10. Archer
Chapter 10
Archer
T hree days go by, and I can't tell if it's felt like an eternity or the blink of an eye.
We've fallen into somewhat of a groove. I sleep on the couch, and she takes the bedroom. Not like I've done much sleeping anyway. Most of the nights have been spent catching up on the work I haven't felt comfortable doing during the day and lying there staring at the ceiling wondering what I did for such a fucked-up life.
The days consist of us not speaking to each other much. After I gave London my black American Express card, it seemed to shut her up. She hasn't left the apartment, and hasn't even attempted to. Not that I would have stopped her. I told her if she took the card, it would be acceptable, and considering I was going to track her every move if she did leave, I wasn't too concerned about her leaving. Maybe my warning about the neighborhood being unsafe scared her into staying put, but considering how much she's been sleeping on and off these past few days, it might just be because she needed the rest.
We haven't bickered, not really, we've just sort of coexisted, eating our meals in silence, going about our days together but separately.
Considering how the first twenty-four hours went, I didn't think London could keep her mouth shut, and yet here I am, continuously surprised by every aspect of her showing up in my life.
I left for about forty-five minutes before she woke up this morning, running down to the market and grabbing some more groceries. I'm not sure London even knew I was missing since she was still asleep when I got back.
I've tracked Joe Vito's whereabouts these past few days and nothing indicates he's looking into anything on the East Coast, let alone poking around in Manhattan. Perhaps Silver is keeping him busy from going after London, or he did a good enough job of hiding her that Joe doesn't know where to look. It was smart sending her here because London and I have no connections and nothing to trace her to me.
London closes the cover on my iPad and lays her head on the side of the couch, her attention turned toward me, her stare burning a hole into the side of my head.
"Can I help you with something?" I ask her without taking my eyes off my computer.
"I'm tired."
"Take a nap."
"I don't want to take a nap."
"I can't help you then."
"I want a coffee."
"You know where the kitchen is."
"That coffee is boring."
I peel my gaze from the account I was hacking into and focus on her. "It's boring ?"
"Yeah." London drags her bottom lip into her mouth. "I want a fancy coffee."
"What is a fancy coffee?"
"You know, like a latte or something."
I put my head in my hand and rub my temples. "Just say it, London."
"Please…"
I start shutting my computer down without hearing the rest. "Please, what?"
"Will you please go get me a latte?"
"Anything else, your majesty?" I rise from my seat and snatch my wallet and keys off the desk.
"Do you have any other book recommendations? I just finished the last one."
I walk over, pluck the iPad from her, and poke a few buttons. "Here. You can choose from any of them, they're all included in the membership."
Her eyes light up like I just handed her the world, only it was a sort of endless supply of books.
"Oh, there's a romance section. Now I don't have to read your stuff."
"I like romance novels," I tell her, even though I can't recall a time I ever read one. She doesn't need to know that, though.
"You are such a liar, Archer…" She trails off like she forgot something. "Wait, why do I not know your last name?"
"Probably for the same reason I don't know your last name."
"Smith," she responds, very matter-of-fact.
"My last name used to be Smith," I confess, the words surprising even me.
"Used to be? What do you mean?"
"Um." I walk away, straightening the trinkets on the table in an attempt to come up with a response. I settle on the truth. "I grew up in the foster system. I was assigned a name. Joseph Smith."
"And you didn't want to keep it?" London watches as I fidget.
"Never felt like me. When we all aged out, we changed our names."
"We who?"
"My brothers and sister." My stomach coils at admitting this information. I don't deny that they're my siblings, but I haven't spoken of our origin story in so long that it's uncomfortable to talk about. "Anyway, I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't leave." I slip out the door before London can question me any more and my mouth can continue to betray me by answering her.
I shake the unease off me as I jog down the steps and out the front door. It doesn't take me long to get to the coffee shop London had met Grace at and place an order. I spot the cameras I had watched her on and glance around at the patrons while waiting for the coffee.
"Hey," the woman beside me says. She smiles and tucks her dark hair behind her ear.
"Hello," I reply.
"How's your day going?" she asks me.
"Uh, fine. You?" I inch a bit away from her and cross my arms.
"It's going well, thanks." She clears her throat. "Listen, I don't do this often, and I'm sort of putting myself out there, but you're an attractive guy and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to, I don't know, get coffee sometime."
I point to the counter where the baristas place the finished drinks. "I'm getting coffee now."
"Yeah, but like, together. You know? Like a date."
"Oh."
"I mean, unless you have a girlfriend, or boyfriend, whatever your preference, that's fine, too."
I shake my head. "I'm flattered, really, but I'm not looking to date."
She steps closer and lowers her voice. "We don't have to date if you don't want to." The woman bats her eyelashes in what I can only assume is her best attempt to seduce me, only it's not working.
She's attractive, sure, but I'm not in the time or place in my life to even entertain such an offer. How would I even begin to explain the random stranger who started living with me earlier this week? Let alone the crime my family is forever entangled with. People like me don't date just anyone—they find people already in the life and either hook up or get married, there's really no in-between. I'm not interested in either of those options.
"Order for Archer," the blue-haired barista calls out and sets the drinks on the counter.
I rush over, grab them, and mutter a quick, "Sorry," before leaving the woman who propositioned me behind.
Once I'm outside, I let out a sigh of relief, my chest tightening at the entire interaction. I fucking hate leaving my apartment. I can't stand having to deal with other people.
I return to the refuge of my apartment building and decide to check the mail, relieved when I find the things I had ordered inside. Shoving the boxes up under my arms, I carry them and the coffees up the stairs.
"Hey, Archer," Camille, the neighbor right next to me, calls out. "Damn, got your arms full. Do you need some help?"
"I'm good, thanks, Camille." I continue forward, not letting the challenge stop me.
"So, I'm not sure if you saw the bulletin board…"
"No, what's up?" I adjust the package under my arm and give her my attention.
Camille has always been kind without prying anything out of me that I haven't been willing to give her. I appreciate her respecting my boundaries, and, in turn, I've always been cordial with her.
"I'm going to be going out of town for a while, a year, actually, maybe two, and I'm going to be subletting my apartment. I wasn't sure if you had anyone in mind. You know, since they're going to be your new neighbor, I thought I'd give you a heads-up."
"Oh," is all I can manage to get out, the information somehow catching me off guard.
"Listen, no major rush. I'm not leaving for another six weeks. But I'm going to be interviewing applicants, so if you have anyone in mind, just let me know. I'd appreciate it."
I nod without saying anything and she seems to accept that.
"Anyway, I'll let you go. You seem…" She points to my full hands and arms and chuckles. "Later, Archer." Camille starts down the steps. "Oh, hey, tell Ivy I said hey!"
Except, it isn't Ivy that's in my apartment, it's London.