Accidental Neighbor by Sharon Woods
Chapter 6
Thomas
The moment our locked eyes on the pavement, I recognized her. My heart started beating faster in my chest, my stomach full of butterflies. Surely it couldn’t be her, could it?
I haven’t had any reaction to a woman since Victoria but there is no mistaking those beautiful brown eyes staring back at me, her bare face, free of makeup and a pink flush over her cheeks. She looks radiant and youthful, stealing my breath away. I worry that she has hurt herself, but she assures us that it’s only a few grazes. I don’t have any other choice than to believe her.
I wanted the ground to swallow me up right there and then; trust Lily, my sassy girl, to throw some awkward phrases out without even realizing it. As I watch Jennifer rush back into the house next door,it reminds me of the night at the bar. I thought our connection was electric and she felt the same, but I waited in that exact spot at the bar with her glass of water for over an hour and she never came back. Was ‘checking on her friend’ just an excuse for her to leave and not come back? The thought is like a punch to my stomach.
The boys came to order drinks and spotted me, asking what I was doing. When I filled them in, they thought I was crazy to be waiting for a girl to come back. They then decided to start taking bets on how I scared her off, betting large amounts of money to the winner with the best reason. The loser had to buy the next round of drinks and chug their next drink. Real mature.
They don’t understand that it’s not every day you meet someone who enters your world and makes it stop. I had been lucky to have had it with Victoria and then again with Jennifer. When we kissed and danced that night, it was like there was no one else in the room. It felt as if we were wrapped in our own world, our bodies vibrating with the strongest of sexual tension. The friction of her body and her gentle kiss had me in a spin.
And the kiss… Well, that blew my damn mind.
I have kissed women but our kiss was different; my mouth was burning with fire afterward. She left me wanting more, even though she stood me up. Peering at her before me, I still wanted to reclaim her lips and devour their softness. She is dangerous; her body fits so well with mine. Her hourglass shape could undo me. Even in her baggy workout gear, I know the fit body hiding under it. My hands twitch with the reminder of how she felt underneath them.
And now she is aware I have children. I’m a dad, but the hardest part is she doesn’t know about Rose. It feels like a bomb has been dropped and I was unable to have a private conversation with her. My girls are not something I would have wanted to mention straightaway anyway, and the topic of Victoria isn’t something I find easy to speak about. But now with her living next door and knowing I have children, that means I may not have a choice. It makes me wonder how she feels, even though I shouldn’t have feelings for someone younger, just starting their life. I’m thirty-four; I need to find stability and a mother figure for the girls.
“Thomas, where did you want this?” My head snaps in the direction of her dad's voice. I glance at the large cardboard box he is carrying as he stalks over.
My hands outstretched, I say, “Let me take that; you have helped enough today.”
He squeezes the box against his chest. “No, I got this. I have no plans, and the truck is almost empty.”
It's the box for the girls. "Okay, just in the garage, please."
He strides off in the direction of the house.
Thirty minutes later, everything is inside; the big furniture is in place, but the boxes are in each room half-unpacked. All the boys are still unpacking. Mom cared for the girls and put Rose down for her nap which has allowed me to help out a lot, meaning I can do less tomorrow.
Mom is at the stove, cooking dinner for everyone. “Thanks for cooking, Mom.” I kiss her cheek. “How can I help?”
“Call everyone to come over and eat.”
I nod. I agree we have done heaps today. After they eat, they can take off for home. I call everyone in the room and help Mom pass the dishes around. I hand Paul one and stand beside him as I eat mine.
“I can come over and give you a hand tomorrow; what time would suit?”
I swallow the stew that's in my mouth before tuning to face him in surprise. “I appreciate the offer, Paul, but I don’t have too much to unpack and I have all week off.”
“A new job?” he asks.
“Yeah, a project manager for my friend's company.” I point to Joshua, standing on the other side of the kitchen talking to James and Benjamin.
“Nice, smart man.” He seems to like my answer.
“What about you?” I ask.
“I have been an accountant all my life.”
“Smart too.” He snorts.
And that makes me laugh.
“I hope I’m not overstepping here. I don’t want to be rude, but are you a single dad?”
My appetite vanishes, and I put my spoon in the bowl and lower it. I can’t glance at Paul. I stare down at the stew as I confess.
“Yes.”
