Engaged to Her Neighbor

Chapter 2

2

Daniel stood on his back porch, enjoying the cooler spring morning and looked down the hill at the neighboring house. He already regretted renting it at all, it would surely disrupt his solitude out here more than his sister already did, dropping by unannounced all the time.

The dog had nearly run him over yesterday afternoon which was the last thing he needed because it was so damned hard to get back up. Daniel leaned down and rubbed his injured knee and then turned away from the window, heading back to bed. One year of this was all he had to get through and he didn’t care how much the rental income was, he wasn’t renting the place again.

The realtor had assured him that the person she found to rent the house wouldn’t be any trouble. Now there was a young woman, a boy, and a dog to contend with. The woman, Macy, had looked exhausted when she approached them today and appeared less than thrilled to run into him as well. The boy had mentioned that he lived with his sister, but Daniel had expected someone older, or at least different.

Instead, even exhausted, the woman that appeared was very attractive. She was also nervous as she walked up, same as the boy, a puzzle in their behavior for sure. However, he wasn’t going to get involved. He liked being left alone up here. He worked on projects when he saw fit and didn’t have anyone’s pity when they saw him coming with the cane.

She was almost distracting though, with her blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail and no make-up. It wasn’t a look he typically saw in women, most of the women of his acquaintance wouldn’t be caught dead without make-up on. She had on jeans with holes in them that didn’t look like they were there to be stylish and a ratty t-shirt that had clearly seen better days judging by the stretched out collar and stains. She was thin, bordering on too thin in his opinion, but again, he wasn’t getting involved.

Ever since he had gotten home from Iraq, the number one thing people saw first about him was his injury. Before that he was always considered attractive and women usually flocked to him, now they looked at him with sad eyes and pity, and asked him how he was doing, he hated it.

That one incident in his life had changed so much about everything. He couldn’t exercise the same way, couldn’t live the same way, hell, he couldn’t even keep the same job. Not that he really wanted to.

Daniel closed his eyes and replayed that fateful day in his mind. It had been a routine mission, just mingling with the locals and they had accomplished the mission and were headed back. An IED had been there on the road waiting for him. As the driver, he should have seen it, as the driver, he should have been paying more attention, but they were six months in to their deployment and nothing significant had happened, and he had gotten complacent and let his guard down.

Thankfully the worst of the injuries were his. Everyone was banged up some, but he sustained the lasting effects and shrapnel had torn into his leg and knee. Daniel hated feeling weak, which is exactly how he felt all the time now. His doctors had told him he would likely feel the effects forever and had given him a bunch of pain medicine to help mitigate the pain. But that was a hole he didn’t want to ever go down so he opted not to take any, leaving him to deal with the pain that anything one could purchase over the counter couldn’t touch.

He spent his days here, alone, and did whatever he wanted. He was still good at carpentry, but it took longer to get projects done since it was hard to be on his feet for too long. He had his workshop though, and took some pieces by commission or would sell a piece when he just felt like making something. Today was going to be a make something day to keep himself from being distracted by his pretty neighbor.

As soon as he made it to his workshop his phone rang. He took a seat as he debated answering it, but knowing his sister, if he didn’t answer the phone, she would be late to work just to stop in and make sure he was okay.

“Hey Kristen, what’s up?”

“Good morning to you too Daniel. Did your new neighbor arrive yesterday?” She was always too cheerful in the morning; Daniel pulled the phone away from his ear and turned the volume down.

“Yes.”

“That’s it? Did you meet them?”

“I did, kinda.”

“You were rude, weren’t you?” Daniel didn’t say anything, not wanting to incriminate himself further. “Dammit, can’t you just try to be nice for once? Nevermind, I already know the answer to that one. I will come by after school today and meet them, bring a casserole or something.”

“You don’t have to make up for anything I did.”

“I know, but I like to meet new people, and I am curious to see what grade the child is in.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Love you, see you this afternoon.”

Kristen hung up leaving Daniel just staring at his phone. She was always like this, full blast all the time. You could barely get a word in edgewise when she spoke, and she was always chipper. His complete polar opposite.

