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It wasn’t going to happen again.
Stevie was going to be mine.
I just had to trick her into thinking I was worthy of her.
*
Chapter Five
Stevie
“Oh, I thought you had moved. Did your husband decide to move in with you?”
I struggled to juggle my mail in my arms and pasted a smile on my face. “Oh, uh, no, Mrs. James. I’ll be living here.”For the rest of my life, along with my ten cats.
“Well, it will be nice to have a young married couple next door.” Mrs. James was bundled up with a stocking hat on her head and a shovel in her hands.
I didn’t know what she was going to do with that shovel, though. We were predicted to get a couple of inches of snow tonight, but that was hours from now.
As opposed to me living here the past three years as a single woman? Mrs. James was losing a few marbles upstairs. “Actually, it’s just going to be me. We decided not to get married.” I wish there were a way to have a billboard broadcasting the fact Paul and I did, in fact, not get married, and I would be adopting my first cat in the new year.
“Oh my, honey. I’m so sorry to hear you weren’t able to keep that man.” She tsked and shook her head. “Dating is so hard these days.”
My. God.
As if this ninety-year-old bat knew anything about dating these days. “Actually,” I started.
“Stevie!”
I whirled around, my mail flying all over the sidewalk, and watched with my jaw dropped as Claus walked up the sidewalk toward me.
“Maybe the husband is back to patch things up,” Mrs. James called.
I didn’t plan on moving, but Mrs. James might make me change my mind so that I could get away from her.
Claus tipped his head to the side and smiled at Mrs. James. “Hey there. I’m Claus.”
“Not the husband,” I called.
“Just the brother’s best friend,” Claus added.
“Single? Mr. James kicked the bucket a few years ago, and I’m always looking to open up my roster. Oh, and Stevie needs a replacement since she can’t seem to hold onto a man.” Mrs. James added.
I rolled my eyes and crouched to grab my mail. “God help me,” I muttered.
“For the moment, I am single.” Claus got down on one knee and helped me grab my mail. “Hello, sweets,” he whispered to me.
My stomach did a little flip, and I had to remind myself this was Claus, my brother’s best friend.
“Have someone in mind?” Mrs. James asked.
“Please stop engaging her,” I whispered. “She’s innocent but senile. If we keep talking to her, we’ll never get back in the house.”
“Does that mean I am invited inside this time?”
I rolled my eyes and snatched the letters from his hand. “If you can silence Mrs. James, then yes. You are more than welcome to come in.”
Claus winked at me and stood. “Well, we’d love to stand around and chat, Mrs. James, but it seems that Stevie just took me off the market. I do have an uncle who lives upstate who might be interested in taking you on a date.”
