Read Online Boy Next Door (Parkside Avenue Book #2) by Raquel Lyon - Free Book Online
Authors: Raquel Lyon
Ads: Link
corridor, heading for the stairs. “I said I’m d—”
Cora stepped from the bottom of the stairs at the same time as I turned to go up
them, and we almost collided.
“Oh, J-Johnny. Yes. I-I got some
cash out for you. Here you are.” She drew a wad of notes from her wallet. “For
a job well done,” she said with a weak smile.
“No problem,” I said, accepting
the money. “Can’t wait to start on the back.”
“No rush. Now I’m no longer
embarrassed by frontal appearances, there’s no hurry to fix the back.” She
walked past me with her eyes glued to the floor.
There was nothing embarrassing
about her frontal appearance. I’d seen that first-hand, this afternoon. “So, you
won’t mind if I take a break to do another small job first, then? I’m meeting
with a prospective client tonight. I mean, I might not get the gig, but …”
The front door opened, and Cora’s
knuckles whitened as they gripped the knob waiting for me to exit. “Don’t worry
about it. Goodbye, Johnny.” It was a clear brush-off, as hurtful as a stab in
the gut.
“Okay. Well …” I patted the cash
against my palm with irritation. “I hope you have an enjoyable evening.”
Secretly, I was pissed off at her cold behaviour and hoped she had a really
shitty evening, and I was kicking myself for not pressing our earlier date. Too
late now. Whatever was going to happen was out of my control.
Chapter Ten
The bathwater was freezing. The
heat had disappeared along with my composure. I’d tried to relax and soak away
my frustrations about Cora, but the more I thought about her, the more wound up
I became. Had I done something to upset her, or was her behaviour merely nerves
about her date? It shouldn’t bother me either way, but it did … a lot. And as
much as I tried not to think about the way she’d thrown me out of her house,
and would soon be making eyes at another man, a mental picture of her getting
hot and sweaty with some son of a bitch pawing at her ass had buried its claws
into my brain and wouldn’t let go.
My meeting was scheduled for
seven-thirty, and I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early. A delicious
aroma saturated my senses as soon as I entered. Decorated entirely in purple
and silver, it was a high-class joint; one I could only dream about dining in.
The cost of a meal alone would probably be enough to wipe out the average
person’s weekly wage. I glanced down at the shirt and tie I’d worn to impress,
and still felt underdressed. Tailored suits and cocktail dresses filled the
moulded chairs. Lights dangled over every table from metal chains, and the bar
shelves groaned under the weight of the top class liquor.
I was greeted by a tuxedo-clad
man and ushered upstairs to the manager’s office, as if he were ashamed of my
presence. Once there, I listened intently to the manager’s wishes, and showed
off my portfolio, before he accompanied me down to the patio area, where the
work was to take place. It was not as big a job as I’d hoped, replacing a
couple of dead trees, and increasing the number of planters filled with hardy
evergreens. I guessed the need for speed was why I’d been chosen; my new
business would be less likely to have a waiting list. The fact that it was a
rush job was no problem for me. With so little to do, I’d have it completed within
a couple of days. Still, work was work. A price was agreed and hands were
shaken. Then I was escorted to the bar and offered a drink on the house, before
I left. I accepted gratefully, having nothing better to do, and sat at the bar
nursing a cold beer.
I’d almost finished my drink when
a couple caught my eye. I was too far away to hear their conversation, but the
man’s face was stern, almost disapproving. He shook his head as he laid a hand
on the woman’s arm. Her distaste at his touch was obvious. She shook his hand
away and stood abruptly, snatching her napkin from her lap and slamming it onto
the table. Other diners halted
Cora stepped from the bottom of the stairs at the same time as I turned to go up
them, and we almost collided.
“Oh, J-Johnny. Yes. I-I got some
cash out for you. Here you are.” She drew a wad of notes from her wallet. “For
a job well done,” she said with a weak smile.
“No problem,” I said, accepting
the money. “Can’t wait to start on the back.”
“No rush. Now I’m no longer
embarrassed by frontal appearances, there’s no hurry to fix the back.” She
walked past me with her eyes glued to the floor.
There was nothing embarrassing
about her frontal appearance. I’d seen that first-hand, this afternoon. “So, you
won’t mind if I take a break to do another small job first, then? I’m meeting
with a prospective client tonight. I mean, I might not get the gig, but …”
The front door opened, and Cora’s
knuckles whitened as they gripped the knob waiting for me to exit. “Don’t worry
about it. Goodbye, Johnny.” It was a clear brush-off, as hurtful as a stab in
the gut.
“Okay. Well …” I patted the cash
against my palm with irritation. “I hope you have an enjoyable evening.”
Secretly, I was pissed off at her cold behaviour and hoped she had a really
shitty evening, and I was kicking myself for not pressing our earlier date. Too
late now. Whatever was going to happen was out of my control.
Chapter Ten
The bathwater was freezing. The
heat had disappeared along with my composure. I’d tried to relax and soak away
my frustrations about Cora, but the more I thought about her, the more wound up
I became. Had I done something to upset her, or was her behaviour merely nerves
about her date? It shouldn’t bother me either way, but it did … a lot. And as
much as I tried not to think about the way she’d thrown me out of her house,
and would soon be making eyes at another man, a mental picture of her getting
hot and sweaty with some son of a bitch pawing at her ass had buried its claws
into my brain and wouldn’t let go.
My meeting was scheduled for
seven-thirty, and I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early. A delicious
aroma saturated my senses as soon as I entered. Decorated entirely in purple
and silver, it was a high-class joint; one I could only dream about dining in.
The cost of a meal alone would probably be enough to wipe out the average
person’s weekly wage. I glanced down at the shirt and tie I’d worn to impress,
and still felt underdressed. Tailored suits and cocktail dresses filled the
moulded chairs. Lights dangled over every table from metal chains, and the bar
shelves groaned under the weight of the top class liquor.
I was greeted by a tuxedo-clad
man and ushered upstairs to the manager’s office, as if he were ashamed of my
presence. Once there, I listened intently to the manager’s wishes, and showed
off my portfolio, before he accompanied me down to the patio area, where the
work was to take place. It was not as big a job as I’d hoped, replacing a
couple of dead trees, and increasing the number of planters filled with hardy
evergreens. I guessed the need for speed was why I’d been chosen; my new
business would be less likely to have a waiting list. The fact that it was a
rush job was no problem for me. With so little to do, I’d have it completed within
a couple of days. Still, work was work. A price was agreed and hands were
shaken. Then I was escorted to the bar and offered a drink on the house, before
I left. I accepted gratefully, having nothing better to do, and sat at the bar
nursing a cold beer.
I’d almost finished my drink when
a couple caught my eye. I was too far away to hear their conversation, but the
man’s face was stern, almost disapproving. He shook his head as he laid a hand
on the woman’s arm. Her distaste at his touch was obvious. She shook his hand
away and stood abruptly, snatching her napkin from her lap and slamming it onto
the table. Other diners halted
Similar Books
