Good Neighbors Ch. 083

You ever have those days where you feel like your whole world is missing? Like your reason for existence is not close enough to touch, to hold or to be with? I get those a lot. Most of the time, it's when I am required to go to the company headquarters to have a live meeting or something like it. I left early in the morning because I wanted to beat the traffic but had to stop by the tire place because I had a nail in one of my tires. The day didn't get much better after that. That was until around eleven.

I had the chance to scope out my phone and saw a text from my neighbor telling me she missed me. This made me smile a bit. I was wishing I had the excuse to skip out earlier. It would have happened if there weren't some investors coming in for one of their check-up meetings. My business partner, Matt, and I took care of it. We then looked at each other. I was hoping the newlywed would read my mind.

Unfortunately, he wasn't on the same page. There were a few more meetings before he finally looked at me. He smiled before he high fived me. Then he told me to get out of dodge while I still could. I was down the elevator quickly before I reached my car and felt the buzz in my pocket. There was my neighbor again. This time I called her.

"Whatcha doin, Beloved?" I asked.

"I'm making some dinner. What do you make to attract a very successful business owner over for dinner?" she asked.

"Are you included in the meal?"

"That depends on how soon you can get your ass home."

"That'll depend on traffic. I'll check the GPS and try to get back faster."

"You have time, Romeo. It'll take an hour for the pot roast to finish."

I started trying to look for any short cuts to get out of the city and back to my neighbor. It took some quick thinking and some luck, but I reached her place within an hour after our conversation. I parked in my driveway before walking next door. Before I could knock, she opened the door and held out her arms. The hug felt like the cure for everything to me.

I helped her set the table before we sat down and had a relaxing meal together. It was then she asked me a question I was not expecting.

"Hey Romeo, wanna color with me?"

I smiled before I followed her to the living room. I forgot she had some of those intricate coloring books inside her coffee table. We sat together coloring as soft music played in the background before we put the books away and I sat there holding her. There was some kissing and rubs, but nothing too explicit. I was just enjoying her presence. It was just what I needed after a day like mine.

That all got wrecked by a phone call. Maybe not wrecked, but it was not convenient. Matt was on the other end.

"Please tell me you didn't drink anything."

I thought about lying, but my sense of honor prevailed.

"Whatcha need, Bro?"

"Can you come get me from the office? Some jackass stole my car."

I started to get up before my neighbor stood up with me.

"Can I go with?"

"Sure, I would love the company."

As we got into my car, I started it up and made sure the heat was on. We had a wonderful conversation heading back to the office. As I called him, he told me that he'd be down in a bit unless I wanted to come up. We got out of the car and took the elevator up to his office. As we both exited out, there was a giant shout.

"Surprise!" the employees said, with Matt in the middle with a huge smile on his face.

I was stunned until I felt a familiar set of hands behind me pushing me in before she looked around.

"You fell for it hook, line and sinker, Rome...I mean Leo," she said as she hugged me close.

Unbeknownst to me, I didn't realize it was the company's anniversary. Matt put things together with help from some of the employees to celebrate. Apparently, I was totally clueless why he had me come in for the endless meetings. The texts from my neighbor were just to keep my spirits up until she could get me to come back.

As we toasted another year, I looked at my neighbor. She looked at me before whispering in my ear.

"He told me I had you all to myself tonight and tomorrow. Hope you like moving furniture."