Dirty Neighbor (The Dirty Suburbs) Read Online Free PDF

eyes at me and wave.
     
    Despite Sammie’s scowl, I flash a smile as I grab my beer off of the bar and slide off of my stool. And I’ve got to say, I’m damned nervous as I stroll over to their table. My palms are a bit sweaty and I feel my pulse thumping in my neck.
     
    Still, I venture forward. My hard-on demands it. I can’t retreat now.
     
    “Hey ladies,” I say coolly as I grab a chair from a nearby table and drag it next to Sammie.
     
    The blonde gives me a shy smile and a small ‘hi’, but the redhead grins at me full-force and chirps. “Hey Keeland. It’s so great to see you!”
     
    Umm…
     
    I narrow my eyes at her, studying her face carefully. “Isla? Isla Hamilton?”
     
    She giggles, setting her elbows on the dark, rustic table. “Yeah. Ha! You didn’t recognize me!”
     
    I put my beer down next to the pitcher of sangria. “Yeah — sorry. You were a blonde in high school.”
     
    “I was a lot of things in high school. A fake blonde, to boot,” she says quirking her eyebrow as she rakes her fingers through her mane. “I’ve decided to embrace my inner cinnamon.”
     
    “Well, good for you. You look great.”
     
    “Thank you.”
     
    Her blonde friend leans forward slightly, her arm barely brushing against mine. “I’m Faith.”
     
    I extend a hand to her. “Keeland. Nice to meet you.”
     
    She shakes my hand enthusiastically and Isla says, “You’ve met Gracie, right?” I nod. “Well, Faith is her little sister.”
     
    Faith glares at Isla before taking a hearty sip of her sangria. “I’m not that little.”
     
    I chuckle, bringing my attention to Sammie. “And how are you doing this evening, neighbor?”
     
    Her scowl deepens when she looks at me. “I’m fine.”
     
    She turns her focus to the bowl of peanuts sitting in the middle of the table. But I’m not letting her off that easy. “No sangria for you?” I ask, tipping my chin towards her empty glass.
     
    She gives me a look that says ‘you must be stupid’. “I’m driving tonight.” Her lips pull into a tight line and she refuses to make eye contact with me, choosing to focus on the peanuts instead.
     
    Seeming to sense the tension, Isla cuts in. “So what have you been up to all these years, Keeland? You just disappeared on us.”
     
    I feel a lump settle in my throat. When I decided to come back to Reyfield, I knew I would eventually have to answer that question, but I want to delay that as long as possible. I’m especially not ready for Sammie to find out what the past few years have been like for me.
     
    My life since Reyfield has been a rollercoaster ride, a series of ups and downs and plot twists I never saw coming. Moments of serendipitous good fortune interspersed with indescribable pain and a whole lot of what-the-fuck? moments in between.
     
    Now is not the time to explain that.
     
    I shrug nonchalantly. “Ah, y’know. Here and there. This and that.” I quickly change the subject. “What have you been up to?”
     
    Isla absolutely beams. “I’m a business owner.” She sticks her hand into her tiny gypsy satchel and hands me a business card printed on recycled bamboo card stock.
     
    “Prasanna Light Oneness Studio,” I read. “Nice!”
     
    “My yoga and wellness center. ‘Prasanna’ means clear and tranquil in Sanskrit,” she informs me. “Hot stone massages are fifty percent off on Tuesdays and your first yoga class is free. You should stop by.”
     
    I smile at her. She seems to be so proud and to love what she does. “I think I will, Isla.”
     
    But it’s Sammie that I really want to talk to.
     
    I direct my attention to where she’s sitting. “What about you, Sam? Daniel tells me you're looking for a job."
     
    She shrugs a shoulder uninterestedly, keeping her gaze straight ahead. "Yup."
     
    She’s so tense, so uptight. I really just want to lighten the mood. “Well, I've got lots of money. You can come over and help me count it," I smirk at