Page 12 of Don't Fall For Your Grumpy Neighbor

I shake my head. “Keep trying. Maybe one day Cal will let you name one.”

“You’re just afraid I’ll top your Kunt Kicker IPA name.”

I laugh as I make my way up the stairs. “Nobody could ever top that beer,” I say, now it’s my turn to feel like a proud papa for crafting our best selling beer.

Chapter 9

Felicity

Shepherd is an asshole.

He sits on his porch like nothing happened, when in fact something life-changing happened. He’s angry and he has no right to be. He left and didn’t come back. I waited. I waited for months. No call, no text, no contact. Nada.

That night meant nothing to him, yet it meant so much to me. Now he’s back and he’s the same grump he was before. I thought that night together had made him see things differently, but I was wrong.

“Felicity, why do you even bother going over to talk to him? You’re going to upset yourself and that’s not good for you,” Karl says.

I run my fingers through my hair and sigh. “Please go home, Karl.”

“You need me,” he says, stepping closer.

“No, I don’t. I need a little peace and quiet. Please, just go.”

I lift my eyes to his and I hate that he’s standing in front of me. It’s not who I want standing in front of me, yet here he is.

“How about I go get you some of that cheesecake you can’t seem to get enough of?”

“Fine,” I say, sitting down on the couch.

At this point, I’m willing just to have a little time alone.

“I’m going to take care of you, Felicity. Both of you.” He kisses my forehead and walks out the door.

I close my eyes, dropping my face into my hands. I don’t need him to take care of me. I’ve told him countless times. He saw me buying the pregnancy test and he’s been a leech ever since. He hasn’t asked if it’s his and I think it’s because he knows the answer.

You don’t need to be a math genius to figure it out.

I found out two months ago and that brings us right back to Christmas. Yep, Shepherd didn’t just give me a night to remember.

When I saw the positive test there was a moment, however fleeting, that I believed he would accept me and the baby. I imagined a life together.

But the longer it went without any contact, the more I realized it was just a foolish fantasy.

I’m an independent woman who makes a good living. I don’t need anyone to help me. It doesn’t mean I don’t want it.

The thing is, I want it with someone who doesn’t want me. There’s no way he’d want us both.

Karl thinks he’s going to step in and take charge. It seems he’s forgotten that he left me waiting at the altar. He acts as if nothing happened and I can’t do it. I told him I could try being friends for the sake of our history, but that’s all it will ever be. I no longer have feelings for him. I’m no longer attracted to him. I no longer love him. I’ve told him this and still he thinks he needs to constantly be here.

It’s nice and it’s annoying. I’d rather have my space and deal with my feelings in private. It seems every time I’m about to lose it, he knocks on the door. It just pisses me off even more.

I get up and look out the window and see Shepherd sitting there drinking his disgusting coffee. He doesn’t have a care in the world other than being the grumpiest neighbor there ever was.

“I don’t understand how you can even let him into your house. Have you forgotten what he did to you?” Emmie asks, standing in front of my desk.

“I haven’t forgotten anything. It doesn’t mean anything. He thinks I need help around the house since he up and left,” I lie.

No one knows I’m pregnant. No one but Karl and my mom. I’m not ready to tell everyone just yet. I’m not ready for the questions that I don’t have answers to. I’m not ready to tell everyone that I had a one-night stand with my neighbor and got pregnant. I’m not ready for the rumors and whispers. Small town and all.