Neighbours in Love 2: Trusting the Enemy Next Door

ADAM

I clock in over forty hours a week at the Mercury FM building. It’s not a complaint, though. There are folks out there working longer hours in jobs they can’t stand. I enjoy my work, and the paycheck isn’t too shabby.

I get to wear jeans and a T-shirt, so there’s no need for uncomfortable suits in my closet. My colleagues are a good bunch, usually laughing at my jokes. Plus, the nearby restaurants and coffee shops are some of the best in Melbourne.

But I’m not thrilled about working on Sundays.

“Daniella,” I greet as I walk into the office I share with my co-host.

She grumbles, “I hate that name.”

I can’t help but smile. “I know.”

She’s sitting at her desk, her long light brown hair falling over her face like a curtain. After pushing it back and tying it into a ponytail, she watches me settle into my chair.

“I should be thankful you showed up, right?” she asks.

I prop my feet up on the desk. “I said I would, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but I know how much you value your weekends.”

“They are valuable. You should try enjoying one sometime.”

“I would if I had something to do,” she retorts, sounding a bit sulky.

Dan often hints at wanting to hang out with me on weekends. If her feelings were purely friendly, I wouldn’t mind. But they’re not, and I’m not interested.

Dan’s okay. She’s attractive, even if she dresses like a guy half the time and prefers Dan over Dani or Daniella. The issue is that we work together. Getting involved would mess up our professional relationship, especially since I have no intention of breaking my no-relationship rule.

My co-host shoots me a stern look. “Sadly, I’m too busy working on our show to enjoy days off.”

It’s true that Dan spends more time here chasing leads than I do. I pull my weight, but she does more. She doesn’t grasp the concept of work-life balance.

“So why am I here, then? If you’re so busy doing everything for both of us.”

Her anger fades, and she theatrically rolls her chair out from behind her desk, moving closer to me. “Eddie and Kane are leaving the drive-time spot at the end of July.”

My feet drop off the desk, and I sit up straight. “No fucking way.”

“Way, Granger. And guess who they’re thinking of asking to step in?”

“It won’t be us, Dan. Our ratings are decent, but we’re not big enough to compete with the heavyweights in that time slot. They might bring in someone new. Or coax Rogers and Bexley out of retirement.”

She shakes her head. “I overheard them talking. They said we’re the logical choice to fill the slot, but…”

“But what?”

“They’re hesitant. They’re not sure we can keep a prime-time audience engaged and they’re keeping their options open.”

I grunt. “Of course we can.”

Dan nods. “I know, but we need to prove it to them.”

“How?”

“We need to make a name for ourselves, become the go-to source for news and current events so that people will want to tune in and hear what we have to say.”

I can tell she has a plan. She’s got that slightly mischievous look she gets when she’s scheming. “What are you suggesting?”

“We need an interview, a big one that will help us knock it out of the park and impress management. It needs to be all over the news, the radio, YouTube, everywhere.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

“I’m glad you agree, because I was reading some of the current news headlines from here and abroad, and I found something interesting.”

Her enthusiasm is infectious. My heart starts to race, and my adrenaline spikes in response to her comment. My gut instincts are pretty good, but Dan’s are otherworldly. Whenever she has a hunch about something, it always pays off.

“What did you find?”

She reaches across her desk, grabs a printed sheet of paper, and hands it to me. “There are a few headlines worth following up on, but I think you’ll know which one has me the most excited.”

I scan the list, searching for the one she’s referring to, my eyes catching on a headline from a UK gossip magazine.

“Jessica Skyler replaced by Karen Malua on Get It Right,” I read aloud.

“Don’t you know Jessica?”

I hand the print-out back to her. “She’s a friend of a friend.”

She’s also my neighbor and an untouchable ice queen who seems to have everyone but me under her spell. At least, she seemed untouchable and cold until she started talking about her parents’ death and how much Kristy means to her.

“Can you look into it?” Dan asks. “See if there’s a story there? She was supposed to be there on a twelve-month contract, but she came back three months early. There must be a reason for that, Granger. A story. Maybe even a juicy one.”

There could be a juicy story there, and I want to be excited about it, but the adrenaline rush has faded, and I have this sinking feeling in my stomach. Anything that hurts Jess will hurt Kristy and Logan—the last people in the world I want to upset.

