Page 14 of Dad Next Door
They both swung their gazes to me, then to Tristan.
“What? You don’t watch your language around children?” I asked, adding as much fake sincerity into my voice as possible.
They ping-ponged their gaze back to me.
“Is there a problem?” Tristan asked.
They looked at him.
Leo giggled. “It’s like they’re watching a tennis game,” he whispered in that way kids did that was clearly audible to everyone in the vicinity.
A laugh bubbled out of my chest. He wasn’t wrong.
“We were just making sure our new neighbor has the correct permits for all the work he’s been doing.” Michelle turned on the fake charm, her entire demeanor changing.
“None of the work I’m doing requires any permits. My crew and I are more than capable of doing some simple repairs,” I said, mimicking her fakeness.
Her mask slipped but went right back up as she beamed another fake smile at me. “Then you won’t mind me checking into this, right?”
“Check all you want. There’s nothing to find.” I slipped my hands in my pockets and rocked on my feet like I didn’t have a care in the world.
“Why do you look like you smelled poop?” Leo asked Michelle.
River, Gray, and Nick all snickered. I held up my hand to Leo. “Good one.”
He slapped it and grinned proudly.
Tristan folded his lips like he was hiding a smile, then turned his attention back to the douchecanoes in front of my property. “I assume that answers all of your neighborly questions?”
“Let’s go.” Michelle tugged on Kevin’s arm. He followed behind her like an obedient puppy.
“Have a wonderful day!” I said loudly, waving at their retreating forms. “It was lovely to meet you.”
“Lovely is not the word I would use,” Nick grumbled.
“Thanks for stepping in,” I said to Tristan. “That was highly unpleasant.”
He made a sympathetic face. “They have a habit of sticking their noses where they don’t belong. They threatened to sue me when I first brought Freddie home because he barked too loud. Even sent a complaint to the city saying he was breaking the local noise ordinances, and he was causing them emotional distress.”
“And here I thought moving to a neighborhood without an HOA would mean I didn’t have to deal with people like that.”
“Most of the people on the street are quiet and keep to themselves. Unfortunately there’s a few like Kevin and Michelle who don’t understand the concept of minding their business.”
“Awesome.” I glanced at my friends, who were once again relaxed and crowded around Leo as he told them a story, gesticulating animatedly. I paused to listen in.
“Then he went under the porch and saved him!” Leo said.
My friends made various exclamations of surprise and Nick clapped excitedly.
“Wow, who knew we had a real-life hero in our midst?” Zane shot me a quick smirk.
“Right?” Leo exclaimed. “Like Spiderman.”
“Come on, kiddo.” Tristan looked up from his watch. “We gotta run if we’re going to be home on time.”
Leo waved at my friends. “Bye.”
“Thanks again for the save,” I said to Tristan.