Boy Next Door (Parkside Avenue Book #2) by Lyon Raquel

Author:Lyon, Raquel [Lyon, Raquel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

I stopped on the doorstep of number twenty-one, smoothed my unruly fringe from my eyes, and cupped my hand over my mouth to check my breath. I hoped Cora liked eau de banana. At least, I’d had a sandwich, and not my usual pizza, for lunch. Banana was preferable to stale garlic.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked.

The door opened, and Nessie glowered through the crack. “Oh, it’s you. Tired of mornings, are we? Didn’t want to pop in again at sunrise and assault my mother again?”

Assault her? “Excuse me?”

“She told me.”

What the fuck had Cora said? “Told you what?”

“About your dawn visit. The urgent business that couldn’t wait. The business that was so important you seem to have forgotten about it. What’s that fucking urgent about gardening? Please enlighten me, because I haven’t the first clue.”

“Oh, that. Your mother didn’t tell you?”

“She said I wouldn’t be interested, but believe me, I am. So, come on, spill.”

Kendrick’s talent for lying would have been handy at that moment, unfortunately, I wasn’t as gifted. “I’m sure if Cora wanted you to know she would have told you.”

“Look. I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but something is, and I don’t like it. Things have changed around here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mum’s not Mum. She wanders around like she’s not even here. The house is a mess, I have to make my own meals, and she isn’t interrogating my every move. It’s not normal.” She angled her head and narrowed her eyes. “Are you fucking her?”

My eyebrows shot up at her candour, and I almost choked on my own spit. “No!” Not yet. “I can’t believe you asked that. Look. Can I come in or not? I need to talk to her.”

Nessie chewed over my request, before shouting, “Mum. You have a visitor.” She left the door ajar and disappeared from view.

My grin spread wide at Cora’s appearance.

“Johnny? I-I wasn’t expecting you.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and noticeably swallowed.

“Nice surprise?”

“Um, have you come about the garden? I said there was no rush.”

“I know. Can we talk inside? As nice as your doorstep is, it’s been a long day, and I wouldn’t mind sitting down.”

“Yes. Yes, of course.”

The door opened wider, and I followed Cora into the living room. Nessie was already curled up on the sofa: headphones over her ears, magazine in hand. Cora sat down rigidly on the opposite seating and clenched her hands together. I joined her, leaving a respectable gap between us.

“Are you all right?” I asked, flicking my eyes over to Nessie. Those headphones had better be on full volume.

Ignoring my question, she nodded at the sketchbook in my lap. “Was there something you wanted to show me?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah. It’s just some ideas I had, but they can wait. I want to talk about what happened the other day.”

“Please, Johnny. Now is not the time.” Her eyes held a warning.

Nessie’s presence was annoying and unpredicted. I hadn’t banked on her being at home, let alone in the same room.

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