The Neighbor #2 (The Neighbor Romance Series - Book #2) Read online

  “There is one thing that is really bothering me,” Kelly said and I panicked because I thought she was going to start lecturing me about morality and shit.

  “What?” I asked. The tone of my voice was defensive.

  “Your damn phone won’t stop buzzing. In these small quarters, I will not be able to sleep unless you shut the thing up. Aren’t you afraid it’s an emergency because someone is trying to get in touch with you?”

  “I am sure it’s Ryder, my professor. I am just not ready to speak with him yet.”

  “Um Jenna. Why don’t you simply turn your phone off or block him?”

  “It is a little comforting knowing he is there,” I said shyly. I wished I had a better excuse.

  “At least look at what the guy has to say.” Kelly shoved a cookie in her mouth. I grabbed a container of double chocolate frosting and picked up my phone.

  “Jenna. Can I grab you a spoon.”

  “I prefer my fingers but thanks.”

  I ran through the list of texts that I had received from Ryder.

  Talk?

  Call me

  Sorry. I had no idea

  Miss u

  Call me

  Call me

  Call me

  I had no idea

  Miss u. Call me

  I counted 75 messages from Ryder. There were a couple from Max too.

  “Kelly, I have a new favorite food. This frosting is freaking superb. Do you happen to have some in vanilla?”

  “I have French vanilla.”

  “Perfect.” I sucked the white stuff off my fingers and dirty thoughts popped into my mind. It reminded me of Ryder. Everything reminded me of him. I had to stop thinking about him…and stop having dirty thoughts.

  I decided to nap for a couple of hours and then call Sayler. She would be able to provide some much-needed advice. I slept hugging a container of frosting. I kept my phone in my back pocket. In some way, it made me feel close to Ryder as it continued to buzz.

  ****

  “Hey Jenna,” Sayler answered.

  I was calling to find out what to do. I couldn’t call Max. He was busy preparing for his directorial debut.

  “What is the crisis? Today was your first day of class. Have you been kicked out already?”

  “Not exactly.” My voice was quivering.

  “Are you okay? If someone hurt you, I will drive up there and kick his ass. He will wish he was never born,” Sayler said. She was beyond agitated.

  “Calm down Sayler. I have a story to tell that you are not going to believe. Do you have a minute or perhaps ninety?” I asked.

  It was great to hear my friend’s voice. Kelly had gone out for a few hours, which gave me time to chat. I propped my phone up and put it on speaker. With my frosting in hand, I was ready for girl talk. I filled Sayler in. I started with the moment I realized Ryder was my Sex Ed Professor and continued until I reached the present. Sixty minutes later. My throat was parched.

  “I thought it was a good story before. Now it’s outrageous. Who knows, maybe you will have some fore play with Ryder in the future.” Sayler started laughing uncontrollably. “I can’t believe it has taken me so long to say that. Get it Jenna – F-O-R-E play.”

  An uncomfortable laugh came from my mouth.

  “I get it Sayler. It all makes sense now. The books in his house were not boxes misplaced by the movers. Sex is his business. Safe sex is his business, which makes it a bit odd. Do you agree?” I asked.

  “Well Jenna, this whole thing is bizarre. First, he ends up living next-door to your mother. Next, you find out he is thirty-three when you figure he is closer to twenty-five. Now he is your Sex Ed professor. Didn’t you discuss what he did for a living?”

  “I was...I don’t know. I guess it didn’t matter to me at the time. I had my head in the clouds and then I was embarrassed that he wanted nothing to do with me. I still don’t know what that is about. I thought he inherited his wealth or rather I didn’t care.”

  “I have to ask this Jenna.” Sayler was quiet for a moment.

  “What?” I wondered what the hell she was thinking.

  “Do you think Ryder is a woman?”

  “Oh god! I would know if I blew a chick. I studied his anatomy very carefully. I would have known if had been altered or one of those strap on things.”