But if there is a story surrounding Jess’s early return from the UK, it will come out eventually. It’s better that I uncover the story and warn my friends than see them blindsided, right?

And if I prove that I’m right about Jess not being as sweet and innocent as everyone tries to make her out to be, well, that wouldn’t be a bad thing.

No matter how sincere Jess seemed about Kristy’s importance in her life, I can’t believe I’m wrong about her character. This headline is the perfect opportunity to figure out whether Jess is the threat to Kristy I’ve always believed her to be.

I’ll have the perfect chance to talk to Jess at dinner. Now that we’ve agreed to be “civil,” she’ll be more likely to answer my questions.

If the headline means nothing, then I’ll accept that maybe Jess genuinely cares for her friend. But if she fooled me…

“I’ll look into it,” I tell Dan. “But just in case it’s a dead end, we should keep investigating the other headlines, too.”

Dan nods. “Never put all your eggs in one basket, but I’ve got a good feeling about this one.”

“Me too.”

Kristy and Logan won’t be thrilled I’m digging up dirt on their friend, but whatever I find, they’ll thank me for revealing any truths I uncover.

Eventually, anyway.

Jess is the one who opens the door when I knock. She’s dressed in skinny jeans and a turquoise knit sweater, looking absolutely stunning. Her long blonde hair cascades down in soft waves, perfectly framing her beautiful face.

I had seen photos of the supermodel before we met, but she’s even more breathtaking in person.

She’s out of my league. That was my initial thought when Kristy introduced us. Even though I had outgrown my skinny, geeky high school self who was constantly bullied, it was clear to me that Jessica Skyler was in a league of her own.

This was further confirmed when I met Alfie, the male model she was engaged to at the time. The second thought that crossed my mind after meeting Jess was how much she resembled a girl I once knew.

“Do you have an issue with beautiful women, Adam? Did a cheerleader dump you at prom and now you’re holding a grudge against all of us?”

The similarity between Jess and Tamara Cutter—the girl who ruined my life twelve years ago—is striking. It’s not just their blonde hair and green eyes; their personalities are identical. Jess has the same polite yet distant demeanor that Tamara had.

And then there’s the trail of heartbreak Jess has left behind. Alfie seemed like a decent guy, but I watched as Jess looked at Logan with desire in her eyes while Alfie stood next to her, oblivious to her wandering heart.

Even if Kristy is important to Jess—and that’s a big if—I’m convinced I’m right about Jess’s character when it comes to everyone else. And thank God for that. If I weren’t so certain that Jess is the same self-centered man-eater that Tamara was, I’d be standing here, mouth agape, ogling my incredibly attractive neighbor, picturing her naked on top of me, her soft lips on mine, her breasts in my hands as she rides me like there’s no tomorrow.

“Adam.”

Her greeting is polite and cool. As always, Jessica Skyler is the epitome of good manners. Now that we’re trying to be civil with each other, I’m expecting her to be extra polite and friendly.

But when her green eyes meet mine, I don’t see polite disinterest. Instead, her eyes are filled with something else. Something I can’t quite grasp before her gaze shifts to the bottle I’m holding.

“You brought wine.”

I can’t tell if she’s accusing me or asking a question, but it sounds more like an accusation.

I hand her the bottle. “It’s Kristy’s favorite.”

She takes it and turns around, but I could swear I hear her mutter, “No shit,” under her breath. That can’t be right, though, because I’d bet my car that she’s never said a curse word in her life.

“Aren’t you coming in?” she asks, glancing back at me over her shoulder.

Her voice is polite, but her eyes flash dangerously as they meet mine, and I’m suddenly sure she’s annoyed with me, which makes no sense. I’ve been nothing but civil to her since she arrived home. We have a truce.

I told her I’d give her the benefit of the doubt. Sure, I plan to dig into any secrets she might have, but she doesn’t know that yet. So, what’s got her panties in a bunch?

As I ponder that question, I close the door behind me and follow Jess down the hallway.

“Adam’s here,” Jess announces as she enters the kitchen. “He brought your favorite wine, K.”

Kristy turns from the pot she’s stirring and rewards me with a dazzling smile. “I was just worrying we wouldn’t have enough to drink. Seriously, Adam, you’re the best.”

Her words warm me from the inside. And the brush of her lips against my cheek when she leans in to give me a kiss sends a tingle all the way down to my toes.