He should have guessed that Kristen would try to meet the new neighbors before anyone else. Daniel was a little surprised now that she had waited until today instead of coming by yesterday. Cranking his music, he decided enough was enough and put his frustration into a dining table set he was building.

Macy was tired still and wondered if there would ever come a time where she wasn’t. She had scrolled through job listings for most of the night and applied to a few. All were longshots, but if anyone was willing to take a chance on her with no experience, she was confident that she would be able to do the job. She’d always been a quick learner.

Chris was up and she reminded him to put Lucy on a leash before taking her for a walk and to stay off the hill. He grumbled about the leash, but did as she asked so she went through the kitchen boxes looking for cereal bars for breakfast. She needed to make time to go to the store on top of everything else today.

With Lucy taken care of, they got dressed and headed down to the elementary school. Macy’s biggest concern about this move was how much school Chris would miss and had planned it so he would miss as little as possible. Registering him this morning, hopefully he could start tomorrow, and then they would make the trip back to pick up her car and drop off the rental truck.

Registering him had been the easiest part of the move up to this point. She had given them the paperwork from the old school, filled out her own and then taken a tour of the school. By the time they left, he had met his teacher, a nice woman named Ms. Lane, and had gotten the correct bus information.

Chris was nervous, but he had made an effort not to hide behind her even though she could tell her really wanted to. It was hard starting at a new school, but everyone here seemed nice so far, she only hoped that trend continued.

The rest of the day passed smoothly. They were able to make the trip in the two hours both there and back instead of the four it had taken yesterday. Chris had only grumbled once about not taking Lucy with them, but she shouldn’t have had her in the truck at all, so there was no way she could show up with her now.

Macy and Chris got home with still some of the afternoon left and set about putting the house together as best they could. Some things would come later, like furniture for anywhere other than the bedrooms. The only thing they had was an older futon that she had bought off one of the resale places. She had left everything else that belonged to Joe, not wanting the memories and unable to move some of it by herself. Plus, if Joe did get out and came looking, she didn’t want him to be able to take anything away.

She had not been required to give Joe her address, but only to stay in touch with the lawyer, she intended to eventually adopt Chris but right now she couldn’t afford the paperwork and didn’t know if Joe would fight her on it or not. She was in the middle of those thoughts and putting Chris’s bed frame together when the doorbell rang.

“Sorry I don’t really have a seat to offer you, we’re still getting things set up.” Macy shrugged and gestured to the room full of boxes.

“Not a problem at all, moving is tough. I didn’t realize that this was Chris’s house, or I would have said something at school.” She relieved herself of a casserole dish and placed it on the kitchen counter.

“Umm. How can I help you though?”

“Oh, sorry. My brother is the one that lives up the hill, I just wanted to come by and be the welcoming committee that I knew he wouldn’t, and I brought dinner!” She gestured to the dish she had set down.

“Thanks?” It was a question. Macy had never been more confused and that was saying a lot.

“You’re welcome! You can call me Kristen by the way, where’s Chris?”

“He’s out back walking the dog.”

To her shock Kristen bounced her way out the back door. She was Macy’s height, give or take an inch, toned, she could see it in her arms that she definitely worked out somehow. Shrugging Macy followed the swinging brown ponytail out the door.

Chris was nowhere to be seen again at first, one glance up the hill told her that Lucy wasn’t on a leash and was already bothering the neighbor again. Kristen headed off in their direction, leaving Macy to follow her once again.

“Don’t be fooled by my brother, he only seems grumpy, he’s actually a nice guy.”

Macy didn’t respond. The old adage “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all” came to mind and Macy shut her mouth, hard.

Kristen stopped and spun around. “I know he’s a jerk sometimes, well, all the time. He’s been dealt some rough deals in the last year and he hasn’t managed to find a way to deal with it yet.” Macy opened her mouth to respond but Kristen spun back around, walking up the hill again.

“We’ve all had bad things happen you know. It doesn’t mean you get to be rude to everyone.”

Kristen let out a laugh, “I like you; you’ll do just fine.”

She didn’t get to find out what she would do just fine at because as soon as they crested the hill they spotted three men sitting on the large deck of the cabin-like house. Lucy was on the porch getting pets from everyone, tail wagging. Chris was standing, looking at the ground as he often did, but the men seemed to be talking to him and he was answering. Correction, Macy noticed as they got closer, one man was silent, Daniel.

