared the space with her neighbor—a very male neighbor with his own door wide open.
He faced the opposite direction, which provided Lucy the opportunity to appreciate everything his gray sweatpants didn’t cover. She didn’t know a back could be ripped like that. The waistband of his pants hung low on defined hips that led down to a set of tight glutes worthy of Adonis. Right then, Lucy didn’t mind living in a tiny motel-apartment, and she should probably send Katie a formal thank-you card.
He turned around, but her eyes stayed planted. Lucy didn’t frequent bars, but she knew abs like those played a key role in the invention of tequila body shots.
“Hey, neighbor,” he said in a deep baritone.
Her gaze moved up the length of his torso in a slow-motion scan and settled on his face. William.
Just like that she was Lulu again, and this was Florida, and oh boy was she crushing on him.
The trail mix she had swallowed stuck sideways in her throat. She pounded on her ribs with a fist to free the constriction and drew a stunted breath. Her belly did a little flip. She tried to say something but nothing came out.
His expression faltered. “Are you okay? Do you need?—”
“You live here?” Her voice had an odd, high-pitched quality. Her heart rate kicked up, too, not helping the situation.
“Yup. I think I’m gonna barbecue tonight. Want to light up the grill later? A little welcome to the neighborhood for both of us?” His smile, the way he directed it right at her? Well, it was everything her little teenage heart had wanted.
Also, holy crap, had William just asked her to sit at his table with him?
For sure, yes, yes, she did want to pull up a chair. But, no. No, she wouldn’t. She was avoiding him. “Uh…”
“Burgers or brats?” He moved closer to the patio. “I’m good with whatever you like.”
She stepped back and shook her head. “Sorry, no. I have to unpack.”
“Suit yourself. Jeff and Dixie are coming over if you change your mind.”
“Thank you, no. I have other plans.” With a pint of frozen yogurt and a cold shower.
