The Promise (Neighbor from Hell, #10)(82)

“He really did,” Kasey murmured in agreement.

“Who is she?” Reed finally asked the question that he’d been wondering for several months now.

“Kristen Haven,” Kenzie said with a sigh. “She grew up across the street from us.”

“That’s not Kristen,” Danny said, shaking his head only to frown when he took in the small woman currently hurling another book at his brother’s head.

“It can’t be Kristen,” Lucifer said, but the look on his face told him that he wasn’t exactly sure.

“Who’s Kristen?” Rebecca asked from where she sat with the rest of the Bradford wives on the large picnic table that they normally liked to use to yell catcalls and ogle their husbands when they were working on Garrett’s house.

“Just some girl that used to live across the street from us. She was a quiet little thing, a bookworm that kept to herself. Garrett used to feel bad for her and would go out of his way to make sure the other kids left her alone,” Arik said with a shrug.

“And who grew up to become K.L. Haven,” Kenzie announced with a devious grin as all the women in their group suddenly went still.

“Who’s K.L. Haven?” Aaron asked as he shot Garrett a sympathetic wince when the woman in question aimed for his balls.

“That’s K.L. Haven?”

“The one and only,” Kenzie said before adding, “And she wrote about Garrett,” just as one of the books landed in front of them.

There was a slight pause and then…

Reed was picking up his wife as Jackson reached past them and grabbed Shawn before all hell broke loose as every Bradford male within twenty feet did whatever it took to get his hands on that book.

“But the pretty,” Joey mumbled with a sniffle that had him sighing as he carried her back to the safety of their house.

“Not happening,” he said as something occurred to him.

Where the hell did Jen go?

---

“Where the hell is it?” Matt bit out, shoving the stack of papers that he’d been meaning to go through aside and-

“What are you looking for?” one of his family’s guest that had wondered into his shop asked.

“Shop’s closed,” he said, shifting his attention to his desk and began shoving empty take-out boxes and wrappers out of the way as he searched for-

“Is this what you’re looking for?” that same someone that should have left asked as the order slip that he’d wasted the last hour for was held in front of his face.

“Thanks,” Matt said, dropping the bag of old McDonald’s wrappers on the floor and grabbed the slip.

“You’re welcome,” his brother’s wayward guest said as Matt glanced down at the slip in his hands and swore when he realized that he’d ordered the wrong wood.

Shit!

“Who are you?” Matt asked, tossing the slip aside and started searching for the purchase order that he was going to need in order to return the wood for full credit.

“Most likely the reason that Principal Bradford drinks,” she said, sounding proud and drawing his attention to find the prettiest green eyes that he’d ever seen watching him.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said, taking in jet black hair, soft curves, and noted that she was probably shorter than Joey, and definitely wasn’t legal.

Interest immediately lost, he focused back on finding that purchase order.

“Not here,” she said, glancing around the shop that nine generations of Bradfords had worked in.

“Yet, you’re still here,” he said, picking up a receipt only to toss it aside when he saw that it was from two years ago.

“Trying to figure out my next move,” she said, dragging the trash barrel that he should probably start using closer and started tossing the trash that had taken over his shop, away.

“And you need to do that here?” he asked, tossing another old receipt aside.

“Well, I was waiting for my uncle out front, but when I spotted the guy next door getting books thrown at him, I decided to check out the backyard,” she said, making his lips twitch.

Seemed like their mystery neighbor was still making his cousin’s life a living hell. He should probably look into that, he mused only to frown when his unwanted guest found the broom that he’d thought he’d lost and began sweeping up the piles of sawdust that covered the floor.

“What are you doing?” he couldn’t help but wonder.

“Cleaning.”

“Why?”

“Because it needs it.”

“I see,” he said, noting the large angry man standing in his doorway.

“Does she belong to you?” Matt asked, gesturing to the small pain in the ass shifting her attention to the mess lining his work area.

“Unfortunately,” he said before shifting his attention to the mystery girl. “Are you ready, Jen?”

“Not really,” she said, somehow managing to find the quarter-inch drill bit that he’d been looking for.

“Let’s go, Jen.”

“Fine,” she said, sighing as she handed the broom back to him and headed for the door and-

“I’ll be back tomorrow after two.”

“For what?”

“For work,” she said, heading out the door and leaving him standing there wondering what the hell just happened.