The Neighbors by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Author:Hannah Mary McKinnon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2018-01-16T18:38:59+00:00

NOW

ABBY

I WAS UP well before my alarm went off, my mind racing as I pulled away the covers. It was the Tuesday after Easter. The day on which Liam said he’d call. I shuddered, not from the chill in the air—I always insisted on sleeping in what Nate called subzero temperatures—but with a frisson of excitement. I looked over at Nate and immediately felt a lorry load of guilt being dumped on top of my head, making its way down my spine, causing every hair on my body to stand on end.

I crept into the bathroom, claiming it as mine for the next forty minutes. The house had an eerie stillness about it—quite the contrast in comparison to the last few days. Paul and Lynne had left the day before. Usually I would’ve been sad to see them go, but it had brought tomorrow, today, that little bit closer.

As I showered, lathering my body with thick, rich almond and cherry blossom shower cream, I wondered if Liam would get close enough to notice the fragrance on my skin, maybe even reach out and feel how soft it was. I told myself to stop. He’d said he’d call today, not that we’d meet. And even if we did meet, it was for closure, to get our heads straight and move on.

But as I carefully applied my foundation and blush, eyeliner and mascara, each brushstroke was a whisper about whom I was doing this for. Me, I repeated to myself, I’m doing this for me. It was to make myself feel good, more confident. That way, if Liam suggested anything, I’d be able to say no.

Fingers trembling slightly, I tied my hair in one of those messy updos I’d seen in a copy of Good Housekeeping, but had never bothered to try. They always made the hairstyles look effortlessly chic, and, as I finally dared to appraise myself in the mirror, I had to admit it looked good. My mother’s genes had blessed me with a distinct lack of gray hair, and I still didn’t need to resort to dying it and touching up the roots every few weeks.

Nate wasn’t in bed when I returned to our room, and I let out a sigh. I pulled on the clothes I’d carefully laid out the night before, a black dress and a pair of matching shoes with a silver heel. It was a professional outfit that hugged my figure, but it wasn’t low cut or short enough to scream adulteress at the top of its silky lungs.

Not that I had any intention of doing anything with Liam. I couldn’t. If I got on that slippery slope again, this time I’d be whizzing down all the way to the bottom, without any opportunity of stopping or the possibility of catching my breath.

“Wow,” Nate said as I walked into the kitchen.

Sarah looked up. “Yeah. That dress really suits you, Mum.”

They sat next to each other at the breakfast table. Him with his Best Daddy

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