I had a feeling the only person who would kick up a fuss was her.
“Yeah. I’ll, uh, keep that in mind.”
I stumbled up the porch steps and shoved into the house. Nicole rushed to my side, locking the door behind me as Lily sat at the table. She was playing with her dolls and talking about how much pizza she was going to eat, and I was glad she was distracted.
I was still very unsettled by my neighbor’s intrusion.
“Okay, I love you. So I’m going to say this with all my heart. You need a damn security system up in the place, girl.”
“You gonna pay for it?” I asked.
“You need to protect yourself and your daughter. Look, I know you guys have only been back in town for a couple of months, but that woman isn’t right. She’s way too nosey for her own good. No wonder she’s had so many divorces. They probably couldn’t shut her up.”
I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to argue about the security system in front of Lily. She didn’t need to hear anything that would cause her worry.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” I said, sighing.
“Why don’t you keep pursuing your bed and breakfast plans?” Nicole asked.
“Been a bit preoccupied lately,” I said.
“You know you can do it, even on your own. Right?”
“I honestly don’t know. Maybe, one day I will try again. But right now, there are more immediate things that need to be tended to.”
“Like?”
“Bills, Nicole. Those things I have to pay on a monthly basis.”
“Bradley would’ve wanted you to—”
I took a peek at Lily to make sure she wasn’t hearing our conversation by the front door.
“He always encouraged you to be independent. He loved that fire about you. Seeing you chained to a job you hated would break him inside,” Nicole said.
“He also understood a sense of duty and a need to provide for his family, Nikki. I’ve got to dig myself out from underneath this mortgage before I essentially take on another one for a bed and breakfast. It’s just going to take time.”
“But how much time? No offense, but we’re not getting any younger babe,” Nicole said.
“The point is, I’m working on it. Slowly, but it’s happening.”
Knowing that arguing with me was futile, Nicole switched tactics. “You should get the guy next door to give your nosey neighbor a stern talking to.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“While you were gone, a new guy moved in next door. I came by to check him out for you. Make sure he was all right.”
“You came over to see if he was sexy enough for you to waste your time on,” I said with a grin.
“That too. And by the way? It’s hard to see behind all that hair of his. He’s gruff and rugged. Got a beard and all that shit.”
“God forbid a man have body hair.”
“Body hair. Not facial hair. Clean that shit up. He could be a serial killer,” she said.
“Nicole. Lily’s at the table,” I said.