The new neighbor

The moving truck that had been a constant presence next door for the past week was finally gone. In its place sat a cheerful-looking minivan. “Well,” I thought to myself, “it’s now or never.” I grabbed the small gift basket my wife, Kelly, had put together—filled with a few local treats and a bottle of wine—and headed over to the freshly painted front door.

Taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell. After a moment, the door swung open, and I was greeted by a woman with a genuinely beautiful smile. She had stunning hazel eyes that seemed to dance with light, a light dusting of freckles across her nose, and blonde hair pulled back casually.

“Hi there,” she said, her voice friendly. “I was hoping to meet one of our neighbors soon.”

“Hi, I’m Brian, I live next door,” I replied, extending the gift basket. “My wife, Kelly, and I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. She put this little basket together for you.”

“Oh, that is so thoughtful of you both, thank you!” she exclaimed, taking the basket. Her smile widened, and it was even more striking up close. “Please tell Kelly I said thank you. I’m Kristen. It’s so nice to meet you. Please, come in.”

I stepped inside and was immediately struck by how different the house looked. The previous owners had a very traditional style, but the entryway now had a modern, airy feel. “Wow, you’ve really transformed this place,” I said.

“Thanks! It’s been a whirlwind of renovations,” Kristen said with a laugh. “My husband, Josh, is at work—he’s a lawyer, so the hours can be long—and the kids are at school, so I have a rare moment of peace. Would you like a tour of the updates we’ve made?”

“I’d love that,” I said, and she proceeded to show me around. The once-closed-off kitchen was now a beautiful open-concept space that flowed into the living room, and the old shag carpets had given way to gleaming hardwood floors.

“We also converted the old office into a space for me,” she said, opening a door off the main hallway. Inside was a serene room with large windows and yoga mats neatly rolled in a corner. “This is my little yoga studio. It’s my sanity saver.”

As she gestured into the room, my eyes were drawn back to her. It was only then, seeing her in the context of a yoga studio, that I fully appreciated her outfit—a simple tank top and form-fitting yoga pants. The clothes did little to hide a toned, athletic build, and I couldn’t help but admire her gorgeous figure, clearly a result of the discipline she practiced in this very room.

“This is incredible,” I managed to say, genuinely impressed by the space.

Kristen smiled, pleased with my reaction, before leading me to the sliding glass door in the living room. “And this is my favorite part,” she said, opening it to reveal a sparkling blue swimming pool in the backyard. The landscaping had been redone with tropical-looking plants, giving it the feel of a private oasis.

“The pool looks amazing,” I said.

“We just got it finished last week,” she said. “The kids are so excited. You know, you, Kelly, and your family should come over for a swim sometime. We’d love to have you.”

After graciously accepting her offer and exchanging a few more pleasantries, I said my goodbyes and headed back home. I settled into my home office, determined to get some work done before Kelly and the kids got home. I pulled up a spreadsheet and tried to focus on the numbers, but my mind kept drifting next door.

The friendly tour replayed in my head, but one image stood out: Kristen standing at the entrance to her yoga studio. I could vividly recall the way her yoga pants hugged her curves. I shook my head, trying to clear the thought and stared blankly at the screen. It was no use. The invitation to swim hung in my mind, and my imagination took over, unhelpfully supplying an image of Kristen by her new pool, no longer in her yoga outfit, but in a bikini that perfectly accentuated her stunning figure. With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair, realizing that concentrating on work was going to be impossible for a while….