Liv

I saw everything, and for the first time, Betty’s words hit home, and they hit hard.

Travis doesn’t want to be an asshole. At least not on purpose. It took seeing the look on his face when Hannah ran into Parker’s arms to finally understand it all.

My grinchy neighbor wants to join the Whoville jubilee after all.

“Hey, Liv.” Parker approaches with Hannah still in his arms. His honey-colored eyes twinkle at me with joy. He’s happy to see us both.

“Hi, Parker,” I say warmly, walking down the steps and embracing him, as Travis pulls out of his driveway. I try not to look, but I can see his eyes on us, watching every move. When Parker bends down to kiss my cheek, I have no doubt Travis sees it. “Come inside. Hannah made you some delicious chocolate chip cookies.”

“You did?” he asks our daughter with wide eyes. “With extra chocolate chips?”

“Yes,” she responds and nods excitedly.

“My favorite,” he laughs and follows me inside the house. I glance over my shoulder, hoping to catch one last look at Travis’ truck, but he’s long gone.

***

Parker pours me another glass of wine, and I snuggle into my blanket beside him. We chose to sit on the back patio, with the space heater on, like we’ve done a hundred times before in our old house. Except it was never this cold. He places the wine bottle back onto the table and leans back, draping his arm around my shoulders.

“What’s going on, Olive?” his deep voice rumbles in his chest against me. I sigh and breathe in his familiar scent, finding comfort in how normal the moment feels.

Parker and I have always had this easy friendship between us, and after the last few weeks I’ve had, I can use a comforting moment or two.

“I have the neighbor from hell,” I laugh, feeling some of the tension fall away. “He hates Christmas. He hates the holidays surrounding it. He’s a grinch. No, that’s not quite right. He’s Ebenezer fucking Scrooge.”

“He hates Christmas?” Parker asks, his voice filled with curiosity.

“That’s what I said.”

“What kind of person hates Christmas?”

“That’s what I said,” I exclaim, repeating myself. It’s like the man can read my mind. “But I think he hates me more.”

“He doesn’t hate you,” Parker assures me, but he doesn’t know the nasty, vile tricks I’ve pulled on my neighbor.

“No, I’m pretty sure he hates me. And I deserve it, too.”

“What did you do?”

“Have you noticed how every house on the block is decorated?”

“Yes,” he drawls, tilting his head to study me. “I take it you had something to do with that?”

“You could say that,” I admit and bring the glass of wine to my lips. “You could also say I choreographed a light show to music, and blared music at his bedroom window. I also rallied the neighbors to bring him plates of cookies. Daily.”

“Oh, Olive, you rotten bitch,” Parker teases and falls into a fit of laughter. I tell him all about the shenanigans, nearly pissing myself a few times in the process.

I forgot how easy things are with Parker, and find myself grateful to have him here. It’s like having my best friend by my side again.

“How are you doing, Parker? Have you spoken with Carter since we left?” I ask, steering us away from the comedy of my life because my bladder simply can’t handle any more laughing fits.

“Yes, but I don’t think anything is going to come of it,” he tells me, staring into the bottom of his empty wine glass. I lean forward, pluck the bottle from the table, and fill his glass.

“Why not?”

“He’s still pretty angry with me. Apparently, I blamed him for you finding out about us, and well, about me.”

“Parker, why would you do that?” I ask, without asking if he’d done it. He did it. Parker freaks out and says things he doesn’t mean when things get heated or stressful. At the time, I can imagine him freaking out and worrying he would lose his family, but most importantly, his daughter.

“I don’t know. I was angry he didn’t lock the door, and I might have said a few things in the heat of the moment. But it isn’t his fault, and I don’t blame him. It was all on me,” he admits and gulps down half the contents in his glass. “I should have told you all those years ago, but then we wouldn’t have had the life we did and Hannah—”

“Wouldn’t be here,” I finish for him. He’s right. If he had been honest about who he was, we wouldn’t have any part of the life we’ve shared all these years. “Are you in love with him, Parker? Like the kind of love you should have with someone you want to spend the rest of your life with?”

“Yes, but what’s done is done.”

“How can you say that? After everything we’ve been through, you’re just going to let love slip right through your fingers? Fight for him, damn it. Fight for your man and the love you two share.”

He quiets, and I see him thinking about my words.

“I guess I could say the same to you, couldn’t I?”

“Me?”

“Your neighbor,” he says matter-of-factly. “You like him.”

“Shut your mouth.” I nearly drop my glass when the words leave his mouth.

“Why not? I’ve seen him. That man is sex on a stick, and you’ve got it bad.”

“I do not,” I argue, feeling the flush of all the wine hit my cheeks. Sure, Liv, blame the wine. “First of all, how weird is it that you’re checking out my neighbor?” I laugh but then I sober, trying to sound more serious with my next breath. “Secondly, I don’t like him. He’s an asshole. Sure, he’s a sexy-as-fuck asshole, but who wants that in their bed?”

“I could name a few people who’d want that, and for reasons you’d be shocked over.”

“Parker—”

“Imagine what sex with him would be like. Sweaty, intense, and—”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Tell me you haven’t thought about it,” he challenges, but this is Parker, and I’ve never kept anything from him.

“Whether or not I have is irrelevant. It isn’t going to happen. I told you he hates me.”

“You should go talk to him.”

“Are you crazy? Did you not hear what I said?”

“Pish posh, you should do it. Walk your sweet ass over to his place and make nice, or better yet, make sweaty and dirty all over his house. Come back in the morning, and I’ll make pancakes for breakfast.”

“You are too much,” I declare, hanging my head in disbelief. How can he think Travis is attracted to me in that way? He’s never even been around the man.

“Fine, if you don’t want to sleep with him, then don’t, but you should still go over there and make nice.” He’s right, I know, but after everything I’ve put the man through, I doubt crossing the property line is a clever idea.

Crazy shit happens when someone crosses it.