  “Speaking of those strap on things, my Aunt Jean has one that she uses with her wife. It is how Uncle Jim knew his wife was having an affair with a woman. Now she is happily out of the closet. Turns out, he is gay too. He is with a guy who is transitioning into a woman so I guess he is a gay man in transition to being a straight man. Jim and Jean have two kids who are still deciding what they are.” Sayler stopped to take a sip of water.

  “Shut up Sayler. This is about Ryder. I will listen to your twisted family tree another time. He has very detailed books although he teaches abstinence. He is like the campus sex police. All freshman are required to hear him preach about the possible dangers of sex. All the time he is getting a blowjob from an underclassman. It presents quite the conundrum.”

  “Come on Jenna. Don’t use words like Condomdrum. One day of college and I have to pull out my Webster’s Dictionary to understand you.”

  “You don’t own a dictionary. And it’s not condomdrum but it should be a word. I like it.”

  We were both laughing which is just what I needed. While I was on the phone, the texts kept coming although I ignored them. I was flattered by the consistency and increased urgency of his messages.

  That sealed it for me. Ryder was getting under my skin.

  “Is there anything else before I let you go dream of Ryder?” Sayler asked.

  “I guess not. I doubt I will sleep at all. I’m too worried about getting kicked out of school. I pretend college is no big deal. But it is Sayler. It’s a very big deal. I am going for a walk.”

  “That’s a stupid idea. It’s dark and you are on a college campus,” Sayler warned.

  “I took self-defense in high school. I took it with you. We kicked ass,” I said as I was putting on my sneakers. I put my hair back in a ponytail and threw on a cap.

  “Okay, I am going to call you in thirty minutes. Answer the phone or I’m sending in the posse.”

  “Will do Sayler. Thanks for listening and making me laugh. Love you.”

  “Love you Jenna. Talk to you in thirty.”

  ****

  I walked out of Leach Hall through the commons. I planned to head to the Campus Center and do some people watching. I was thinking about Ryder. What would I do if I had to choose between Ryder and continuing at South Carolina? It had not gotten that far yet. Maybe Ryder just wanted to end things civilly. We would part ways. I would continue to be a student and he could keep teaching Sex Ed. In the back of mind I knew it would not happen quite like that.

  I passed by a lot of students who were jazzed up on caffeine and others who were high on other things. I ran into a familiar face from class though and the last thing I wanted to do was talk.

  “You are the girl from freshman Sex Ed.” The girl with the spastic head and her friend were looking at me. I had nothing to say. There was an awkward silence as the duo stared at me quizzically.

  “Yes I am a freshman Sex Ed student, along with over a thousand other people. I hope you were able to find the dining hall,” I said.

  “My dorm is right next to the dining hall. I can get there blindfolded,” The girl with another equally messy ponytail said. She threw her hands on her hips. I wondered if the girl was gas lighting me or perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me.

  “Oh, I must have you confused with someone else,” I said, although I was sure she had asked me for directions.

  “The first day of school can get crazy. I am Rozi and this is my friend Rosemary.” I looked at them and I knew it was my turn to react. I extended my hand.

  “I’m Jenna Walsh. I certainly remember seeing you in the front row Rosemary.” I smiled.

  “That was me. How d
o you like the professor?”

  Awkward.

  “He is one of my younger professors. I suppose he is fine so far. It was nice meeting you both. I have to run and meet someone. I will see you in class.” I started to walk away.

  “Wait Jenna. I thought you mentioned to your friend that you knew Professor Curran?” Rozi asked.

  “Now I think you are crazy. I never would have said that because I do not know Ryder. If you heard me commenting to my friend, you must have just misunderstood. We were talking about my father and his name is Ryder. I was telling my friend that I blew by him on the highway on the way to school,” I lied.

  Great! I had made up a story about my dead father and gave him a new name. Good job Jenna.

  “I guess I will see you in class Jenna,” Rozi said, as the two girls scattered away like palmetto bugs when the lights turned on.

  That was too close for comfort. Being kicked out of school was not in my life plan. I didn’t have a plan really but more of a general idea and college was a part of it.

