Meghan Quinn

This hilarious and swoony new rom-com will follow long-time neighbours and co-workers who finally fall for each other

A Long Time Coming

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She had no idea if they had apartments for rent, but she liked the flowers out front and the Jamba Juice across the street. Lo and behold, when she inquired, there were two apartments right next to each other. She called me immediately and told me I was moving. We’ve lived here for the past five years.

I scrub my hand down my face just as a light tapping comes from the other side of the wall. And just like that, a smile spreads across my face. Reaching up to the wall, I rap my knuckle four times. Like clockwork, she knocks three. Four knocks for four letters in love. Three knocks for three letters in you.

“Put it on.” He hands it back to me, and I slip it on my finger. “It looks great on you, Lia,” he says softly. And there he is, my best friend. He will say just about anything to make sure I feel comfortable, even though he probably knows that I’m anything but comfortable wearing this ring.

“I’m being serious,” he says. “I can go with you. It’s not like I have anything going on right now. I have to stay away from work. This might give me something to do to keep me busy.” He smirks. “Maybe I can be your wedding planner.”

“Listen, Lia. I know this is going to be tough without your parents. Losing them was so hard, and they wouldn’t want you to do this alone. I have the time, and even if I didn’t, I would make the time for you. I can help. I can be your backup, your wingman, your bodyguard, your bruiser.”

I raise my hand to the wall and knock four times. She knocks three, and for the second night in a row . . . I don’t get much sleep at all.

“Are you jealous I’m going out with this girl tonight?” “What?” I pull away. “Why on earth would I be jealous?” He lets me go just as a knock sounds on the door. The food is here. “Because you’re supposed to be the only woman in my life, right?” “Well, yes. Of course.” He laughs and presses a quick kiss to my head before grabbing the food. “Don’t worry, Lia, you’ll always be my best friend.”

“Lia, we have to be real about this. In five weeks, things are really going to change. You’re no longer going to live next to me. You’re going to be occupied with your new life, and sure, I know you won’t forget me, but I don’t want there to be any reason for there to be distance between us other than actual distance. I don’t want to give Brian a reason to put a wedge between us.” “I wouldn’t let him,” I say.

“I know, but if I don’t get along with him, that could hurt your marriage. There could be resentment, so yeah, I’m going to do something for him. Sure, because I know if I do this little thing for him, I won’t run the risk of not getting to hang out with you.”

“Do you really think life will change that much? I mean . . . you could always move close.” I smile. “Your brothers live across the street. That could be us.” He tilts his head to the side. “Are you . . . asking me to follow you?”

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