Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(48)

“Oh, not much.” Arthur sighed. “New Year’s Eve was interesting.”

Dakota stiffened. “What happened?”

Arthur hooked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the shared wall between the two units in the property. “He had a party.”

“Shit,” Dakota grumbled. “Sorry. I’ll go over and give him a warning. I know this sounds bad, but I hope he does it again. Then I can kick him out.”

“I wouldn’t complain. Especially if you found a nice old gal who needed a man around to keep her company.” Arthur snapped one of the straps on his suspenders, wagging his eyebrows.

Dakota and I both laughed. “I’ll make sure to include it in the ad.”

“Good.” Arthur reached into the drawer on the side table next to the recliner and pulled out a checkbook and pen. Then with careful precision, he wrote Dakota a check. “I can mail these. Save you a trip. I know you’re busy.”

“Not too busy to visit.” Dakota stood and crossed the small room, taking the check from Arthur. “I wish we could stay longer, but I’ve got to work this afternoon. The roads were slow on our way up.”

“Go. Don’t let me keep you. Next time, maybe we’ll fit in a quick game.” Arthur nodded to the chessboard set up on the dining room table off the living room.

“I’d like that.” Dakota shook Arthur’s hand, pulling him up from the recliner.

“Will I see you again?” Arthur asked me as he followed us to the door.

“I’m afraid not.” I gave him a sad smile. “I live in New York. I’m just tagging along with Dakota for a few days.”

One more day to be exact. Thea and Logan were due back tomorrow. The thought of leaving so soon made my stomach twist.

“Well, it was nice to meet you, even for a brief moment. And thank you for delivering my groceries.” He held out his hand, his fingers shaking a little. He was too far away from me so I stepped up and took his hand.

“Call if you need anything at all,” Dakota said.

“I will.”

With that, Dakota opened the front door and waved me outside. Then he shut it behind him and handed me the keys to his truck. “I need to go over to the other unit.”

“Okay.” I took the keys then started down the sidewalk as Dakota stepped into the snowy yard and went to the other unit.

The vibrations from his fist pounding on the front door echoed down the street.

A few seconds later, the door whipped open and a tall, thin man in jeans and a dirty white T-shirt jerked up his chin at Dakota. I couldn’t hear everything Dakota said, but as I shuffled to the truck, I glanced over my shoulder and saw the other man’s face twisted in an angry scowl.

His eyes darted my way just as I reached the truck. He was staring at my ass as he asked Dakota, “Who’s your lady?”

Dakota ignored the question, turning and leaving the man on the stoop alone. But not without one last warning. “Keep it down. Or you’re out.”

The man shrugged, his eyes still raking over my legs, giving me the creeps.

I yanked the door open, getting in as quickly as possible. When I was closed in, I shuddered, wanting another shower.

Dakota wasn’t far behind me, throwing his door open and getting into the driver’s seat. “Fucking asshole. I need to kick his ass out.”

Dakota pulled away from the curb, navigating us down the quiet neighborhood street with homes similar to his property. Three houses down, two kids were attempting to build a snowman. Another three down, a dad was outside pulling his little one in a blue sled.

His creeper renter did not belong here.

“Was he always like that? Even when he moved in?”

“Yep.” He sighed. “That place was a mess when I bought it. The guy selling it wanted out of it bad so he slashed the price as long as I let his friend stay in that unit. I agreed because I wanted the deal. But now I wish I had kicked him out or found someplace else to buy. He’s been nothing but a headache for the last six months. Every time I come up here it’s something.”

“And you can’t evict him?”

“I can. I should have already. But now I’ve waited too long. Montana has some pretty strict regulations about evicting someone in the winter months. Since he pays his rent, I doubt I’ll be able to get him out until spring. And I need the money. I can’t have a property sitting empty all winter, because no one wants to move in the snow.”

“Sorry.” Being a landlord sounded, well, awful. Unless you had only nice tenants.

“Lesson learned.”

“What’s Arthur’s story?” I asked.

“He’s a great guy. He doesn’t have family close, so I come up about every week or ten days and bring him junk food since he’s homebound.”

“Why’s he homebound?”

“He’s blind.”

My mouth fell open. “What? No way.”

Arthur had navigated his house without using a cane. He hadn’t touched the walls for guidance or to get his bearings. He’d walked right up to his chair, sitting without feeling for it first. Though that did explain the sunglasses.

Dakota nodded. “He’s been blind since Vietnam.”

“Wow. It’s really kind of you to bring him groceries.”