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“It is. I suspect it’ll stay that way, too, since between us, we own a lot of land.”
“You sure do,” he agrees.
I take a moment to look around and really appreciate how lucky I am to live out here. It’s a gorgeous spring day with a bright blue sky, and all the greenery looks so fucking lush.
But it’s more than just nice scenery. There’s privacy and peace that make this area desirable. As professional hockey players, getting away from the city and the grind is priceless.
Our homes are north of Atlanta in an area that’s not very developed. My house was actually the first to be built on what used to be a winding little farm lane.
Hayden and Addison’s place is just down the road from me. Even though we’re technically next-door neighbors, you can’t really see their house from mine unless you’re out in the middle of the street.
That’s fine; it’s the perfect situation of having a neighbor but not having them in your face all of the time.
In any case, it’s nice not to be the only house among the fields and forest anymore. I was feeling kind of lonely before their place was built and they moved in.
That leads me to mention to Nils that I like having Hayden and Addison as neighbors.
“Yeah,” he begins, “but they’re going to be on vacation for quite a while, right? No one will be around. It’ll be just like it was before—you out here all alone.”
“Uh, not exactly,” I tell him. “Their house isn’t going to be empty.”
He raises one dark blond eyebrow questioningly as he asks, “It won’t?”
“No.” I take a swig of water and, setting the bottle down on the table, explain, “Addison’s sister, Willow, just got a job with the Thunder. She’s from up north, so she has to find an apartment down here. But first she’s going to stay at their house while they’re gone.”
Turning his water bottle in a circle on the table, Nils says, “That’s good. Guess you’ll still have a neighbor after all.”
“Dude…” I chuckle. “There’s more to it than that.”
He stops turning the bottle and peers over at me curiously. “How do you mean?”
“Well…” I blow out a breath. “Hayden came over the other day and asked me if I wouldn’t mind checking in on Willow from time to time. You know, like to make sure she’s settling in and safe and shit like that. He also suggested that maybe I can show her around a bit.”
Nils laughs. “Sounds like he and Addison are trying to set you guys up.”
“Nah.” I shake my head. “I thought that, too, at first, especially when he invited me over to dinner this Sunday to meet Willow before they leave for their vacation. But then I reconsidered. I mean, Hayden knows damn well I’m not looking for a relationship. And I’m sure Addison would flip if I hooked up with her sister just for the hell of it. So no, it’s nothing like that.”
With a mischievous glint in his green eyes, Nils says, “So it’ll be more like you’re the babysitter while they’re gone.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Aw, fuck you, man.”
He holds up a hand. “Just kidding, just kidding.”
I know that, and to let him know I’m not really mad, I say in a teasing tone of my own, “Actually, I’m thinking I’ll be more of a tour guide.”
We both laugh at that one, and then we change the subject and just shoot the breeze for a while.
After Nils leaves, I linger in my driveway, thinking about everything we talked about, including Willow.
“Fuck,” I snort.
Despite joking about it, I really am going to be nothing but a tour guide and a babysitter this summer.
Hell, maybe I should just take off myself. Addison’s sister is an adult. She doesn’t need me.
You know what?
I have an idea—let’s leave it to chance.