“Good job, Granger!” Logan says from beside Kristy, reminding me I’m a traitor for feeling any tingles. “You saved me a trip to the liquor store.”

Even though I wanted to ask out the beautiful, sexy brunette long before Logan realized how amazing Kristy is, she’s now permanently off-limits to me. When Logan’s fiancée died, he fell into a deep depression. Now he’s happy, finally. I won’t mess with that. I won’t let anyone mess with that.

My eyes find Jess. She’s leaning against a kitchen counter, her lips pursed and her jaw clenched as she glares at me. Our eyes lock, but a moment later, she drops her gaze to the floor, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

What the hell?

“I’d better set the table,” Jess says, avoiding my gaze and leaving the room.

“Do you guys need help with anything?” I ask Logan and Kristy. “If not, I’ll help Jess set the table.”

The surprised looks on their faces almost make me laugh.

“Okay, thanks,” Kristy says, looking pleased. “That would be great.”

Kristy is optimistic enough to believe that if Jess and I spend enough time together, we’ll become best friends. Logan isn’t as hopeful, and he gives me a warning look before I leave the kitchen.

A few days before Jess came home, Logan told me I needed to be nice to Kristy’s friend. Ironically, I think it’s my attempt at being nice that’s irritating Jess.

Jess looks up from setting the first place at the table when I enter the dining room. A flicker of annoyance crosses her face before she continues with her task.

“I came to help,” I tell her.

“Thank you, but I don’t need it,” she replies coolly. “It’s not a two-person job.”

“Fine.” I pull out a dining chair, spin it around, and straddle it. Her cheeks flush and her lips thin, and despite being clueless about what I’ve done, her bad mood almost makes me smile. Does she realize she’s trying to skewer me with her eyes? The usual icy stare is gone, replaced by fire. I’ve never seen her like this—with visible emotion. And I have to admit; it suits her.

Enjoying this new side of her, I lean in and whisper, “I’ll let you in on a secret. I didn’t really come in here to help. I came in here to find out what’s been bothering you for the past few hours.”

Her back stiffens, and she crosses her arms, glaring at me. “Excuse me?”

Her high-and-mighty tone makes me want to burst out laughing. “You heard me.”

“No bug has crawled up my…” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Ass.”

The word seems to leave a bitter taste in her mouth, and I can’t help but chuckle at her discomfort.

“I knew it,” I say. “You’ve never cursed before, have you? You’ve probably never uttered a single swear word in your life, right?”

“Don’t be absurd. Of course, I have.”

I shake my head, grinning. “I don’t believe you.”

Her eyes are practically burning holes through me. “I’m not a prude, Adam. I swear when it’s necessary.”

“Prove it. Swear right now.”

She shakes her head, her gaze fixed on the table, her movements stiff as she continues to set the table. “I’m not going to swear.”

“Because you don’t know how.”

“This is a ridiculous conversation.”

I couldn’t agree more, but I’m too amused by Jess’s reactions to let it go. Watching Jess like this is like watching a lit firework, waiting for the explosion. My heart races in anticipation.

“We’re only having this conversation because you won’t tell me why you’re suddenly upset,” I remind her.

“I’m not upset.”

“Sure you are. And I think you’ll feel a lot better if you vent.”

“I don’t need to vent.”

I grin. “Ah, but you admit there is something bothering you.”

Her jaw is clenched so tightly I’m surprised she’s not grinding her teeth. “I do not.”

I sigh and stand up, giving her the impression I’m done with the conversation. “You know, when you asked me to give you the benefit of the doubt, I thought you were at least going to pretend to be honest with me. But you can’t, can you? You can’t be genuine to save your life.”

The fork she’s holding clatters to the table. “Just because I’m not going to swear or tell you what you want to hear doesn’t mean I’m not genuine.”

I shrug. “Genuine implies honesty, and you can’t even admit you’re upset.”

“Fine,” she says through gritted teeth. “I’m upset. Are you happy now?”

“Almost. Now just admit that it’s me you’re upset with.”

Her glare suggests she’s contemplating homicide. “It’s you I’m upset with.”

“Okay, I’m glad we got that out in the open.” I turn around and take a step toward the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” she asks, her voice losing its edge, uncertainty creeping in.

