The Shifter Romances The Writer
He pushed the slider open and walked onto the deck.
Diego opened his eyes. “Hey, bro, jump in. The water is perfect.”
Alex stayed put. “How did the job hunt go today?”
Diego shrugged. “You know how it is.”
“No, I don’t. That’s why I asked.”
Diego drank his beer before answering. “It’s tough out there.”
“Where did you apply?”
Diego frowned. “I didn’t make it out today. I found a couple places in the paper, though. I’m going to call them in the morning.”
“You didn’t even make phone calls today? Diego, come on. This is the third week you’ve been here. You should have had a job two weeks ago.”
“I got busy with other things.”
“What other things could you possibly have to do? You’re unemployed. Living in my house. And there are dishes in the sink, so clearly those other things don’t include cleaning up after yourself.” Alex looked away for a moment, feeling the beast within him rise. He knew his eyes must be gold.
Another breath and he found enough calm to speak again. “You have one more week. Get a job or you need to find other living arrangements.”
“You’re going to throw your baby brother out? Pretty heartless, bro.”
“I am your brother, Diego, not your parent. You want to live like a child, unencumbered by work or bills? Move home with Mom and Dad.” Alex strode back inside and shut the slider. He leaned on the kitchen counter and heaved out a breath.
He hated feeling like his brother was taking advantage of him, but that’s what it had come to. He’d known that would happen, but he hadn’t listened to his instincts. That was his mistake. As an officer of the law, he knew better than to ignore his gut. Now he was paying the price.
The mail was on the counter, so apparently Diego had managed one chore. Alex flipped through it. Bills and junk mail. Except for one envelope. Looked like a card of some kind. And it wasn’t for him.
The name on the envelope was Roxy St. James, and the address was next door. He’d been so busy he hadn’t met the new neighbor, but he knew he had one. The Tamakas had been good neighbors. He hoped Roxy was too.
No time like the present to make an introduction, he supposed. Besides, he needed a break from Diego. He stuck his beer back in the fridge, grabbed the envelope and walked next door.
He knocked on her door and waited. Maybe she wasn’t home. There was a car in the drive, one of those eco-friendly types, but she could be out for a walk or in the backyard.
He was about to knock again when the door opened and a petite brunette in yoga pants and a cropped T-shirt appeared. She had a mass of curly hair and big brown eyes that were as strong and warm as the Cuban coffee he loved.
The three inches of soft, tanned stomach on display were equally as mouth-watering. He looked toward his house so he wouldn’t be caught staring. That was no way to make a first impression. “I’m Alex, your neighbor from next door.” He made eye contact again as he held the envelope up. “I got your mail by mistake.”
She squinted at him for a hard second, then snatched the envelope out of his hand. “Are you kidding me?”
He stared at her. Why did she look familiar? “No, I really did get it by accident—”
She crossed her arms, tucking the envelope under them. “Just my luck. The cop who pulls me over lives next door.”
He inhaled. And recognized her perfume. But without the scarf and the sunglasses—“Why does it say Roxy St. James on that address?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but St. James is my maiden name. And it’ll be my legal last name again as soon as my divorce is final.”
He shoved a hand through his hair. “Sorry about the ticket. I would have given you a warning if I’d known you were local. I thought you were a tourist.”
Her glare didn’t lessen. “Oh, so you’re that kind of cop.”
He really wasn’t. “I’m not saying I’d do favors for you based on the fact that you live next door, but I could have given you a warning. But tourists are sort of how the town makes money in general.” He sighed. Her expression wasn’t changing. He didn’t want to have this kind of tension with the woman who lived next to him. “I can make the ticket go away.”
She went silent for a few seconds, then huffed out a breath. “Too late. I already put the check in the mail.”
“That was fast.”
“I don’t like having that kind of stuff hanging over my head.”
He respected that. “I’m sorry.”
She frowned, and her expression finally softened as she exhaled a long sigh. She was remarkably pretty when she wasn’t scowling at him. “Don’t be. You were just doing your job. And I was speeding. Still, it kind of put a damper on my day.”
He tried a smile. “How about I let you off the next one?”
Her brows knit together, then she laughed. “You’re that convinced I’m going to be speeding again?”
He broadened his smile, glad he’d gotten a happy response out of her. “I saw the car. I’d be speeding again. Unless that wasn’t your car?”
“No, it’s mine. It’s in the garage.”
“Good place for a machine like that.” He stuck his hand out. “I’m Alex, by the way.” And then immediately remembered he’d already told her his name. She was a little discombobulating. “Sorry we met the way we did, but maybe we can move past that.”