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“Nothing. Listen, I’m sorry about Houdini.”
“Aptly named.”
“Yes, well, I should have known when a golden mix has a problem getting adopted and is named after the best escape artist ever that he would be a handful.”
“But you got him.”
I shrug because I can’t explain it.
“If he shows up again, I apologize, and you can just tell him to go home. That’s what our neighbors did back in Lindell.”
He nods. “You got it. I’d invite you in, but you seem to be wandering off.”
And I was without even noticing it. “Yeah, the kids…plus, I have a dog to punish.” Then I stop. “Thanks for lunch.”
Jessica had said he told her to comp us.
“And thank you on behalf of Jessica. She said you left a great tip.”
“That was Avery, but I’ll let her know. She took us to lunch, so she wouldn’t let me help pay.”
“Still, it was nice.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll see you around, Liv.”
I nod then hurry back inside, close the front door, and lean against it. I close my eyes, thinking of the ramifications of living next door to Mason. How did I find the one man in Vegas that ended up being from Juniper Springs? Worse, how did I end up with him living next door to me? What the hell am I going to do?
“What was going on over there?” Avery asks.
I jump at that sound of her voice. Oh, damn, I forgot she was here. That’s the problem with Mason. He always makes me lose all sense. It’s like the world and all my worries fade away.
I open my eyes. “Well, apparently, my bad decisions always haunt me.”
I push off from the door, trying to put more space between Mason and me.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means that Mason lives next door, and Houdini is in love with him already.”
From the moment we adopted Houdini, he adopted Mrs. Crawford, who lived next door to me back in Lindell. He spent almost as much time with her as he did with us.
“Oh. My. God.” Then, she falls onto the couch in a fit of giggles. “This is perfect.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Yes, it is. He’s into you.”
“Not anymore.”
There is a beat of silence, and then Avery starts giggling again. “Well, not right at the moment, or that would be awkward.”
It takes me a second to figure out what she means and I fight the blush I know is stealing up my cheeks. I roll my eyes. “It’s already awkward.”
“No, it’s not. I’ve heard that Mason is cool.”
“Great. I live next to the cool guy.”
