My Beautiful Neighbor (The Greene Family Book 1) by Piper Rayne (phonics reading books TXT) 📕

“Funny that you think I was into her, yet you went and tried to snatch her up first.”

He laughs and stuffs his hands into his jeans pockets. “Why do you think I did that?”

I glance at him. “Because she was more into me, you’re gonna act like you hit on her to spur me to make a move? Of course you’d play it that way.”

He chuckles again and holds up his hands. “I swear. I have no interest in the woman.”

I shake my head. “Yeah, okay.”

“She didn’t give off the vibe I like.” He shrugs.

“Vibe?”

“She looks like the kind of girl who has a stipulation of, like, four dates before she’ll sleep with you.” He smacks me on the back. “That’s more you than me.”

I tilt my head and wrinkle my forehead. “And what exactly does that say about me?”

“Come on, you were the steady boyfriend in high school. Reese?”

“I’m far from the guy I was in high school.”

“I’m amazed you got out of college without a fiancée.” He walks back, snags the papers from the desk, folds them, and puts them in his back pocket.

“I wasn’t looking for one. In fact, I purposely made sure not to go down that road.”

He turns around and points at me. “Exactly, and that’s the difference between us. I didn’t have to mentally tell myself not to get serious with anyone. I knew I’d never get to that point with a woman.”

I’m not going to call Jed out on his crap, but his parents’ divorce kind of messed him up. His dad was a complete douche and cheated on Marla, then he apparently cheated on his second wife too. I think Jed is worried that adultery is a genetic affliction or something.

“Tell me one reason why you aren’t married with two kids yet?” He crosses his arms and gives me a look like, “This should be good.”

“First of all, I’m only thirty. And I’m not getting married, maybe ever.” I brush past him toward the back door. I haven’t made my mind up completely about whether I’ll ever get married, but I’m damn sure not ready to open myself up for that anytime soon.

Jed stops before we exit and stares at me for a moment as though he wants to call me out, but he places his hand on my shoulder and doesn’t go there. Instead he says, “A date doesn’t mean forever. If you see the blonde again, ask her out.”

I say nothing. Presley’s and my conversation was easy. I love that she knows nothing about me. She doesn’t know I’m Cade Greene, once a twelve-year-old boy who lost his mother tragically. Cade Greene, son of handyman extraordinaire, Hank Greene, who took over the business from his dad. Cade Greene, stepson to Marla Greene, the woman involved in every fundraiser and committee in town. And Cade Greene, brother to four, stepbrother to four, and half brother to one. My family name in this town has a long past, and I never forget that. Neither does anyone in town.

I shrug. “Maybe if I ever see her again.”

He opens the door, the low light flickering through the trees behind the back parking lot. “Thata guy!”

Of course, I’m sure that woman is long gone by now.

The next morning, I take an Uber from Glacier Point Resort in Lake Starlight to the lawyer’s office since I didn’t want to stay in Sunrise Bay.

I climb out of the car under the dark awning that says Trent Lawson, Attorney at Law. The bell rings when I step into the small office. There’s one desk with a middle-aged receptionist sitting behind it.

She peeks up and her eyes widen. I saw her at the funeral yesterday. She was among the group of people talking about whatever that competition thing was. “Hello,” she says and looks down. “You must be Presley Knight?”

I nod.

She smiles. “Let me just poke my head in to see if Mr. Lawson is ready for you.”

“Thank you.” I give her a nervous smile.

She stands and heads down a short hallway, so I take a seat in the waiting room. I’d really hoped to talk to Clara before today. My stomach twists over how she’ll react to the news that I’m in town. Then again, I’m just assuming she’s been kept in the dark. Maybe her parents were up-front with her all these years.

“He’ll see you now.”

The receptionist waits for me to stand, then she walks me down the hall to his office door, holding her hand out for me to enter. After I do, she shuts the door.

I get my first look at Mr. Lawson, and my initial thought is that he doesn’t suit his voice. He’s a shorter male, stout and balding, but his voice holds this timbre that made me think he was six-five, two-twenty, and played rugby when he wasn’t in a courtroom.

He called me five days ago to tell me he had a client who had passed away and my name was listed in the will. I knew immediately who had died, and I was surprised to hear that she even knew who I was to be in her will. I booked a flight to Alaska, much to my mom’s dismay, and here I am—ready to get whatever broach or photo or letter of apology the deceased woman has left me. Then I’ll go back to Connecticut and my parents, especially my mom, will be happy it’s all over with.

Of course, there isn’t a ton for me to go back to other than a few friends and my parents. I haven’t really been hitting it out of the park in the job or social arena since graduation. Barely making rent, working jobs I don’t enjoy but enable me to live on my own. I’m not even going to think about my barren love life.

“Miss Knight. Good to meet you,” Mr. Lawson says as he stands behind his desk.

“Thank you, same.” His office chairs are surprisingly comfortable, and