Best Friend Next Door (Love Next Door Book 2) *Rough Draft*

Chapter 20

Isaac surprised himself as he got out of bed the next day. His toothbrush ground across his teeth as he thought. He was standing on his dad's roof looking like every bit of the town idiot. He might as well have been howling at the moon. Not that he'd ever worried when he'd done that with his best friend, but being alone and looking like an idiot made him feel like a bigger idiot. He spit a mouthful of suds into the bathroom sink.

He felt like a bigger idiot because he wasn't a kid anymore. He was more than full-filled in every area accept for his personal life. He was ready to be a husband. What was he waiting for? Every chaperoned dance, little league game, even when he went to the grocery store there was some single woman sashaying around him. It was like they knew what he knew he was ready to reproduce. These grown women were no longer looking for the charming bad boy, they wanted the hot sensible teacher. He was in season, and it fed his ego.

He was a hands guy. He scruffed his fingers through his dark brown locks, he had a nice smile, a good job, and he had his pick of women in Vincentville for the first time in ever, and yet his heart would protest as an image of a happy curly-haired little girl skipped through his memory, mocking him, sometimes he thought of it as his future. A little girl that looked just like Melanie. He had a dream the night before of her running into his arms. Squealing as he swung her around until they bother were dizzy.

He even saw Melanie smiling, glowing, big again with his son. It was the perfect life and he knew it could be with anyone, but his heart insisted on the only woman that didn't want that and he hated it. People told him he was crazy, and it didn't even bother him anymore. They didn't say anything more than he told himself. He was an idiot. She'd never see him more than a friend.

A tone from his phone brought him out of his thoughts, but not for long as her name flashed across his screen. His hand on it's own started to reach but his brain kicked in and stopped him before he grabbed it. He couldn't do it to himself again. His heart couldn't take it. He didn't have time, he'd promised to take Garth for his morning walk.

Normally, he would have complained, but with Jake at spring training, Christian at work, it would fall on him, but at least now he had something to do. He'd called Dorian to see if he could go to the gym and maybe work off his frustrations with him, but he wasn't picking up. He just assumed that his date went well.

Garth tugged him forward and he just followed absent-mindedly. Wondering why things couldn't just be simple. He thought Rachael was a chance to live a normal life. He'd have his family, and they would be happy. He didn't expect to stop loving Melanie, but he loved Rachael enough to make it work. Maybe she saw right through him. He married her knowing she wasn't his soul mate. It was his mistake, but what can you do when your soul mate makes it clear that she doesn't want you. He didn't want another Rachael situation.

Isaac's feet smacked into Garth's backside accidentally, nearly sending him toppling over the gargantuan dog.

"What the hell, Garth?" He demanded noticing that in the yard they stopped in. Mrs. Cook's yard.

A sad whistling sound emitted from Garth just as Isaac noticed that Ms. Cook's door was open, but the screen was shut. That was when he noticed an equally large dog, accept this one was all white. That couldn't have been the puppy that her nephew gave her last winter, Daisy. Isaac looked back at Garth and then at Daisy. He pushed out a breath and lead Garth down he small driveway. He'd helped Dorian's love life, maybe it would be more good karma.

He gently rapped on the tin frame of the door. He waited a moment until a frail thin white haired woman appeared.

Her eyes lit up as she slowly walked toward the door. She pulled her large dog back as she pushed open the door. It was clear that the dog was over powering so Isaac slipped in through a small crack in the door and Garth afterward. Something he almost regretted as the two big dogs nearly jumped on each other bumping into an end table with glass figurines on it.