I turn back to her. “I’m going to see if Logan and Kristy need help since you’ve probably exhausted your honesty quota for the day. I’ll try again tomorrow.”

In a flash, she’s across the dining room and standing in front of me, her finger jabbing into my chest as she glares up at me. “How dare you patronize me when you are such a…such a hypocrite, Adam Granger.”

I frown. “A hypocrite? Me?”

“Yes, you!” she whisper-hisses. Her gaze darts to the kitchen, then back to me. “You have a thing for Kristy.”

I thought I was prepared for whatever was bothering Jess, but her observation leaves me speechless. Her sudden change in attitude makes sense now. She must have noticed something this morning when Logan and Kristy arrived home.

Heat creeps up my chest and neck, sweat prickling under my arms. If Jess has noticed something today, then it’s possible Logan and Kristy have too. But Logan already knows I like Kristy. I’ve always been honest about my desire to date Kristy before Logan got involved with her.

Kristy must even realize by now that I’m interested in her. The only thing I’m guilty of is not getting over my attraction to her quickly enough. Jess, however, has no idea I was interested in Kristy before Logan was. She’s about to find out.

“I do have a thing for Kristy,” I say, quietly but confidently. “She’s beautiful, but she doesn’t flaunt it. She’s genuine, and she can bake like nobody’s business. I was interested in her from the moment I met her. Logan knows I wanted to ask Kristy out from the start, but I didn’t because he asked me not to.”

I watch as some of the anger fades from her eyes. She doesn’t have a quick retort, no comeback. I’ve taken the wind right out of her sails.

“So…you’re not going to make a move on her?”

I step closer to her, eliminating any space between us. We’re practically toe to toe. “I will never, ever make a move on Kristy. Even if she and Logan break up, I won’t go there. She might be the most amazing girl I’ve ever met, but she’s Logan’s girl—forever and always in my eyes. I respect their relationship. In fact, I celebrate it.”

“I celebrate it too, Adam. But that didn’t stop you from accusing me of wanting to interfere in their relationship when that’s something I’d never do. It didn’t stop you from telling me I think I’m above everyone else, and that I should stay away from my friends.”

She’s breathing hard now, and I’m taken aback to see emotion fill her gaze once more—this time with something far more unsettling than anger.

She shakes her head. “From the beginning of our acquaintance, you’ve disliked me for something you’re just as guilty of.”

“That’s not why I dislike you.”

Jess stares at me as my words hang in the silence, shattering any pretenses we’ve held on to. After a moment, her sharp intake of breath breaks the silence, and her hand drops to her side as she takes a step back.

“Then why?” she whispers in a voice that cuts through me. “Why do you dislike me? What do you see in me that you dislike so much?”

For the first time since I walked into the dining room demanding answers, I’m at a loss for words. What I’ve just admitted is something I never planned to reveal. Worse still, Jess looks so shocked and so…hurt. It feels like I’ve been punched in the gut.

Where has the emotionless ice queen gone? Because I need her back. There isn’t supposed to be anything behind the glossy façade. There certainly isn’t supposed to be this vulnerability I’m witnessing. I thought she wasn’t capable of feeling, yet the raw emotion in her eyes is as real as the table in the room.

“I don’t dislike you,” I correct myself. “Dislike is too strong a word. Honestly, I don’t care about you at all.”

Yeah, that sounded a lot better in my head.

“Remember, my opinion doesn’t matter to you, right?” I say, my voice laced with a hint of desperation. I need her to recall that. I need it to be the truth. I need her to remain untouched by my words. Because if not, I’m just a heartless jerk who’s just dealt her a crushing blow.

“Are you guys almost done setting the table?”

I spin around to find Logan leaning in the doorway, observing us. Even if he didn’t catch our conversation, he can likely sense the tension hanging in the air. When I glance back at Jess, she gives Logan a fragile smile. Her face is a far cry from the usual calm and generous expression she always carries. Logan will undoubtedly grill me later about what transpired, because he’d have to be blind not to notice how distressed Jess is.

“Almost done,” she replies with an overly cheerful tone. She moves toward the table and adjusts some of the already set cutlery.

Our conversation isn’t finished. I can’t leave things as they are, but I can’t say anything more at this moment. Not with Logan acting as a sentinel in the doorway.

So, I do the only thing I can do right now.

I assist Jess in finishing setting the table.