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

Chapter 29

Valerie woke up early as usual, hoping that she would catch Mike when he woke up from his moonshine induced coma. She called Mr. Abe and told him she'd be late for work, she couldn't leave until she knew that Mike was out, and Melanie was free of him. As much as she didn't want Melanie to leave Vincentville she knew he would try and get her where she was vulnerable. That was the problem. She had lost touch with her sisters. Once they grew up, they were out of her hair.

She studied herself in the mirror and thought of her 'Trusty', Mr. Abe. That man had been a godsend to her and her sisters and she needed. Trust 2. Came to mind, emitting a laugh from her as she curled her hair. She had been a pretty crappy 'Trusty' lately. She'd pushed Dee away, forgotten about Melanie. She had chosen to live her life.

She wasn't these girls mother, she was their sister. That's what sisters did, they left home, and lived their lives. She told herself. Cam still needed the parental supervision. Valerie felt the worse for her. She barely if any remembered their parents. There was no sense of normalcy in her life at all. That was why she had gone through a lot to make sure that Cam didn't babysit the kids. Cam would offer at times and emergencies happened from time to time, but Cam was always a last resort.

There was nothing about the Davison sister that said normal, but she had a role to play, and she wasn't finished playing that role.

A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts. And walked toward the door, half expecting who it was. She had already packed two rolling brief cases and answered the door with them in her hands.

She slid them in front of her noting his bloodshot eyes.

"Hi Valerie, is Mel home."

"You are never to see my sister again. You are never to contact her, you are not allowed anywhere near her. Do we have an understanding Mr. Anderson?" She pushed his luggage outside.

His eyes narrowed, it was clear he would need more convincing. "Excuse me? Do you know who I am?"

She crossed her arms. "I hope you're the man that's going to leave my property, and leave my family alone." She shut the door behind her, if this got ugly she didn't want to wake the kids up. She had been known to fight a boy or two. Being a marine's daughter, she wasn't taught to be weak.

"Bring Mel out here." He growled.

"No. She's not going anywhere with you."

He blew out a breath. "I told her not to come here. This town, this whole damn family is a joke. You bitter-ass black women. No wonder you're all alone. Not a man in sight."

"None of us has ever needed a man." She snapped back, "If this is the potential that's out there, I think we all would do a lot better on our own."

"I bet you pushed your husband away, didn't you."

She took in a heavy breath, trying not to let the comment sink in she started walking toward him and as she thought he was walking backward."I am going to tell you this one more time, leave...and leave Melanie alone."

"You can't do a damn thing to me." He growled. As he backed up something stopped him. A tall wall of a man, and what a man he was. He towered over Mike casting a thick shadow over him. He turned around.

"I believe the lady told you to leave." Mr. Abe said sternly, "Now I'm going say this once, leave, and if you cause these girls anymore trouble, who ever you know or think you know won't be able to recognize..."

"Mr. Abe." Valerie stopped him from saying anything damning."

"Let's just say I have a lot of friends in high places that owe me favors."