The New Neighbor - 1. Chapter 1

The New Neighbor

Hunter studied the large neon pink frog that sat in his small flower garden that flanked the left side of the deck he sat on enjoying his first cup of coffee. Although it was almost noon, he had only been up long enough to run through the shower while his coffee brewed. Another long night at his night club had ended with him taking two of his regulars home that lived 20 miles from his club, Hunter’s Paradise.

Shifting in the chair that matched the table he sat at, he thought he heard someone turn into the driveway next door. The cabin there had been vacant over a year and he secretly hoped it would stay that way. He stood up so that he could peer over the fence between the two properties, sighing loudly when he saw the huge moving van sitting in the drive. Shading his eyes with his hand, he saw a truck pull over in front of the house also. Suppressing a groan, he picked up his near empty cup and headed through his back door to get a refill and call his sister who was supposed to pick him up around 2 o’clock to go to the cemetery to put flowers on her late husband’s grave. He picked up his phone and clicked her number.

“I was just going to call you. Sandy has some kind of virus. I guess we’ll go to the cemetery tomorrow if that’s ok. The roses I bought should be fine, don’t you think?”

Hunter waited for his sister to finish before speaking. “Good morning to you too. Sorry about Sandy. Hope she feels better soon. As for the roses, don’t worry because I’ve got plenty in the greenhouse. The cold weather hasn’t bothered them at all this year. By the way, what’s the plan for Thanksgiving?” He knew his sister and she never waited until the last minute to arrange their holidays that they always spent together. Brie acted like he was her child also. Since the accident that claimed their parents and her husband over two years ago, she’d been in overdrive when it came to his well-being.

“I thought we might have it at your cabin if that’s ok with you. I know you like to keep the club open as long as you can for those who have nowhere to go on a holiday. How about I get everything together and cook over there? Sandy and I will spend Wednesday night at your place if that’s ok.” Brie spoke quickly as if she was scared he wouldn’t approve of her plans.

“That’s sounds great. I’ll split the cost of everything with you and it’ll be nice to have you and that hyper 4 year old in the house. It’s been a little lonely here lately. Since Ben left, the silence is unbearable at times and I go out on the deck and freeze to death rather than endure the feelings.” Hunter stopped, hating what he’d told his sister who spent too much time worrying about him as it was. “It’s all good though. Now, I’ll have something to look forward to.”

Brie spoke softly into the phone. “Hunt, you need to start dating again. Ben has been gone since a month after mom and dad’s funeral. He thought you were going to marry him as soon as the will was read. When you didn’t propose, he threw a tantrum like a child. Hell, if I’d known he was in it for the money, I’d paid him long ago to leave so you could find someone that deserves you.”

Hunter smiled at the protectiveness he heard in his sister’s voice. “I love you sis and believe you would’ve paid to get rid of him. It’s best that it happened like it did. Now I know that no matter what, he’ll never be a part of my life again. Between the club and keeping mom’s nursery running, I stay busy enough without worrying about a love life. By the way, Mark wants to buy the nursery. His offer is more than fair. That is, if you agree to sell it. I know you have your hands full with Sandy and your writing.”

“Mother always said she’d like to give Mark a part of the nursery. The timing of the accident prevented that, so I think you should sell it to him. Put the money into the club. You’ve always wanted to enlarge the sports bar side.”

Hunter murmured into the phone. “Sounds like a plan then.” He mentally thought of the nest egg he was putting away for Sandy and thinking that half the price of the nursery would feather that nest nicely. Although their parents had left him and Brie financially stable for the rest of their lives, he just liked the thought of Sandy getting something from him when he got older. After all, the child more or less shared her mom with him and he depended on their love to make it through that day sometimes.

Brie spoke quickly. “Gotta go. I hear Sandy in the bathroom again. Talk later big brother.”

Hunter clicked his phone off, hoping his young niece would get better. Dropping the phone back onto the kitchen counter, he reached for the coffee pot, the moving van next door forgotten. Eggs and bacon crossed his mind, but he didn’t feel like cooking. Taking his coffee into his large den where a roaring fire beckoned, he sat down on the couch and reached for the remote and turned on the big flat screen above the mantle. Flipping to the weather channel, he leaned forward when he heard the words blizzard and ice. That wasn’t good. He had to open the bar tonight because Tony and his boyfriend were going to a concert that they’d had tickets for over 6 months. He listened intently to the forecast, hoping that worst of it would hold off until the next morning.

****

Several hours later, Hunter pulled on his leather jacket over his black polo that had his bar’s logo and black jeans that fit like a glove. Sliding his sock clad feet into the black boots by his front door, he opened the door, and gasping when small pellets of ice blew across the front porch, hitting him in the face. It was going to be a long night. Daylight was fading as he ran toward his truck, but a small voice stopped him dead in his tracks, snow covering his leather jacket as he turned toward the sound.

“Hey mister. Look at my new sneakers that Uncle Dan bought me for my birthday.”

Hunter squinted at the small child standing in the snow, holding a balloon that had ‘Happy Birthday” written on it. He could see the sneakers on the child’s feet blink in the dusk, the little lights getting covered in snow as the white stuff began to come down like a blinding white curtain. Hunter knew he couldn’t leave the child standing in his yard. Obviously, he belonged to his new neighbors. Sighing, he started toward the child and when he reached him scooped him up in his arms and asked, “Are you my new neighbor?”