ThisTimeNextDoor Read Free Page B

Barely sixty, his mother was too young to be so gullible. But when it came to predatory telemarketers, she was as vulnerable as an elderly shut-in. Part of it was her natural friendliness, her joy in a good chat, her excessive free time. “What did he offer you?”
    “It’s not like I would’ve taken it,” she said with a sniff.
    He looked down at her. That was probably true, but you never knew. Ever since she’d taken in more than a dozen Chihuahuas last year as part of a rescue operation, she’d been the object of a series of charity scams. She’d rather get cheated, she’d say, than fail to help a person—or animal—in need.
    “I’ll answer the phone from now on,” Mark said.
    Rolling her eyes, she patted him on the chest. “If it makes you feel better.”
    “And I’m going to put in a real phone with an ID screen,” he added.
    “As long as you leave Old Greenie where it is, you can do whatever you want.” She cocked her head. “Is that the doorbell?”
    Hearing the distant chime, he groaned. It seemed like an hour didn’t go by without somebody harassing them. Phone, door, mail, Internet. He’d put his mother on all the do-not-call lists, added a NO SOLICITORS sign to the door, unsubscribed her from online spam and corporate mailing lists, but it took time for the word to get out.
    And possibly a court order.
    “I’ll get it,” he said
    “Good,” his mother said. “As long as you’re wearing pants.”
    Putting on his most manly, hostile expression, he strode through the house to the front door and jerked it open. “Whatever you’re selling—”
    His voice went dry in his throat. It wasn’t a solicitor; it was a woman.
    His neighbor.

Chapter 2

    CALM DOWN, HE TOLD HIMSELF. His heart was beating too hard. It’s the other one . Her roommate.
    “Sorry to bother you,” she said. “I live next door. I’m on a mission to find some jumper cables.”
    He tried to fix his gaze above her neck, but there was a lot to look at below it. She was a big woman, not tall, but easily two hundred pounds. Young, twenty-something. She wore a black tank top that didn’t quite cover the expanse of her chest, a pair of men’s shiny basketball shorts with a white stripe down the side, and black high-tops. Her hair was pulled back under a backwards-facing, rainbow-emblazoned baseball cap, exposing a round face that was shiny with sweat and devoid of makeup. Hands propped on her hips, she stared at him, hurried and businesslike.
    Men’s clothes, no makeup, rainbow.
    Lesbian , he thought, relaxing.
    “You can borrow mine.” He reached for his keys. “They’re in my car. Need help?”
    “That’s all right. I’ve already got my roommate’s hood up. Such bad luck. Bad day.”
    He smiled. “At least you had one. I’ve been staring at a computer all day. Totally lost track of time.”
    “You get paid to do that?”
    “Well, yeah.”
    “Lucky you.”
    He closed the front door behind him, agreeing with her. Some of his friends, old classmates and fellow teachers, had been without a real job for months, even years. “I’ll get the cables.”
    She followed him out to his car in the short driveway next to hers. The houses were perched on the steep hillside to enjoy the view, leaving little room for yards or parking. “What’s your name?” He untangled the cables from the blankets in the back of his old Jetta and handed them to her. “I’m Mark.”
    “Rose.” She flashed a quick smile before sinking back into her funk. “The dome light must’ve been on all day. Didn’t close the door all the way.”
    “Bad luck.”
    “Yeah. Well, thanks.”
    A gust of wind blew through the houses and whipped her blond ponytail off her shoulder. He took a deep breath, realizing how nice it was to suck in some fresh air. He really needed to get out more. “Do you play basketball?” he asked abruptly.
    She had already turned to walk away. “Excuse me?”
    “Sorry. You look like you were—forget it. I have a