“Everyone, meet Macy, this is Chris’s sister. Macy, this is Mike, David, and you know my brother.”

Mike stood and shook her hand, he was tall, that was her first thought. He had dark hair, muscles that bulged out of his almost too tight shirt. The grin he sent her though, Macy immediately knew that man left a trail of broken hearts wherever he went.

David stood next and placed a kiss on the back of her hand instead of shaking it. If she thought Mike had a handsome grin, David’s was downright sinful. Macy grinned back and pulled her hand away, only just resisting the urge to wipe it on her pants.

Daniel didn’t do anything other than scowl at her. Kristen talked as she tried to gather Lucy who was not having it. Chris didn’t budge and had looked up to watch her, but still stood small. That was the only way she could describe it, around men Chris shrunk and tried to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible.

“Stay for dinner!” Kristen said loudly enough for Macy to look up, surely, she wasn’t talking to her.

One glance proved everyone was now looking at her, so apparently it was her invitation. “I can’t, I don’t want to impose.”

“You wouldn’t be imposing; these men always cook enough food to feed the whole town.”

She hazarded a glance at Daniel and his look told her to leave. “You just made us this casserole though, so we have dinner.”

“Come on, stay,” Mike added. “If you don’t eat the casserole tonight just stick it in the fridge, then you won’t have to cook two nights in a row.”

She was stuck, there was no polite way to decline the invitation. At least not one she could think of. While she stood there not thinking, David got up and headed inside, coming out with a ball and heading into the yard, calling for Chris to join him. At that, the decision was made, she had no way out anymore.

Kristen grinned knowing she’d caught Macy unable to escape. Macy didn’t resist this time and stuck her tongue out at Kristen who laughed out right. Daniel sat in his chair, watching her but never said a word.

They all sat and chatted, mostly about her before the topic turned to them telling stories about each other. Chris joined them and sat on her lap at the table, coming slightly out of his shell, he must have decided that the men were not a threat for now. Chris laughed and talked some, not much, but he was participating and for the first time in the last two days, she was thinking that she had done something right.

The men all took turns at the grill and eventually served the food. Seven steaks set before her on the table and Kristen brought out plates and sides with Mike’s help. Macy watched and wondered if there had been anything between these two before, it looked like something was happening between them, or should.

Chris scrambled off of her lap and into a chair that David had brought out for him. Their plates filled with more food than either of them would ever eat, she set about the process of cutting up Chris’s.

“I like sitting at a table to eat Macy.” That simple statement from him broke her heart and embarrassed her. Joe had broken their kitchen table long ago and they’d gotten used to eating on the couch, apparently Chris longed for something more normal.

“I’m sure your sister will get it set up soon, let us know if you need a hand.” David looked between them trying to soothe Chris some.

“We don’t have one.” Chris shoved more food in his mouth, “my dad broke ours and now we don’t have one at all, been that way for a long time.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Macy ducked her head and took a bite. She could feel the heat rising to her face.

Kristen gently moved the conversation to school tomorrow with Chris. She told them about how their day was structured, and the other students and Chris listened raptly, and shoveled food into his mouth. Macy felt her neck tingle with awareness and looked over to find Daniel watching her.

Macy immediately looked away, the heat returning to her face. He was probably judging her for being so poor they didn’t have a kitchen table. She usually didn’t mind, but she didn’t want her business called out like that in front of this people that casually invited them over for steak like it was nothing, she couldn’t afford to have steak for herself, much less five people.

Setting her plate down, she stood and offered to help clear dinner away. After being thoroughly refused by Kristen, Mike, and David, she stood and thanked everyone. All the men stood too, even Daniel, as she gathered Chris who was already yawning and headed home, Lucy trailing along behind them.

She resisted the urge to fuss at Chris as they walked home for letting Lucy run loose again. When they got home, Chris needed no reminder that it was now a school night and set to getting ready for bed right away. Macy put up the food that Kristen brought over, smiling at the thought that she wouldn’t have to cook again tomorrow.