Frightmare Mansion - Chapter 9

I start helping Mom put all of these pictures back into the box. We suddenly hear a young male voice down stairs.
"Hello! Anybody home!"

We both go out to the top of the stairwell. We see a young hot looking guy my age downstairs at the screen door. Mom goes down the stairs, I'm close behind trying to get a good look. Oh yeah, he's very handsome, clean cut, with dark brown wavy hair, short around the sides. He's at least 6 feet tall, wearing a letterman jacket and jeans. I wonder who he is?
"Can I help you?" Mom ask.

"Hi, my name is Chris Collins, I live next door!" pointing to his house on our left.
Mom opens the screen door and steps out onto the porch with the young man. He's got manners because he reaches out to shake Mom's hand immediately.
"Nice to meet you Chris, I'm Jenny Duncan and we're your new neighbors obviously."
"Very nice to meet you. I use to mow old man Winston’s grass."
"Oh really."

"Yes, I began mowing late last year, because he was getting sick and couldn't do it any more."
My head pokes out around the screen door, I don’t say anything because my eyes are glued to his handsome looks.
Then Mom prods me, "Skylar, don't be rude."
"Hi," pops out of me.

"Hi Skylar, nice to meet you," he smiles at me - Oh my God! His smile makes me somehow feel so warm inside. I loved how my name sounded with his voice. He reaches out to shake my hand, and I feel the warmth of his hand. The hair on the nap of my neck tingles, I find myself mesmerized by the twinkle in his deep blue eyes.
"Well, how much do you charge?" Mom ask.
"Just 20 bucks, for service twice a month."
"20 bucks, that’s not bad. What do you think?" Mom looking at me waiting for me to snap out of his spell.
"Uh- oh I- I think that's pretty cheap," I stammer.
"Then it looks like we got a deal," Mom shaking his hand.

"Cool, it’s been awhile since I last mowed it- well since old man Winston died. This place has sat empty for over 6 months."
"Yes, with probate and all that. When can you do it?" Mom says.
"I can do it this afternoon after football practice."
"Great, we’ll see you this afternoon."
"Okay, Nice meeting you Skylar."

"Ni-Nice meeting you too." I almost choked on my spit! Oh my God! He's absolutely a dream!
Chris waves bye as he leaves the house. I'm waving back with a big smile wrapped around my face. Mom undoubtedly knows I'm absolutely gaga over him.
"I like him, he was a very friendly young man, and very good looking too," Mom waiting for my response, because nothing is coming out of me.

"You can blink your eyes now," she waves her hand in front of me.
"Uh-he's alright I guess," I mumble, trying to sound uninterested.
"You don’t fool me. I almost stepped on your tongue twice out here."
"Mom!"

"I was a teenage girl once, I know that look."
"Okay - okay," better get back inside before she starts to probe me.
She knows how shy I can be around boys. Then being thrown out of my element with all that has been going on, I know she hopes I will adjust to everything, and after meeting Chris, I am really beginning to believe sunnier days are ahead. It so cool that he's my neighbor too!