I point at the house behind him. “Dipshit one, dipshit two, and dipshit three decided to welcome me to the neighborhood.”
His jaw tightens. “You’ve met my brothers?”
So, he is related to the asshats next door. Dammit, I was hoping he wasn’t.
“Yep.” I move to leave. “It was nice meeting you …” I realize I don’t know his name.
Gripping the top of the fence, he easily hoists himself over it. Then he walks toward me with his hand outstretched. “I’m Rhyland, and I really want to apologize for whatever my brothers did or said to you.”
Still wary of him, I don’t shake his hand. “It’s fine. You didn’t do it.”
“Yeah, but they’re my brothers.” He sighs loudly. “And we’re supposed to watch out for each other and make sure we don’t do anything stupid. But I’ve been distracted lately and haven’t been doing a very good job.”
I feel a bit of empathy for him. “I get that. I really do. I have three younger sisters and my dad …” I clear my throat. The last thing I need is to tell a stranger about my dad. “Anyway, it’s sort of my job to keep an eye on them and make sure they stay out of trouble. I fail, though, a lot.”
He watches me with interest. “I doubt that. I’m sure you’re just being too hard on yourself.”
“Tell that to the countless times I’ve had to pick one of them up from jail or bail them out of a bad situation.” I shake my head. I can’t be telling him this sort of stuff, not with Blaise being his brother. “But anyway, it was nice meeting you …” Shit, I forgot his name.
Dammit, I need to start getting better sleep.
A smile graces his lips. “Rhyland.”
“Right, Rhyland.” I roll my eyes at myself. “It was really nice meeting you, Rhyland.”
“It wasreallynice meeting you, too.” He catches my gaze. “I’d really like to know your name, though.”
I almost don’t want to give it to him, but I figure he’ll probably learn it soon anyway. “It’s Hadley.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Hadley.” He smiles while offering me his hand to shake again.
Instead of shaking it, I tap my knuckles against his, because hand shaking is weird.
He chuckles, but then he frowns when his gaze lands on my car. “Let me buy some new tires for you. It’s the least I can do to make up for what my brothers did.”
What I wouldn’t give to be able to accept that offer, but my pride gets the best of me.
“No, thank you. I can take care of it.”
“Please,” he practically begs. “I really want to.”
I’m about to decline again when my dad’s truck pulls into the driveway.
“Oh, look, he finally found his way here,” Bailey mumbles with irritation.
I turn toward Rhyland, preparing to say goodbye so I can take care of the endless list of stuff I need to do, but he’s already over the fence and heading toward his house.
So much for being friendly.
My guard goes up as I watch him walk away, wondering if his nice guy, gentleman act might have been just that—an act.
“All right, who’s ready to see the new house?” my dad announces as he gets out of the truck.
He’s cleaned up a bit since I last saw him. Or, well, at least changed his clothes, which is considered cleaned up for him.
“Where the hell have you been?” I demand as I stride toward him.
Between having to break in last night to waking up to dealing with our new neighbors, I’m feeling a bit testy. And his blasé attitude about ditching us last night is only adding fuel to the wildfire.