The Secret Admirer Next Door (Love Next Door Series Book 1) *Editing*

Chapter 8

Abe already noticed how frustrated and on edge Valerie was when she got into his truck. It was clear that she was fresh from an argument. He'd hoped the time away from the house would ease her tensions.

"Abe, I don't know how you do it. It's like I'm the only responsible adult in a house full of grown ups." She vented.

Abe chuckled. He knew all too well what she was talking about.

Valerie couldn't help but laugh to, even though she tried to fight it. Then she sighed realizing it wasn't a laughing matter. "Abe, I just want to take the money and do it anyway. It's not like I've really used any of it, other than to keep the house up, while I was gone."

Abe pinned his mouth shut. Did she really want to hear his opinion. He knew what his neighbors wanted for their girls. It had been years since he's seen them all together. He didn't know if they did the same while they all moved away from their childhood home, but he would hate to think that the girls would alienate themselves again. It still wasn't his place. He told himself.

"Mr. Abe..."

"Valerie, your parents made you the beneficiary. They trusted you to do what was right..." It was these 'parental' talks that frustrated him more and made him feel worse.

Abe slid his fingers across hers soothingly. He felt her muscles tighten and then relax. She blew out a slow breath.

"Don't worry about that now." He said, "We are going to have a nice adult outing, because we deserve it."

Valerie giggle. "I guess we are the matriarchs of our families, huh?"

"Exactly." He smiled peeking over at her. He loved making her smile. He could stare at those perked lips all day and her laugh was what really did him in.

Their first stop was the diner. The minute the two walked in Nelly perked.

"Well, well, well if it isn't good ole' Trusty Goodwin." She hackled. Nelly was a heavy set woman with short dark brown hair. She had been the owner and operator of The Station Diner since his kids were babies. He'd had his share of memories in the small town and in the little diner. He knew Valerie was rediscovering Vincentville. Both times she had come had been briefly.

"Hello Nelly." He took a seat at the bar table that wrapped around the kitchen.

"What brings ya'll out?"

Trusty chuckled and gave a huff. "All the kids are back in town and we are just out for a little r and r."

Valerie laughed. "You can say that again." She pushed off her purse and sat next to Abe, "Hey Nelly."

"Hey Val. So the Davison sisters have returned."

Valerie nodded. "Yup. We're all home for the holidays."

"Well how are they doing?"

Valerie didn't want to talk about her sisters. Especially not Melanie, and there was the fact that new traveled so fast but she wanted to be polite. "Well, Dee is modeling in California, and Mel is doing plays in Atlanta."

Nelly's eyebrows shot up. "Is that so."

Abe chuckled. "I think you might have gotten me on that. I should have been asking you for pointers."

Nelly fanned the air, "Oh please, Mr. Abe, you dem boys of yours are going to do what dey gonna do. Everybody knows boys are a handful anyway. God knows mine are."

"How is Elliot and Tyler?" Abe asked.

"Dey in the back, der." She cocked her head, "Dey ain't going nowhere."