Bully Next Door

She saw the takeout menus for all the local restaurants and diners and fast-food places. Shaking her head, she knew the first thing. “You’ve got to destroy them. All of them.”

“What?”

“You heard me. There is no way I’m going to teach you while you’ve got all of that stuff. It’s not happening.”

“But—”

“No buts. They are holding your hand in a bad way. They’ve got to go. All of them.”

He wrinkled his nose, but she pointed at them. “Tear them up, and I mean into tiny little bits.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, and she expected to be fired from teaching him, but he clearly wanted to learn because he shredded them up as if they meant nothing and tossed them into the recycle bin.

“Okay, so, I think the next thing we need to do is go shopping, in a big way. There is so much you’re going to need. Let me drop Cutie off at my place.”

“Why don’t you leave her here?” he asked.

“She doesn’t know this place, and I’d rather not leave her in a stranger’s home.”

“I won’t be a stranger for long. No, I won’t.” He moved toward her and rubbed at the dog’s head. “I never thought I was a dog person.”

“Dogs can surprise you, but you might be a cat person.”

“Nah, certainly a dog person. Just look at that face. That is cuteness through and through.”

Verity took Cutie back to her place, and as she did, Hector got his car ready, pulling out of the drive.

After locking her door, she clenched her hands into fists, convinced she could do this. Her mother was a great believer in fate. If someone asked for something, there was a reason, and she could almost feel her mother telling her to help him.

So odd. She would have laughed at the very idea.

Once she’d climbed into the passenger side of his car, she slid the seatbelt on, feeling a little … shocked. She was in Hector Carter’s car, driving to the supermarket.

Teenage her would have been mortified. He had a bad reputation with this car. A lot of girls lost their virginity in this car.

Verity nearly snorted out aloud.

There were many girls who slept with a lot of guys, and there was no telling if that first guy was Hector.

Sitting back in the seat, she wondered if he was much the same now as he was back then.

Running fingers through her hair, she realized she still had it bound up on top of her head. She rested her hand on her thigh, tapping her fingers to a beat in her head.

“Have you ever taught anyone how to cook?” Hector asked.

“Not on a one-to-one basis, but I’ve had a lot of comments and messages to say that I have. Does that help?”

“I’m just making conversation.”

“You don’t like silence?”

“Strangely enough, not from you. I want to hear you talk.”

She frowned and then noticed he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You okay, Hector?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You know.”

“You never told me what brought you to this small town,” Verity asked.

“I … a long vacation. It’s what I needed, and that’s what I’m doing. Work is waiting for me when I’m done.”

There was something in his tone. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but she wasn’t going to question him further. If he didn’t want to elaborate on why he was here, then she didn’t see why he should. She’d never been the prying sort. Her mother often said she was an awkward person, not knowing how to start a conversation or to keep one going.

I miss you, Mom.

If her mother were here, she would know how to get her mind back into the game of getting this cookbook written.

She rubbed at her temple as Hector pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store.

One of her favorite places in the world was a supermarket. She had no idea why, but it always had the ability to calm her. The day after her mother’s passing, she had gone to the grocery store just to find some peace.

After climbing out of the car, she took the lead, grabbing a cart, which she quickly handed to Hector. “So, we’re about to enter paradise, but before we do, are we going the meat route or the vegan route?” she asked.

“Whatever you think is best,” he said.

“With all that takeout food, vegan will probably be better. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” She winked at him and spun around.

Had he been checking out her tits?

His gaze had been on her chest, she was sure of it. Rather than feel annoyed or embarrassed, she felt a sudden tingling between her thighs.

Cut it out. I’m not nor am I ever going to be attracted to Hector Carter.

Chapter Three

Hector didn’t think grocery shopping could be fun. Following Verity around each aisle, listening to her talk about each ingredient and even ask him questions was fun. There was clearly something wrong with his brain to find any of this fun.