  I was in a new environment and I needed a change. Earlier I had passed by a hair salon in the Campus Center building. A shampoo and a pedicure were what I needed. My ass was still buzzing with messages, presumably from Ryder. My resolve was wearing down and I was tempted to return his messages. I needed something to take my mind off matters. But with no distraction in sight I peeked at my phone.

  Can’t sleep. Call me!

  Call me – any time

  We need to talk. Didn’t know

  Miss u

  Pls Jenna

  Now he misses me. He probably wants to make sure I didn’t tell anyone. Too late.

  There were twenty more messages. The salon was closed. I was so amped up on sugar and I needed to do something. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a barber pole. I figured I had nothing to lose so I sashayed over to the shop, which was open. Two college-aged students were laid back in chairs waiting for customers. A man getting ready for ROTC or he just liked his hair very short sat in one of the seats. Piled in his lap were ringlets of black hair. I walked through the door, which activated a bell.

  “Hey, can I help you with something” A man sprang up with clippers in his hand.

  “Hello. You give haircuts here right?”

  I removed my baseball cap and released my locks. My hair felt longer than I remembered from hours before. I remembered how Ryder’s fingers were tangled in it.

  “There is a woman’s salon not far from here. They are closed now but they will open up tomorrow at 9 AM. I think you will find the place more suitable. To be honest, I am new to this barber deal. It is a work study gig.” As he spoke, he clicked on and off the clippers. The sound was unsettling.

  “I am in the right place. You can practice. Are you game?” I asked.

  “Hop on.” He brushed off the chair and patted the seat. The other barbers started paying attention. The other customer with his hair only half finished raised his hand.

  “Wait a sec dude. I gotta see this,” he said.

  “Okay mam. My name is Ryder by the way. What do you want exactly?” he asked.

  What a day. Of course, he would be named Ryder.

  “Not really sure. Shortish or shorter. Use your imagination. I am accustomed to bringing in a page torn out of a fashion magazine. I am trying to forget someone. Have you ever heard the expression? I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair. I am trying to cut him out,” I said.

  “Cool. I want a chick to do that in my honor someday. It’s a little sexy. Not to be inappropriate or anything.” Ryder the barber was suddenly interested.

  “This is good shit. Can I film this?” the other barber chimed in.

  “I would rather you not. I already have a friend who is an aspiring director. He gets first dibs on anything I do.” I laughed as I thought of Max.

  Ryder the barber started spraying my hair with the water bottle.

  “It is easier to cut hair when it is wet. That is what I heard. You are a special customer so I want to get this right.”

  He started running his fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes and thought for a moment that it was my Ryder. I opened my eyes and I remembered where I was. My reflection in the mirror with the black cape draped over my shoulders made me nervous. Ryder the barber ran his comb the length of my hair, which came just below my shoulders.

  “Let’s get this party started Ryder,” I said.

  He placed the steel blades against my chin. It was an oddly erotic feeling or it would have been if the right person was holding the sheers.

  “No,” I said and Ryder the barber jerked away the scissors.

  “Are you having second thoughts Jenna?”

  “I want you to start with the clippers. Go up from the back of my neck. Just leave a little in the front.”

  I closed my eyes. Ryder the barber was breathing heavily. His breath smelled of coffee and the burrito that lay half eaten nearby. He started the clipper, which began to hum.

  My phone rang and Ryder the barber stepped away. When I saw it was Sayler I thumbed the answer button.

  “Poor timing Sayler. I am at the hair salon…barbershop. Out with the old and in with the new.”

  “Jenna. Are you drunk?” Sayler screamed into the phone.

  “No. I am as sober as a judge. I am on a bit of a sugar high but my wits are about me. I have come across a guy who is going to give me a drastic new look. His name is Ryder. What are the chances? I’m in good hands.”

  “You aren’t thinking clearly Jenna. I don’t care how the hell you look but you care. I remember when I convinced you to cut your beautiful long hair before. The first hunk of hair that fell to the ground was traumatizing. As your tresses fell you got upset. If you still want to do this tomorrow. I will drive up and do it with you. Please wait until tomorrow Jenna.”

