There was a Haverty's truck in my usual parking spot when I got home, with uniformed men coming out the back carrying high-backed dining chairs. The SOLD sign that had taken residence in the front lawn for the last month has finally been discarded, replaced by a fit, blond man in his late twenties and an older woman in glasses and sharp eyes.

"Hi there!" I called.

"Evening, hello! Sorry about the noise."

I came up to the iron-wrought fence that separated our yards and reached out my hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Claira."

The couple shook my hand in turn, smiling. "Claira, I'm James."

"Bethany."

"Looks like you're going to be my nextdoor neighbor. Have you been here long, Claira?"

I shook my head as I said, "Oh no. My sister and I just moved here in January." I'm still surprised she agreed to move schools in her last year, but these were extraordinary circumstances.

"Oh! You live with your sister! Is she still at work?"

"She's still in school actually. She's probably at the animal shelter by now though."

"I think we might've passed the shelter on the way here, didn't we, Beth? I might stop by some time and have a look. I used to have foster dogs when I lived in New York. I should adopt one of my own."

"So you're a dog person, huh? We have two cats inside, but I've never had a dog."

James raised his eyebrows. "Well I've never had a cat. I've always heard that dogs were easier to take care of. I'd ask you, but I guess you wouldn't know."

"Is that so?" I narrowed my eyes and raised my chin in challenge, but my peeping smile gave me away. "I've always heard the opposite. Cats all but care for themselves."

James crossed his arms and stuck up his chin too, jokingly looking down his nose at me. "Hmmmmm dogs are friendlier."

"Dogs are too friendly. Cats are smarter."

"What do you mean too friendly? Cats are mean!"

"Cats know when to give you personal space."

"They're just off plotting your demise."

By then, our noses were practically touching over the fence, neither one of us wanting to back down from the age-old controversy and admit once and for all that cats truly are superior. Without meaning to, my shaking smile broke into giggles. I covered my mouth and nearly stooped over in hilarity. James's laughs echoed along mine.

At that moment, one of the men walked over with a clipboard and pen, giving a upward nod to Bethany. I had forgotten she was standing there. She laid a hand on James's arm and said, "You guys have fun. I'll go check everything and sign off on the delivery for you. I'll see you tomorrow." Then she turns to me with a smile. "It's been a pleasure, Claira. I hope we'll be seeing more of each other."

I watched her follow the man into the townhouse, (guiltily) pleasantly surprised. "You're not together?" I cocked my head, failing to suppress the last of the giggles. "I assumed you were moving in together."

James shook his head with a lazy smile. "Beth is my father's PA. She's just helping me get settled in--and just between you and me, she's making sure I'm actually where I said I would be." James gave a short, dry laugh. "He's convinced I'd run away the moment he lets me out of his sight, my father, I mean. He's the definition of a helicopter parent."

"That's rough. My parents were too."

"Is that why you moved out?"

Beth waved at us from the fence gate, saving me from the awkwardness of my response. The Haverty's truck sputtered as it started up. then came the sounds of slamming doors and the deliverymen's incomprehensible chatter as they readied to leave. Bethany climbed into her own black sedan and followed them down the narrow boulevard of the neighborhood.

"Do you want to come inside? Are you busy?" James gestured over his shoulder, the low sun behind the trees casting the loveliest shadow against his expectant countenance. "I can get you a cup of tea, so we can keep chatting."

"You've been to the store already?" I asked as I crossed the sidewalk to his side of the fence.

"Yeah I cook! Have you eaten? I'm making chicken masala tonight. You and your sister are welcome to dinner."

I grinned. "How'd you guess my favorite food?"

James laughed, his eyes crinkling like tissue paper on Christmas morning.