Mr. H.O.A., Carina Taylor [uplifting book club books .txt] 📗

If I hadn't been driving, I would have leveled her with a stare. The tiny scratch she was talking about was the one time she drove my car and backed into the light post. Somehow it broke both taillights and dented the back hatch of my van.

Pulling into the parking lot, I stopped in front of the school, opened the doors and let the older kids out. Maya tried to make a break for it, but I bribed her into staying with me by telling her I'd take her to the park.

We drove a block down the road and turned into the county park in the center of an old, but nice neighborhood that bordered the school property.

"Yay!" Maya screamed as she headed straight for the tall metal slide in the center of the playground. It was an old playground complete with a merry-go-round, giant swings, and a chance of tetanus on a two-story tall slide. They didn't make things like they used to. It was Maya's favorite park, and I felt as though it was the key to her heart.

A car door slamming drew my attention to the house closest to the park playground. A "for sale" sign sat on the front yard. One large, black SUV sat parked in the driveway and there was a middle-aged couple climbing out of the back seat.

The driver's door opened and out stepped none other than Bartholomew Fox.

I unabashedly stared as he stood in the driveway chatting with the couple for a few minutes.

He spoke animatedly with one hand in the air—his other hand tucked into his pants pocket. Eventually he led them to the front of the house, unlocked the door, and gestured for them to go inside. Instead of following them inside, he closed the door after them and returned to his SUV, where he leaned a hip against the front fender as he scrolled through his phone.

Maya yelled, "Nola! Watch this!"

I turned to watch her go down the slide on her stomach, cackling the entire way down.

"I'm flying!" She caught a little air as she flew off the end of the slide and landed in the sand with an extra poof. "I'm doing that again!" She jumped up, hair flying everywhere as she ran around to the back of the slide.

"You're still alive."

I jumped at the deep voice behind me. I spun around and met Bane's hazel eyes. "Sorry, slide's full. You'll have to wait your turn."

The corners of his mouth turned up in a friendly smile. "I can see that. But you didn't answer my question."

"You didn't ask a question."

A chime sounded, and Bane glanced down at the phone in his hand. "Must be yours. I meant to ask how you were getting along at the apartment. I've been worried about you."

I shifted from foot to foot. "I know. I've waved at you both mornings you've driven by."

He shrugged and turned to watch Maya, who was squealing loudly, go down the slide. "I wanted to make sure you were all right. You know, there's a new apartment complex going in over in Burnside. I know it's a commute, but I wanted to let you know. They're accepting applications right now and will be available for move-in two weeks from now. I just got the word this morning."

I relaxed my arms at my side. "Thank you for telling me." Maybe he expected me to pay for that information.

"No problem. My clients have changed their criteria based on how competitive the market is here."

"What do I owe you for your services? Is this going to take the shirt off my back?" I tugged gently at the collar of my blouse, and I felt oddly satisfied when Bane's eyes widened with panic.

"It was just a friendly heads-up. I can text you the information if you'd like." He took a step back from me. "I don't want you to pay me."

Chewing the inside of my lip, I thought about it for a moment before deciding that I didn’t want to live in Burnside. I didn't like long drives—I had a tendency to fall asleep on drives that lasted longer than fifteen minutes. I would make the world’s worst commuter. All of that aside, it was nice of him to let me know about the new apartments.

I smiled, trying to put him at ease. "Okay. That’s—that’s nice of you. Commuting just isn’t my thing though. I fall asleep easy on lengthy drives."

He nodded. "Then Burnside probably isn’t the best fit for you."

"Have you found anything yet?" I asked.

He glanced back at his SUV, then shook his head. "Nothing permanent."

I had an overwhelming urge to lean forward and iron out the frown on his face. Dark circles had formed under his eyes, but he still looked handsome, even with a scowl. His scruff offset his suit. Instead of making him look more formidable, it made me want to reach out and touch his chin to see if it was soft or prickly.

"You know, it really is a shame you're not living on Cypress Avenue."

He looked at me sharply. "Why would you say that?"

I shrugged. "It's an empty home, and obviously you could use a place to stay."

"Well, so could you. You shouldn't stay in that empty building by yourself. It’s dangerous."

I half expected to see him plant his hands on his hips or start shaking a finger at me. He did neither of those things, but he did manage to look stern. And why did I have the overwhelming urge to apologize?

"I'll leave when the demo team comes. It’s just such a hassle. I’d prefer to find my own place, but if I have to, I’ll go stay at my friend’s house in Willow Loop."

Bane's frown deepened as he pulled out his phone. "At least let me text you my phone number so you can call if you need me."

Who was I to say no? I told him my number as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, seeing