  I thought for a moment as I sat looking in the mirror. I had a moment of clarity.

  “You seem like a nice guy. I am going to put my sheering on hold. If I decide to go through with this I will definitely look you up.” Ryder the barber looked crestfallen as he removed my black cape.

  “You will know where to find me Jenna. Whoever you are trying to cut out, is a pretty eff’n lucky person.”

  I grinned. “Thanks.”

  I climbed out of the chair with my phone still pressed against my ear. She had heard the decision to postpone my haircut.

  “Okay I’m back,” I told her.

  “Thank god you didn’t do it. I am the first one to act on impulse but I’m glad you decided wisely. Just sleep it off. Ryder Curran can wait until tomorrow. I will call you in the morning.” Sayler disconnected and I walked back to my room.

  The buzzing had stopped. Ryder must have fallen asleep. I imagined him snuggled beneath the blankets. The place I had been not long ago. I wanted to be lying next to him as much as I knew it wasn’t right. I went to sleep to the cadence of Kelly’s snoring.

  Chapter Three

  Leach Hall was quiet at 6 AM and Kelly was still sleeping a couple of yards from me. It was going to take time getting used to sleeping with another person in the room. I had slept in the room with my parents a few times when I was young. I had slept in the same bed with Sayler and with some other girls at summer camp. Of course, there was one other person I had slept in the same room with and that was Ryder. All roads in my mind still led back to Ryder.

  Kelly and I had managed to merge our styles, which were both eclectic. Somehow, together they blended nicely. I was beach bohemian, whatever that meant. Kelly was Midwestern cosmopolitan, which was equally as obscure. It showed that we were both trying to figure out who we were and who we wanted to become.

  It was apparent that we slept differently. She snored and I did not. I expected a farm girl who would rise at dawn like myself. She showed no signs of movement at six. I wore a nightshirt when it was appropriate and I preferred to sleep naked. From beneath Kelly’s mountain of blankets peaked giant cow slippers and red plaid pajamas.
She was showing a hint of the farm girl I had expected.

  My bed was low to the ground and Kelly’s was close to the ceiling. We didn’t have bunk beds but decided to use our space differently. Her desk was underneath her bed and mine was at the foot of my bed.

  I thought of Ryder’s spacious bedroom. Two of my dorm rooms would fit into his place.

  I had brought a rug. My mom picked it up at a garage sale. Who knows what type of bodily fluids were on the thing but it was cute. A beige Berber covered in seahorses. If I ever had trouble sleeping, it would provide an alternative to counting sheep.

  Smell was the most difficult thing to get used to. I realized that scent was subjective. If Kelly favored patchouli or something else I didn’t care for, I could deal. The odor was of the personal nature. Sweet Kelly had dragon breath. I had never sniffed a dragon’s breath but I imagined it would be similar. It smelled like dog shit and this I had smelled. I knew I had to address Kelly about it at some point. I asked the advice of others and searched online. Sayler said, “Tell Her.” She was blunt and I was not. I tried the passive approach, left out mouthwash, and offered her mints and gum. I resorted to bobbing and weaving to avoid a direct hit. Oh well, it took my mind off Ryder for a moment. It didn’t work for long because I started to wonder how he would handle the situation.

  “Housing didn’t ask me if I wanted to room with an early riser.” Kelly stretched and yawned. Her open mouth filled the entire room with her odor. It would have filled a space half the size.

  “I got in to the habit. Soccer practice at school took place before classes. My classes begin at 8 AM so I hope you can adjust. I will try to be quiet,” I said

  “I will get some of those night shades like they give you on the airplane. My parents fly a lot so they can hook me up. Where did you go last night? It’s none of my business but I was worried. You were bent out of shape after that Sex Ed professor thing.”

  “It is a long story Kelly. It’s all good and I feel better after a solid night sleep.”

  I tugged my ponytail to assure that it was still there. I was relieved but thought the experience of almost doing something spontaneous exciting.