Ireceived an inheritance. And now, unexpectedly, I have a second chance at love.
Moving to Sunnyvale was supposed to be a fresh start, full of happy memories. Instead, it’s a whirlwind of emotions.
Jacob Bradley, my ex-boyfriend, is the last person I expected to see when I arrived in Sunnyvale.
But there he is, next door, igniting sparks I thought were long extinguished.
His presence reminds me of all we once were and everything we lost.
As I throw myself into saving my late aunt’s coffee shop,
Jacob’s determined pursuit threatens to unravel all my carefully constructed walls.
But can I risk my heart again on a man who once shattered it?
Each day, the lines between past and present blur,
And I’m left wondering if we’ll get it right this time or if history will repeat itself.
Click here to get Falling for My Ex Next Door
Here is a Sneak Peek:
Chapter One
Clara
The splatter of raindrops hit the window pane as I peered through it, gazing at my late aunt’s duplex, which appeared different from my last visit nearly half a decade ago.
After quickly calculating how I’d navigate the rain, I paid the cab driver and hurriedly opened the door, eager to reach the house without getting soaked.
Clutching my miniature travel bag in my left hand, I reached for the door handle with my right, swinging it open before stepping out into the brisk air and promptly shutting it behind me.
As I got ready to move forward, someone accidentally bumped into me. The sudden force jolted me to the side, almost making me lose my balance.
Immediately irritated, I realized plenty of things I hadn’t been briefed on.
Despite my aversion to rain, I was drenched under its relentless downpour.
“I’m sorry–” His deep and smooth voice resonated with familiarity before trailing into a hesitant pause.
Why was he offering me only half an apology? I mused, stooping to retrieve my fallen travel bag from the slick pavement, its corners dampened by the unceasing rain.
Resigning to my fate, I abandoned any notion of fleeing the scene, the cold droplets seeping through layers of clothing, chilling me to the bone.
Raising my gaze from the ground, I couldn’t help but notice the definition in his well-toned legs, outlined even beneath his sporty attire. Yet, as my eyes traveled upward, they abruptly stopped at his face. In a split second, I blinked rapidly, my mouth suddenly dry as I beheld the face before me.
I felt a piercing feeling in my chest as my eyes met Jacob Bradley’s; he was my first in so many things, but had walked away from me years ago, saying one of his father’s businesses in California or was it in Texas needed attention.
It was evident he was speechless, caught off guard by a day he probably never imagined would arrive.
Numerous thoughts raced through my mind, but amidst them all, my foremost concern was my curiosity about why he was there. He cleared his throat, preparing to speak, but I tightened my grip on the handle of my travel bag and walked away without a word.
Reaching the porch, I retrieved the key from where the attorney had indicated, then inserted it into the keyhole, all the while watching Jacob disappear into the neighboring house.
As if running into him wasn’t tormenting enough, now we were neighbors. It felt like an undeserved punishment.
Pushing the door open, I flicked on the light, revealing the sight of scattered boxes strewn across the dusty floor. Closing the door behind me, I began to peel off my clothes, only to let out a loud sneeze resulting from the chilly air and the swirling dust.
I made my way around the boxes, pulling my miniature travel bag behind me until I got to the wooden staircase.
Sitting on the stairs hugging my feet, I shivered, partly from the cold and partly from the memory of bumping into him. I can remember the look on his face; it was utter shock. He wouldn’t have dared imagine, I thought to myself, that we would cross paths in Sunnyvale, of all places. I wanted to let my thoughts rush over and segue to other things, but I was unsuccessful.
The case worsened when the hurtful memory of our breakup came gallivanting in my head. For so long, I had tried to repress those awful memories, but I guess I was too traumatized to lose them if that made any sense at all.
Rainy days weren’t my favorite days, but I have pretty delightful memories of them. However, on this day, I could not compose such memories.
“We have to break up.”
Those words were sharper than a two-edged sword. He had brutally stabbed me with them, not caring how I would feel. He had been selfish, and it hurt to know.
I thought I had moved on without him. Here in Sunnyvale, I thought I would start anew after three years of our breakup. I sniffled. Perhaps I had begun crying; maybe it was the cold. I didn’t know.
Looking around me, I saw that I had a lot more than I had imagined to do. The house was a beautiful mess, with dust bunnies stationed like sentries in different corners, elaborately spun webs on the ceiling and between things, and the covered clothes thickened by masses of dirt.
I sneezed.
Perhaps I needed something warm first.
