I whirl in surprise having not noticed the man standing slightly to the left of me. I hadn't even heard him walk up.
He's tall, maybe six foot, lean, olive skinned and dark brown hair. I don't find him remarkably breathtaking but he certainly took the breath right out of me from his quiet approach; so much so that my mouth stays hinged for a moment before my brain tells me to act.
"Um..." But I manage very little. Who is he? Where did he come from? I've never seen him around here before.
"Hello, I'm Jonas." He offers a hand. My breath hitches at the sound of his voice. I hadn't realized the accent when he'd spoken the first time. Was he French?
I hesitate only a second, then off my hand, which is a feat given the bulk of groceries I've already retrieved from the trunk. "Um, sorry." I juggle the bags then sigh and smile sheepishly. "I'm Ava. Do you live around here?"
He grins and it's a cross between genuine and mocking. "I've just moved into apartment B2." He says and I can hear the smirk in his voice. What's so amusing to him?
"Oh." I breathe then realize his words. "Oh! You're the new tenant. I thought I saw the super this morning in the apartment. You'll like it. Mr. Gable can be demanding at times if you're ever late on your rent but his wife straightens him out."
He says nothing for a moment as his eyes stay locked on my face. I think they're green or maybe a hazel-brown but I can't be sure given the distance between us. Then I feel a little awkward just standing there silently with my arms full of groceries.
"So, do you need help with your purchases, Ava?"
I jerk involuntarily upon hearing my name from his lips. What was that? I didn't jerk when Harry said my name, or Sam or even Audrey. To compensate for my reaction I loosen my grip on the two bags in my arms and allow Jonas to carry the load.
"Yes. Thank you, Jonas."
"My pleasure. Lead the way." he gives a nod toward the building and I hurriedly grab another bag, leaving an arm free so that I can open the door easily.
My heels click-clack across the concreted sidewalk and up the steps to the main door. I hold the door open allowing Jonas to enter before making sure it's sealed then make for the stairs.
"Would it not be easier to take the elevator?" Jonas asks, sounding genuinly concerned that I've opted for the stairs instead. My foot pauses mid air before I settle in on the first rung and I turn a smile over my shoulder.
"Easier, yes, but I don't do things the easy way. Plus, I need to lose a few pounds so I've taken to the stairs for the last few weeks."
His eyes rove over me momentarily before returning to my gaze "No comment." Did that mean he agreed that I needed to lose weight? I scoff internally. So what did it matter? I wasn't trying to impress him or anyone else. I just wanted to wear a few of my favorite dresses I'd worn last year without looking like I was wearing a miniature inner tube around my waist beneath them.
I hear his snort and imagine him rolling his eyes at my back as I turn away. he says nothing more as I lead him up the two flights of stairs and to apartment B3, which happens to be directly across from his. I catch his narrow eyed glance between the two doors before I unlock mine and place the bag just inside my door indicating with a hand roll for him to do the same.
He may have been nice enough to help me with my purchases, but I don't know him well enough to give him entry to my personal domain.
"Thanks for the help. I'll just run down and get the others, now."
I make to close my door once more when he lifts a halting hand. "Let me. And I'll be sure to latch the boot." I frown. Latch the boot? "The trunk." He clarifies seeing my confusion. "I forget sometimes that most of you... Americans speak so much differently than my people."
"Oh. No, that won't be necessary, Jonas. I really appreciate it, but-"
"I insist. I wouldn't be a very good new neighbor if I didn't perform neighborly duties without complaint, now would I?"
"Put like that..." I trail, not really knowing what to say. Jonas chuckles and the earlier mocking heightens. What is so damn funny? Something on my face? In my teeth? Unconsciously I drag my tongue across my teeth, but feel nothing wedged between teeth and gum that would cause someone to be amused.
"Why don't you go ahead and put your things away and I'll retrieve the rest of your purchases, Ava?"
A tingling sensation started in my brain, something that happened when I knew a panic attack was coming on, but just as I felt the sensation it was gone. I blinked, unaware that my eyes were wide and staring at an empty hall. I glanced side to side, finding Jonas already gone. boy he was quick.
I turned to my door again, pushing it open further, then stopped. I would have gone through with putting my groceries away like Jonas had suggested, but the thought of having him bringing my groceries inside my apartment shot back up into focus. I couldn't allow him entry. I didn't know my new neighbor and I wasn't about to get to know him. the last thing I needed was another man in my life, seeing my life.
"Here you are, Ava." I jerk for the second time, hearing Jonas behind me and whirl on my heel, having to grasp the door frame for support from the sudden movement.
"Th-thank you. That was quick."
Jonas settles the last two paper bags just inside the door then shoves his hands into the pockets of his denims and shrugs. "The elevator is faster."
I grimace and recovery quickly. "Oh." Okay so, I'd lied somewhat about needing to lose weight to avoid the elevator. I'm not fond of them. Once upon a time, the lift didn't bother me, but that was before I was trapped in one with an old woman and her yappy Pomeranian a few years ago. I wasn't sure who would suffocate from the small confined space first, me or the dog that I wanted to strangle because it would not stop yapping. Needless to say neither of us suffocated, but I was near to having a panic attack when the mechanic finally got us out two hours later.
"I'll leave you to your groceries." Jonas says interrupting my recall.
"Oh. Thanks. Um..."I have to offer something for his act of kindness, but I'm not sure what. I don't want to make things awkward having just met.
