Page 8 of The Beachside Rental

The addition of a pet would be different from his other series.But he worried it would make the story too light.He didn’t write feel-good, happy stories.His stories were dark and unpredictable.It was what he was known for.

He had settled back on the deck chair while Gus napped in the shade.He was a couple paragraphs into his book when he heard music playing.It wasn’t anything he would normally listen to.This was some sort of pop music—all bouncy and much too loud.And it was coming from his neighbor’s place.

He tried to ignore it.He really did.But as he stared at the blinking cursor, he couldn’t hear himself think.All he could hear was that annoying tune.

Did she have to have it so loud?Couldn’t she turn it down?Or close the door or window?

He thought of going over and knocking on her door, but he hesitated.Maybe once the song ended, she’d turn it down.Yes.That sounded like a plan.

He glanced over at Gus, who wasn’t the least bit bothered by the loud music.The dog was now stretched out, and if he could hear anything other than the music, he’d be willing to bet that Gus was snoring.

And then the song ended.There was a moment of silence.Simon breathed a sigh of relief.His fingers once more moved over the keyboard.

Then another song began to play.He’d swear this song was even louder than the prior one.

That was it.He got to his feet.They had to share this deck.She could at least be respectful of how loud she played her music.And here he thought living by the ocean would be peaceful with just the sound of the tide coming in and the squawking of the seagulls.

When Gus sat up, Simon said, “Stay.I’ll be back.”

He hustled down the deck steps and made his way to the other side of the deck.He climbed those steps and found his neighbor had her sliding door wide open.

He knocked.He didn’t see her, and he had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to hear him over the loud music.

“Hello,” he yelled.“Hello.”He knocked some more.

And then his neighbor stepped into sight.Her gaze met his, and she jumped.There was a glass in her hand that slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor with a crash.

Not taking her gaze off him, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.With a few swipes of her finger, the loud music stopped.

“If you don’t leave, I’m calling the sheriff.”She held up her phone, as though to prove the point.

He held up his hands.“Whoa.Wait.I was knocking on the door.I called out to you, but you must not have heard me over the music.”

She hesitated.“You’re my next door neighbor.Right?”

“Exactly.”

“So, what are you doing over here?”

“I came to ask you if you could turn down the music.”

“Oh.”A little color bloomed in her cheeks.“Sorry about that.I turned it up while I was vacuuming.”

He noticed she was in her bare feet, standing in the middle of a bunch of broken glass.He stepped toward her.

She sent him a wary look.“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to clean up this broken glass so you don’t cut yourself.”

The color in her cheeks deepened.“I can do it.”She knelt down and started picking up the shards.“You don’t need to.”

He stepped into her kitchen and grabbed some paper towels from the counter.“But I want to.My mother taught me to help my neighbors.”

“Sounds like you have a great mother.”

He smiled.“She is a great person.By the way, my name’s Simon.”

“Well, hello, Simon.My name’s Jenna.”