I’ve been living in the apartments Nate lived in when we first met. And while it may not be Ruby’s luxury apartment with a pool and more amenities than I can count, it’s nothing to sneeze at. It also costs a fraction of the rent I was paying in LA and doesn’t have a neighbor who posts videos of me online. And I’d call that a win.
It’s been nice to live on my own and prove that I can take care of myself without my parents’ help or relying on a boyfriend to split the rent with. It’s just that, after a year of living there alone, I don’t want to be alone anymore. I want to make dinner with Nate and sit on the couch watching old comedies together without having to make the drive back home. I want to add my books to his shelves and replace the pictures on his walls with pictures of us. But mostly, I want to fall asleep and wake up beside him. Every single day.
“What if I’ve already made a decision and you’re not ready for it?” I’m aware of what a big step this is. It needs to be right for both of us.
“When it comes to you, I’m always ready.” He stops walking and turns to me, sincerity replacing the mischief from earlier. “Whatever you need, whatever you want. I’m ready for it. You want to stay in your place another year? Okay. If you want to move into my place and turn it into a home for both of us? I’m ready. I cleared out half of the closet last week. Whatever you want, I’m on board.”
My heart speeds up as the world slows down.
“You . . . you cleaned out your closet?” I was there last night and I had no idea. “You’d be okay with me moving in?”
“Yes, I’d be okay with you moving in.” He says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I’ve loved you since I was fourteen, Collins. I’ve been waiting for you to come home my entire life.”
“Okay then.” My voice is thick with the emotion of a woman who was just handed the entire world. “Let’s go home.”
Acknowledgments
I can honestly say that writing the acknowledgments for my seventh book is a dream so big, I didn’t dare dream it. So first and foremost, thank you, reader, for picking up this book and for coming along on this journey with me. It truly wouldn’t be possible without you and I am so grateful.
I first thought of a ridiculous idea to write a romance set around a homeowners’ association in 2018 and I never thought anyone would let me write it. I couldn’t be happier that I was wrong! Thank you, as always, to my wonderful agent, Jessica, for not only not laughing in my face when I told her this idea, but for encouraging me to write it.
Kristine Swartz, thank you so much for everything you do. You are an editor extraordinaire and I love working with you. Your encouragement has gotten me through many writing slumps, and no compliment means more than when you say something I’ve written has made you laugh.
Jessica Mangicaro, Chelsea Pascoe, Mary Baker, and everyone at Berkley, thank you for everything that you do and the love you put into these books.
Amber Burns and Phoebe Wright, your friendship means the world to me. Thank you for letting me crash your Friday meetings and never kicking me out. Your creativity, kindness, and determination is an inspiration and I couldn’t have finished this book without you. Melissa Gill and Artavia Jarvis, I will always feel like the luckiest person on the earth that you both read my books and still chose to be my friends. My life is so much richer with you in it.
Lindsay and Maxym, this year has been pretty wild, but thank you for sticking by my side. Suzanne, I don’t think either of us knew what we were getting into as mentors, but your friendship has been a touchstone in this wild world of publishing. Rosie Danan, Andie J. Christopher, Harper Glenn, Falon Ballard, and Jen DeLuca, I don’t know how I tricked so many talented people into being my friends, but I’m glad I did!
Lin, my writing partner since day one, I don’t know if I’d have been brave enough to go on this journey without you by my side. Revelle is amazing, you’re amazing, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
Abby, Taylor, Brittany, Natalie, Shay. I love writing about friendships in part because I’ve experienced the most wonderful friendships firsthand. My life wouldn’t be the same without you.
Mom, I’ve been feeling your presence a lot lately and I miss you terribly. I feel like you’ve found the peace you craved so desperately when you were here and I pray I’m right. I hope you’re with Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa. It gets a little lonely without you all here, but I’ll be forever grateful for the time I had with you.
To my family: Derrick, DJ, Harlow, Dash, and Ellis. Thank you for being my home. You are my touchstone and my reason. I love you with all my heart and I would go to the ends of the earth for you . . . even to Ohio.
Next-Door Nemesis
ALEXA MARTIN
Questions for Discussion
When Next-Door Nemesis begins, we find out that Collins has recently moved back into her parents’ home after a video of her misbehaving goes viral. Have you ever gone viral? How do you think you would react to becoming “internet famous”？
Collins and Nate have two very different views of the HOA and what it does. Does your neighborhood have an HOA? How do you feel about homeowners’ associations?
Collins’s neighbor, Ashleigh, joins multiple multilevel marketing groups. Have you or would you ever join one? If you started your own MLM, what would you sell?
You are officially running for your neighborhood homeowners’ association. What is your campaign slogan?
In order to get back at Nate, Collins decides to run against Nate for the HOA board. What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve done in the name of petty revenge?
Collins often speaks about her experience of feeling “othered” growing up and how it has affected her into adulthood. How do her past experiences impact her ability to open up to Nate and trust her community?
Throughout the course of the book, Collins’s idea of where and what home is transforms. What does home mean to you?
Collins uses her writing to express her feelings. What hobby or passion helps you when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
If you were elected to your HOA board and could create any bylaw for everyone to follow, what would it be?
Nate and Collins have a bumpy history together that colors the way they see each other years later. Are you a grudge holder? What’s the longest grudge you’ve held?
Keep reading for a special look at another romance from Alexa Martin
Better than Fiction
I know it’s not the politically correct thing to say, but school is most definitely for fools.
Listen, I get it. I won’t tell the kids, but I already fell victim to the great con. I was a good student—not full-scholarship good, but solid—went to a decent college, majored in something other than art. And where did it get me?
A high-paying job on Wall Street where I laugh at the peons around me complaining about school debt?
Not even close.
It landed me as the owner of a bookstore I most definitely didn’t want to own, pretending to care while this woman drones on and on about the difference between women’s fiction and romance. But, you know, good thing I aced that AP Chemistry exam.
“I’m so glad you’re able to find something you love here.” I pull out one of my many well-rehearsed responses. I hope it will send her on her way so I can do inventory—or pull out my hair—but then she cuts me off and hits me with something no amount of rehearsal could prepare me for.