"Maybe we can have a coffee sometime?" He offers instead, saving me from my internal debate.
"Uh..." I wrinkle my nose, not really interested in having coffee with him. For the last time; I don't know the man and... he smirks fully. What is so damn funny?
"You don't want that coffee, do you?"
"Um... It's not that I don't want coffee, I just-" Hmmm, how to put it without offending him...
"I get it. You don't talk to strangers."
I frown deeply. I didn't take kindly to strangers, but he was being so nice. I felt like a tool, just then. "Not usually. When I was a kid, I was always told that strangers meant danger. I took it to the extreme. I hardly talked to anyone. I was seven the first time I met my Aunt June and I was afraid of her. It took two years and a visit from her every other week for me to warm up to her." I shrug.
Jonas chuckles. "I understand. I could be anyone; a peeping Tom, a psychopath, a murderer..." My heart rate accelerated with each word he spoke. I felt the need to run and bar myself inside. "Or I could be the nice guy next door who wants to get to know the beautiful woman whom he shares the second floor with."
A blush tinges my cheeks at the assessment of my appearance, yet my heart beat frantically. He was right, he could be anyone and I already knew that, hence the reason he stood outside my door instead of over the threshold.
"I'm sorry. It's just-"
"Stranger danger." He nods, then smiles. "Let's just hope it doesn't take two years." Then my new neighbor is turning away, slipping inside his own apartment, leaving me standing in my own with an unhinged mouth.
~*~
I grumble under my breath as I'm readying Sunday dinner. Aunt June disappeared upstairs, humming one of the many hymns I recalled her singing growing up, leaving me to finish up the scones and dips.
I glanced through the kitchen window seeing the back yard decked out with floral pillows and linens. She really went all out for this little dinner. Two picnic tables were positioned on one side of the yard, a vase of sunflowers placed in the centers and matching yellow-gold place settings helped hold down the cloth as the wind blew lightly. Another table on the opposite side of the yard was laden with an array of cold and hot dishes; from soup to salad and sandwiches to desserts.
I was nearly dead on my feet after spending the last four hours cooking, but I'd offered and couldn't go back on my word.
Folding the whip into the cheese, I finished the fruit dip and covered it, then grabbed the basket of scones and crackers and took them to the food table.
Just as I turned to head inside a sleek red sports car rushed up the drive, kicking up dust. The moment Mr. Granger braked, the passenger door was flung open and out stumbled tiny legs and a head of golden ringlets.
"Ava!" Tina, the Granger's five year old daughter exclaimed, running for me like she hadn't just seen me two weeks ago.
I caught her easily as she sprung up from the ground and showered her with affection. "How's my favorite five year old?"
She gave a hiss of laughter. "Want to play Barbie?"
"Maybe in a little while. Aunt June has me making food to fill your little tummy. But," I inserted seeing the pout forming. "I hear that Angelica will be here too, so why don't you find the perfect place to set up your Barbie studio and I'll grab some stuff from Aunt June's sewing room so you can put on a show later?"
"Okay." Tina chirped happily, scrambling out of my arms and returning to Mr. Granger's new car -which was his pride and joy aside from his wife and daughter- to retrieve her pack of dolls.
Over the next hour and a half, I greeted and mingled with Aunt June's church family.
The Granger's were expecting again and Tina seemed thrilled saying that she was going to get a little sister, though her mother tried to explain that she may get a brother. The Austin's had laughed saying they were done having children years ago, being that their children were already in their teens and one was heading off to college. Pastor Polk was letting the children take over his resolve and had somehow been wrangled in to play the announcer at the Barbie fashion show, being guided by Angelica on what was in and what was out in the fashion world. I think her mother let her watch too much Project Runway as she mimicked Heidi's tone perfectly.
I leaned against a wide oak, sipping at my tea, as I watched the children play.
"Ava," Aunt June came to stand next to me, smiling at the children too, before turning that smile on me. "Would you mind helping me gather the food into the kitchen, the flies are getting out of hand and I don't want everything to get ruined?"
I shook my head. "I don't mind at all. They sure are having fun." I nodded toward Tina, angelica, and the other three children, one of whom was Reggie, a three year old boy who didn't seem too enthused to be a spectator at the fashion show, judging the scowl on his face and the arms crossed tightly over his chest. Poor kid was the only boy in attendance, but despite that he played along, just to be doing something.
"They are. Children are wonderful blessings." I swung my gaze to Aunt June's seeing the mist of her eyes. I felt a pang in my chest seeing her despondence. She'd never been able to have children and here I was at twenty-three refusing to have them, though I was perfectly capable. it wasn't that i didn't want children, I just couldn't have them alone. And I was certainly alone.
"Someday I'll have a handful and you'll be spoiling them rotten I'm sure."
"Oh yes." Aunt June beamed as we made our way inside after grabbing a few platters each. "Auntie June will have them-" The doorbell silenced her further comment. "That must be Jon."
"Jon?"
Aunt June nods. Shewing me toward the front of the house. "Ronda's nephew, he's just moved back into town and I invited him over. Go answer that will you?"
I scoffed doing as told with a smile on my face as Aunt June began covering dishes with foil. The smile, however fell when I pulled open the door.
"Well, is not this a small world?" Jon said to my stricken silence. Stranger Danger! My mind screams as my gaze widens.