15 years ago- Flashback
Today is the first day of my final school year before heading to university. After the first half hour sitting in biology class, the teacher began talking, and I knew right away this subject wasn’t for me. Standing up, I walk to the teacher to gain permission to leave and never return to her class. I walk straight from biology into the director’s office to discuss switching classes. Lucky for me he agrees to swap as they have a few gaps. They assign me to business which I know I will enjoy and it will help my future; I was never going to be a doctor or a scientist.
Leaving the office, I look down at the paper with directions and I find the portable room within a minute. Knowing I am interrupting doesn’t bother me. I knock hard on the door and I hear a “Come in,” screech from the other side of the door. Gripping the handle, I swing the door wide-open and step in. I have twenty-five students staring back at me with wide eyes and gaping mouths. There are a few whispers between the students, but I keep my eyes in front on the small middle-aged woman conducting the class.
“May I help you?” Her eyes assess me.
Striding over to her desk where she is standing, I hold out the paper that explains the swap; the director handed me the form to give Ms Buckley. She takes it out of my hand and reads it before nodding and points to the room. “Take a seat,” she says in a dull, bored tone.
I gaze up and take in the room, noticing only a few spots in the front row available, and I decide on the empty seat on the left. I will never hear the end of this; James, Benjamin, and Joshua will have a field day knowing I was in the front row of the class. The rumors will spread quickly. I have been part of the popular boys’ group from the start due to hanging out with the richest and most attractive boys in the school. I put my head down and try to stay hidden. Halfway through the class my pen runs out of ink. Fuck. Lifting my gaze up from my drawing that I have almost completed on my notepad, I lean down and rummage through my bag but I cannot find a single pen. I sit back up in my chair and I turn to the person sitting next to me. “Excuse me.” The blond girl turns and my heart sings. I completely forget all my words and just stare, the beauty in front of me with wavy blond hair has the palest skin and the most dazzling hazel eyes and full plump lips. My heart beats faster in my chest and my stomach has a swarm of butterflies. I notice a flush of pink appear on her nose as her eyes avert my stare. “Yes?”
Right, I spoke to her. Snapping out of my trance state, I clear my throat.
“Do you have a spare pen I can borrow?” I watch her as she chews mindlessly on the end of her pen. I don’t even think she is aware she is doing it.
“Sure but…”
“But what?” I question.
“If you tell me what you’re drawing.” She nods in the direction of my paper.
“It’s none of your business. Do you have a pen or not?” I don’t know why I'm being so snappy other than the raging hormones that have awoken feelings I haven’t experienced before and are making me uncomfortable in my school pants.
Her face has gone like stone as she snaps, “Don’t talk to me like that.”
“Sorry,” I mumble back apologetically. “Can I have one?”
She thrusts the pen she had been chewing in my direction and I stare at it. She wiggles it in my face and I reach out and snatch it.
I finish the drawing using her pen, and I leave that class in awe. I have never had a girl give me attitude or awaken me like she had. The issue in my pants is agreeing. Every class after that I find some way to talk to her. I find out in the next class during a roll call that her name is Victoria, reminding me of a queen. I do anything to start conversations with her during business class. In the last class of the first semester, I ask her out on a movie date. Surprising me, she agrees instantly.
The date is that weekend, and I am a bundle of nerves. Victoria is not only striking but fierce like a lion. She scares me a little and at the same time, she excites me. I wait for her to arrive at the movie theater because I don’t have my license yet, which meant I couldn’t pick her up in a car. I was another semester from turning eighteen. Watching her walk toward me in wedges, a navy off the shoulder top, and blue jeans is like getting my own personal model on a catwalk, strutting toward me. My mouth hangs wide-open.
“Hi, Tom. You ready?” She winks.
Rearranging myself in my pants, I nod vigorously. “Yes. Hi. You look beautiful.” It comes out like a pant.
“Pick your jaw up off the floor and let’s head inside.” She laughs.
Snapping myself out of it, I take back control, then I take her hand and lead her to the movie. Keeping my hands and lips to myself is extremely hard but I was taught to respect women so I need to control the urges. The movie that we watch is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I am distracted from my raging hormones the entire time. We share a big box of popcorn and hold hands and when we leave the cinema, I walk her to the bus stop and pause, spinning her around and kissing her full lips. It is the best kiss I had ever had. I had kissed a few girls before but nothing like Victoria. I have lust at first sight. I ask her to be my girlfriend right there and then. And from then on, we are together.