Finally (Neighbor from Hell 12)

“I was thinking that we could talk about what’s going on with Devin,” Ben said, throwing her a questioning look over his shoulder.

“What are you talking about?” Charlie asked, taking another bite as she found herself glancing towards the windows that could really use some blinds and at the man in question.

“I’ve seen the way that he looks at you,” Ben said, drawing her attention back to find him watching her with a curious look in his eye.

“And how exactly does he look at me?” she asked, spinning her chair around to face him.

“The same way that you look at him,” he said with a pointed look as he picked up her Goonies’ poster.

“There’s nothing going on with Devin,” Charlie said, sighing heavily as she gestured to the other side of the room where she’d promised the kids she’d put their favorite posters.

“But you want there to be,” Ben guessed as she found herself turning her chair around and watching Devin.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, spinning her chair right back around as she absently toyed with the candy bar wrapper.

“Why not?” Ben asked, hopping off the ladder.

“Because it’s complicated,” Charlie said, hoping that he’d leave it at that.

“Everything about you is complicated,” he said, chuckling as he grabbed her Hogwarts poster and brought it over to the kids’ side of the room.

“This is true,” she murmured absently as she found herself glancing back towards the window and wondering what was wrong with her.

She had a plan and it didn’t involve making her life more complicated on something that was definitely a bad idea, but sometimes, she wished it did. He was her boss, her landlord, father of her two favorite people in the world, one of her best friends, and the man that still had no idea that she was planning on leaving. She really wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, Charlie thought, tossing the rest of the candy bar on her desk.

When did her life get so complicated? Charlie couldn’t help but wonder as she watched the man that was supposed to be helping her decorate her new office grab his bag and head for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to work,” Ben said, shrugging.

“Wait. What about lunch?” Charlie asked, gesturing towards the mini-fridge where the delicious lunch that she’d packed for him was waiting.

“The fridge is empty,” Ben said, chuckling as he headed out the door, leaving her wondering what he was talking about as she walked over to her mini-fridge and-

“That little bastard,” she said with a sad shake of her head as she closed the door, grabbed Devin’s Bradford Creations’ hoodie, pulled it on, and headed to the shop where she found the man that kept stealing her lunch working on a bookshelf.

“You’re buying me lunch,” was all Charlie said before she turned around and walked away.

Without bothering to look back, she walked over to the back stairs, stepped onto the second stair, turned around and waited. She didn’t have to wait long before Devin was pausing in front of the stairs. With a sigh, she reached over, grabbed onto his shoulders and jumped onto his back and said, “So, I’ve been thinking,” as she laid her chin on his shoulder while he grabbed hold of her legs and headed for the door.

“What’s that?” he asked as he headed for the door.

“I think I’m gonna have to put a lock on the mini-fridge,” Charlie said as he pushed the door open with his foot and carried her outside.

“Wouldn’t help,” Devin pointed out.

“I know,” she mumbled sadly. “I thought the decoy lunch would work.”

“You thought wrong,” he said, carefully navigating the walkway covered in rock salt and ice to his work truck.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked as he lowered her to the ground.

“Your choice,” Devin said as he opened the door for her.

“And you’re paying?” she asked with a calculating look that had him biting back a smile.

“Do I have to?” he asked, making sure to sound put-out.

“Yes, you do,” she said with a sniffle and a nod as she climbed inside.

“Then tell me where we’re going,” Devin said, climbing in after her.

“Dixon’s,” Charlie said with a satisfied sigh as she buckled in.

“Dixon’s it is,” he said, starting the truck and-

“Can I ask you something?” she found herself asking as he pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Dixon’s Bakery.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Do you ever?” Charlie asked with a pitying look that had him chuckling.

“What do you want to know, brat?” Devin asked, shooting her a questioning look.

“Many things,” she said, nodding solemnly.

“Anything in particular?” he asked, turning off the truck while she sat there, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she debated whether or not she should ask this and…

Maybe it was a bad idea, she thought as she said, “Forget it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” Charlie said, nodding even though she wasn’t really sure of anything right now.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re looking at me funny?” he asked, throwing her another curious look.

“Not a chance in hell.”

Chapter 19

“You know the rules,” his baby girl said, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared up at him, daring him to try to get past her.

“Are you going to let me in?” Devin asked, gesturing to the closed kitchen door that she was guarding.

“Will you finally give into my needs for fluffiness?” Abbi countered, cocking her head to the side as she considered him.

“Maybe…” he said, letting his words trail off.

“Maybe?” she repeated, narrowing her eyes on him.

“Well, it depends,” Devin said as he knelt down so that he could look his beautiful baby girl in the eye as they handled today?

??s negotiations.

“On what, Daddy?” Abbi asked, frowning adorably as Devin reached over and gave her braid a gentle tug.

“On whether or not you tell me what’s for dinner,” he said as the scent of fresh-baked bread teased him.

“It’s not lima bean casserole,” she said with a rebellious smile that had him once again narrowing his eyes on the little traitor.

“My lima bean casserole was delicious,” he bit out.

“It really wasn’t, Daddy,” Abbi said with a sad shake of her head.

“You’re a traitor, did you know that?” Devin asked her as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Yes,” she said, nodding with absolutely no shame.

“You’re lucky I love you,” he said, chuckling as he stood up, taking the little traitor with him.

“I know that too, Daddy,” Abbi said, nodding solemnly as he pushed the kitchen door open and damn near groaned at the sight that met him.

Goddamn, she was killing him, Devin thought as he watched Charlie bend over to pull something out of the oven and-

“He’s not supposed to be in here,” Dustin said as Charlie handed him a roll.

“I came to help,” Devin said, giving Abbi one last kiss before putting her down.

“It’s my turn to help,” Dustin said, taking a bite of his roll.

“And you’re doing a wonderful job,” Charlie said with a warm smile as she grabbed the platter of rolls off the counter.

Knowing that she wouldn’t let him help, mostly because the kids wanted to make sure that he didn’t try to make broccoli for them again, Devin pulled his phone out of his pocket and sat down at the table, moving the books that Charlie had been working on with Dustin out of the way before checking to make sure that there weren’t any problems with the orders that had been sent out today.

“Thank you,” he said a moment later when a plate filled with spaghetti and meatballs was placed in front of him.

“You’re welcome,” Charlie said as Dustin placed a bowl of salad by his plate before he headed back to the kitchen counter to get the rest of the bowls while Devin watched Charlie and…