Page 32 of The October Arrangement

“I’m sorry. What did you say?” His brows furrowed.

“You heard me. Don’t make me repeat it.”

“I heard the words, Simon. They just don’t make any fucking sense together. There is a woman,” he said very slowly, “living in your penthouse.”

“Temporarily living.”

“Who are you?” His brow arched. “I leave the country for two months and come back to find out my anti-relationship best friend has suffered some kind of personality-altering head injury.”

“Don’t start,” I said. “She was there when I got back from L.A.”

“What do you mean she was there?”

“Daisy told her she could stay at my place while I was in L.A.”

“Without asking you?”

“Yes.”

He let out a bolstering laugh.

“This isn’t funny.”

“Oh, but it absolutely is.”

“I walked into my home and found a woman I’d never met standing wrapped in a bath towel.”

That made him laugh harder. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to picture your face.”

“Are you done?” I threw back my drink.

“Not even close. Who is she?”

“Her name is Bella Castle.”

“And she’s Daisy’s friend?”

“A friend from college.”

“And you let her stay?”

“She needed somewhere to live for October. She’s here in the city for a temporary job.”

“And you care because?”

“I don’t care.”

“Okay. Then why didn’t you kick her out?”

“I tried.”

“And she wouldn’t leave?” he asked.

“She had nowhere to go on short notice.”

Instantly, his brows furrowed. “You felt bad?”

“No. I didn’t feel bad.”