My mouth snapped shut, she knew as much about my love life as I did. Only thing she didn’t know was how much I missed being held. The simple touch of a man. I pushed the yearning away, refusing to dwell on it, as I always did.

“Exactly. It’s been a year since that asshole broke your heart. Time to get back out there and show off what the good Lord gave ya.”

“Seriously?” I chuckled dryly, shaking my head. So not my style. Not that I had a style for picking up guys but if I did that wouldn’t be it.

Her face lit up with a bright smile that showcased her perfectly straight, pearly white teeth. It spoke volumes and I could tell she was on a roll now. Nothing I had to say would make her stop.

“I say you go take a shower, let your unruly curls hang loose, and throw on one of those little whimsical summer dresses that you keep hidden in the back of your closet. Ooh, the one that looks like it was made from sheer vintage lace.” Her grin grew wider. “Just strut on over there to introduce yourself and you’ll have him groveling at your feet in record time.”

“Sure thing,” I replied animatedly, “why not.” I turned pretending to follow her absurd directions and burst out laughing when I halted halfway out the kitchen and turned around. “Oh that’s right, I’m not a slut.” I threw my hand in the air giving her my best ‘oh darn’ expression.

Hilary turned her attention back out the window. “Well, don’t say I never try to offer my assistance,” she said followed by a short giggle.

I finished filling the glasses with water from the faucet and took a long, satisfying drink. My dry lips and scorching throat stung for a brief moment as it absorbed the liquid. I carried Hilary’s glass to her and found myself staring out the window beside her curiously.

There wasn’t much to see besides an occasional middle-aged man wearing a blue polo and khakis lugging around boxes. There had to be at least a dozen movers filling the house with furniture.

“Looks like you were right.”

I shifted my gaze to follow hers and noticed the small curly haired boy wandering around the backyard. He was chasing after a butterfly, running around without a care in the world. The picture he painted was adorable and sweet, and I found myself smiling when he jumped up trying to capture the insect with no luck.

Despite the young boy’s delightful traipsing around the yard there was a pang of disappointment settling through me. I had barely caught a glance of the man in the driveway. Why did I care if he had a family?

“Good for him,” I said, pulling the curtain from Hilary’s hand and letting it fall back into place.

She took a quick drink and walked back to the table, sitting down with her glass in hand.

“Once Caleb opens his new place I’m sure you’ll meet a nice guy to sweep you off your feet,” she said.

“I’m done with men.” I walked back to the sink and refilled my glass. “At least for a while anyway.” It wasn’t a lie. My plans included fixing up my house and focusing on teaching. No man would fit in that plan.

“You can’t be done already. You’re only twenty-two years old! Way too young to be a man-hater.”

I chose to ignore her, looking down at the melting ice in my glass.

“Come on, you’ve only had one serious boyfriend your entire life, Cassandra. Consider him your test-run before meeting the perfect guy.” Hilary maneuvered her chair to face me causing a loud squeak to fill the small room as it slid across the linoleum. “Mark was a dick, but realistically high school sweethearts rarely work out. You have to put yourself back out there. Sheltering yourself in the middle of nowhere all the time is not the way to land a guy.”

I raised my brows with a cynical look. “Since when do you know how to land a guy? You never get past the first date.” My voice was laced with amusement that I couldn’t seem to hide.

“I’m waiting for Mr. Right.” She grinned, but her voice faltered and I caught the small glimpse of melancholy in her tone.

“You mean you’re waiting for Caleb Townsend.” I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. It felt good to relax after our jog. I peeled off my shoes and socks using the tips of my toes. My bare feet tingled when the warm air hit them.

Hilary chugged down the rest of her water and stood up ignoring my comment. She placed the empty glass in the sink. “I better get going. I need a shower and then I need to pick up some groceries.”

“Maybe you’ll run into Caleb?” I smiled, hoping to lighten her mood.

She rolled her eyes, there was a subtle smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

I never thought a guy with a reputation for trouble like Caleb, would catch her attention. But he did and I’ve been hearing about it from her ever since.

“I wonder if the little boy will be in your class,” Hilary said, lingering in the doorway.

“Who knows? He looked too young for kindergarten.” I hated to admit it, but a part of me hoped he wasn’t in my class. Living next door to his father, looking that amazing on moving day, would be hard enough.

She scoffed. “It’s going to be interesting watching you with all those little kids considering you’re an only child and never even had a single cousin.”

“Hey! I babysat.”

“Mh-hm, that’s exactly the same thing.” She laughed walking toward the front screen door that filled the house with a cool breeze.

“I’ll see you Saturday at Caleb’s grand opening, right?” I called out.

“Try Friday. I need your help finding the perfect dress. And I expect to have the full scoop on the new neighbors by then.”

My gaze wandered back to the window when I heard the rickety screen door slam shut.

New neighbors. That would be a change I’d have to get used to. I wondered what the family’s name was, or more precisely what the gorgeous man’s name was. He didn’t appear to be more than thirty; maybe I was overstepping assuming the little boy was his son. He could be his nephew, or even a family friend.

I looked down at my hands resting on the table, and shook my head laughing at my unrealistic, yet wishful thinking. What’s the matter with me?

After a few more minutes of enjoying the peace and quiet, I stood and walked to the sink, placing my empty glass inside. I was in desperate need of a cold shower, not just from the scorching run, but also from the sweltering image forever engraved into my mind of the new mystery man.

Chapter Two

First Impressions

I awoke to the echo of hammering seeping through my open window. Rolling to my stomach, I buried my head in the cluster of pillows and groaned. I already hated having neighbors.

Slowly the noise began to fade away and my eyes slid shut. The haze of sleep was eager to claim me once more and I was more than happy to comply when an unearthly roar filled my room terrifying me wide-awake. I leapt out of my once cozy bed whipping my head to face the window, chest heaving. The sound could only be described as a jackhammer, but what the hell would anyone need that kind of machinery for first thing in the morning?

“Ugh!” I stomped my foot, irritated, on the cold floor dragging myself out of the bedroom. My fingers ran through my disheveled hair, pulling out any knots they found as I headed down the short hall to find out what exactly was causing me to lose sleep.