Playing for Keeps (Neighbor from Hell 1)

Haley shrugged. "It wouldn't feel right if I didn't."

Grandma gave Haley a sad smile. "I know, kiddo."

"Here you go, Grandma," Jason said, placing the plate on one of the tables the guys had set up that morning. She reached out and gave Haley's hand a squeeze before she rode over to the cooler and grabbed an ice cold beer. With a long suffering sigh, Jason grabbed the beer away from her, ignored her glare, and handed her an ice cold root beer instead.

Haley couldn't help but smile as the two got into a bickering match over Grandma's right to have a beer at a barbeque. Jason reminded her that her doctor said no alcohol and Grandma reminded Jason that she'd take him over her knee if he didn't give her the damn beer.

In the end Grandma grumbled as she went to eat her meal with an ice cold Coke. She threw Jason a fond smile when he wasn't looking. Five minutes later the kids were happily skipping out of the woods with an exhausted Megan pulling up the rear.

"Grandma!" they said excitedly as if they didn't see their great grandmother every day. Grandma didn't bother hiding her pleased smile as all three children sat down with her and shared their latest adventures with her. Megan grabbed a beer and headed for the pool, muttering something about needing a vacation.

Haley leaned against Jason as he flipped burgers. "You okay, my little grasshopper?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled into his side. "More than okay."

"I love you, my little grasshopper," he said, leaning down to brush his lips against hers.

"I know," she said, smiling against his lips.

He pulled back to grin down at her. "You know?"

"Mmhmm," she said, absently as she ran her fingers through his hair, smoothing it back.

"Mmmhmm?" he repeated back, sounding amused. "You love me and you damn well know it."

"Maybe," she said with a shrug.

"Maybe you should just admit that you're crazy about me," he said, leaning in to kiss her again.

"And why would you want me to do that?" she asked, still smiling.

"Because I'm playing for keeps, my little grasshopper."

The End.