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“You know I’d have you stay here, but with my new flatmate, I’ll be opening a can of worms,” Stella says.
A new tenant moved into her spare room. She’s been pushing the boundaries of their tenancy agreement, with Stella finding different men in the kitchen every morning. She’s told her it must stop, or she’ll go to the landlord. It’s paused. A temporary truce. But I understand if I move in, it might upset the apple cart.
Nat stays quiet. She and her long-term boyfriend live in a House of Multiple Occupancy, so they have strict restrictions on guests. It’s not surprising, given there are already seven of them and only two bathrooms. I’m not sure I could live like that, not after living here. It reminds me of my student days. But then, that’s what they are. Nat has gone back to study law, and Rory has just qualified to be a nurse.
“Don’t worry,” I say. “I’ll sort something out.”
“We will,” Stella says. “What time are your viewings?”
Five hours later, we sit in a coffee shop.
“Oh, my god. That last place.” Stella groans. “I feel like I need to bathe in antiseptic. It looked like the furniture was trying to escape. When the agent said, they’d have the place deep cleaned, I’m not sure even she believed it was possible to make that place habitable. You’d require a hazmat suit.”
I giggle. It’s that or sob in despair.
“Or the apartment where that dodgy deal was taking place on the front lawn? They looked really shifty,” Nat adds.
We all nod in agreement as the waiter delivers our coffee and a slice of commiseration cake.
“My absolute favourite was the shared bathroom,” I add.
I laugh at Stella’s look of absolute horror. “Can you imagine sharing a Jack and Jill bathroom with a man and his son? Having to remember to lock their door every time you wanted to pee.”
Nat shudders. “Or the fact someone would always leave the toilet seat up!”
A constant complaint of hers from her own house-sharing experience.
“Or the pee on the seat and floor. I have yet to meet a son who can take aim,” Stella adds, and we all groan in agreement.
“That certainly discounts that option,” I say with a grimace.
At this rate, maybe I will need to ask Gabriel for some time off, especially now I only have two weeks.
“So, what’s next?” Stella asks, taking a large forkful of the chocolate cake.
“I keep looking. Gabriel said he’d give me some time off if I need it,” I say, digging my fork into the cake and stuffing it in my mouth. The chocolaty goodness explodes on my tongue and lifts my mood.
“Speaking of your boss,” Stella adds. “His brother is H.O.T. and the way he stepped in.” Stella fans herself dramatically. “You should seriously tap that now you’re single.”
I shake my head and laugh. “Never going to happen. Caleb is a friend and my boss’s brother. He’s also the biggest playboy in the city. No way, never going to happen.”
Caleb is gorgeous to look at. Both brothers are. Their dark Italian heritage makes them more model than businessman. Something Caleb plays on. He hasn’t made Most Eligible Batchelor two years in a row because he is mediocre. But it’s not him I find myself wanting to talk to. It’s my quiet, introverted boss, the man who sought me out, simply to check I was okay. As such, he most definitely is off-limits. He always has been and always will be. My job is too important to risk. Plus, he’s never looked at me that way.
“Really?” She looks at me in utter amazement. “Well, if you don’t want him...don’t mind if I do.” Stella laughs, and Nat rolls her eyes.
My phone rings, interrupting our conversation.
“If that’s the jackass, ignore it,” Stella says.
I check the caller ID, surprised to see Gabriel’s name.
“Hold on, it’s Gabriel, my boss,” I say to the girls, shushing them as I accept his call.
Stella bites her lip, and Nat focuses on the cake. Cake that is almost all gone.
“Gabriel,” I say. “What can I do for you?”
“Leah,” his deep tone comes across the line, setting off little butterflies low in my stomach. “How’s the apartment hunting going?”
