The Neighbor Wars by Jenna Gunn

Author:Jenna Gunn [Gunn, Jenna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jenna Gunn
Published: 2020-07-21T16:00:00+00:00

16

I don’t know why I was worried about being late.

I pull up to the dress store five minutes early. It’s a nondescript brick building with a slate-colored roof, sitting in a strip mall with other businesses that I’m sure benefit from weddings - a spa, a salon, a flower shop, a restaurant with a sign proudly proclaiming that it offers catering - and some completely random ones, like a hardware store and a holistic pet shop.

Right away, I spot Raina’s car in the parking lot; I park in the empty space beside it and head toward the store. Its double glass doors are sandwiched between huge windows that display mannequins in wedding dresses.

The bell above the door hasn’t ended its jingling when I hear Raina squeal “Trisha!” and she’s rushing toward me.

While Raina catches me in her organ-smushing vice grip that she calls a hug, I look around the store and stifle a grimace. Of course Raina would pick a store like this. Its walls are painted a Pepto-Bismol shade of pink when you can see them at all above the shelves stuffed with poofy white dresses. All the seating is old-fashioned upholstery - the chair Raina just left is a vintage wooden armchair with a button-tufted back, and covered with cream-colored brocade with gold details. Every single decoration has something to do with white roses. It’s like walking inside a little girl’s fairy-tale bedroom.

“Hey,” I say uncertainly, glancing toward the little group sitting on similar fancy chairs. Raina grabs my hand and tugs me over to them.

“I’m so glad you’re here! These are the rest of my bridesmaids.” Raina bounces next to me as she pulls me over. She’s ninety pounds soaking wet, but damn if she isn’t strong when she’s excited.

It’s a small group - there’s only five of us, including Raina.

“This is Alyssa,” Raina gushes, indicating one of the women. “She’s Alex’s twin sister. She owns a bakery here in Charleston!”

“Hi,” I say uncertainly. She tucks a strand of brown hair behind her ear and smiles at me.

“Good to finally meet you,” Alyssa says.

I nod. Raina introduces me to Steph, the wife of one of Alex’s work buddies, and then turns to the last member of our little group - an older woman, maybe in her 60s. She’s holding a mimosa, and it’s not clear where she got it.

The older woman holds out her hand for me to shake. “My name’s Linda Logan, but most people call me Lynn or Lindy.”

I shake her hand dumbly. Oh, no.

“She and Mr. Jimmy are my next-door neighbors,” Raina sais brightly.

Jimmy and Linda Logan are Perry’s parents.

“You’re Raina’s vet, right?” Lynn asks. She takes a sip of her mysterious mimosa. “You must know my son, Perry. He just moved down there...oh, maybe a month or so ago?”

I freeze. Words fail me. What am I supposed to say? Lovely to meet you; yes, I know your son, I actually just came from having sex with him?

“I chipped Apple for him,” I blurt out.

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