Breathless Magic (9 page)

I snorted at that,
thinking how my little girl could have- No, I couldn’t go there; physically, I
was not emotionally capable of thinking that thought through.

“I really am sorry,”
he offered genuinely, his dark eyes flashing with true emotion. “I got in late
last night, and passed out on the couch. I didn’t even know the pool was full
or the gate was open until I heard you screaming out here.”

Guilt settled in my
stomach like acid, and I regretted my harsh tone with him. This wasn’t his
fault. I was just looking for someone to blame.

“Look, I’m sorry I was
snappish about the pool, I just, I was just worried about Abby. I took it out
on you,” I relented, but wouldn’t look him in the eye. I’d always been terrible
at apologies. When Grady and I would fight, I could never bring myself to tell
him I felt sorry. Eventually, he’d just look at me and say, “I forgive you,
Lizzy. Now come here and make it up to me.” With anyone else my pride would
have refused to let me give in; but with Grady, the way he smoothed over my
stubbornness and let me get away with keeping my dignity, worked every single
time.

“It’s alright, I can
understand that,” my new neighbor agreed.

We stood there
awkwardly for a few more moments, before I swooped down to pick up my plaid
pants and discarded robe. “Alright, well I need to go get the kids ready for
school. Thanks for convincing her to get out. Who knows how long we would have
been stuck there playing Finding
Nemo
.”

He chuckled but his
eyes were confused. “Is that like Marco Polo?”

I shot him a
questioning glance, wondering if he was serious or not. “No kids?” I asked.

He laughed again.
“Nope, life-long bachelor.” He waved the box of
Poptarts
and realization dawned on me. He hadn’t really seemed like a father before now,
but in my world- my four kids, soccer mom, neighborhood watch secretary, active
member of the PTO world- it was almost unfathomable to me that someone his age
could not have kids.

I cleared my throat,
“It’s uh, a little kid movie. Disney,” I explained and understanding lit his
expression. “Um, thanks again.” I turned to Abby who was finishing up her
breakfast, “Let’s go, Abs, you’re making us late for school.”

“I’m Ben by the way,”
He called out to my back. “Ben Tyler.”

I snorted to myself at
the two first names- it somehow seemed appropriate for the handsome life-long
bachelor, but ridiculous all the same.

“Liz Carlson,” I
called over my shoulder. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”

“Uh, the towels?” he
shouted after me when we’d reached the gate.

I turned around with a
dropped mouth, thinking a hundred different vile things about my new neighbor.
“Can’t we…. I….” I glanced down helplessly at my bare legs poking out of the
bottom of the towel he’d just lent me.

“Liz,” he laughed
familiarly, and I tried not to resent him. “I’m just teasing. Bring them back
whenever.”

I growled something
unintelligible that I hope sounded like “thank you” and spun on my heel,
shoeing Abby onto the lawn between our houses.

“Nice to meet you,
neighbor,” He called out over the fence.

“You too,” I mumbled,
not even turning my head to look back at him.

Obviously he was
single and unattached. He was way too smug for his own good. I just hoped he
would keep his gate locked and loud parties few and far between- he seemed like
the type to throw frat party-like
keggers
and hire
strippers for the weekend. I had a family to raise; a family that was quickly
falling apart while I floundered to hold us together with tired arms. I didn’t
need a nosy neighbor handing out
Poptarts
and sarcasm
interfering with my life.