11. Garrett
Chapter Eleven
GARRETT
H e dropped the extra-large bag of cat litter a second time, regretting taking the stairs up to Emma’s apartment instead of waiting for the elevator.
The small Asian woman who’d been checking her mailbox in the lobby caught up with him. “Do you need help with that?” she asked.
Grateful for the assistance, he lifted the smaller bag containing the cat food and toys he hadn’t dropped. “Could you take this one?”
He tossed her a self-deprecating smile. “I’m afraid I overdid it at the pet store.”
“I can see that,” she said, taking the lighter bag from him. She moved the feather-tipped toy so it wouldn’t tickle her face. “I take it you just got a cat.”
“My friend did,” he said, glad that Emma appeared to have friendly neighbors.
There was a private elevator to the penthouse level of his building, which meant the only neighbors he ever saw were his friend Rainer and George, his girlfriend.
Garrett didn’t mind that, of course. After making the Forbes list, he had learned to treasure his privacy. But for a normal person like Emma, friendly neighbors could only be a good thing .
This was San Diego, where people smiled and meant it, unlike New York, where he’d briefly lived after business school. There, your neighbors would only concern themselves with your well-being when the stench of your decomposing body became unbearable.
Of course, that wouldn’t happen to Emma, he reminded himself when an unwarranted surge of panic made him miss a step.
Emma lived with her cousin, a gainfully employed computer programmer four years older than her. According to his PI, the man didn’t appear to have much of a social life, but at least that meant he was home on those nights when Emma wasn’t feeling well.
Like last night. She’d been so feisty sparring with him outside the coffee kiosk. It had felt so familiar and right, despite his repeated attempts to cram his boot in his mouth.
But then her energy level had drained so quickly in the car. It had been like watching a balloon deflate before his eyes.
That sudden wave of exhaustion had given him an advantage, letting him bundle her into his vehicle so he could talk to her about his plan to provide her with premium health insurance. Not that she’d paid much attention.
Maybe that was for the best. He could try and convince her that she’d agreed to it during the car ride.
“This is very kind of you,” he told his companion when they finally reached Emma’s apartment. “If I’d known it was on the fifth floor, I would have waited for the elevator. And I definitely wouldn’t have gotten so many cat toys.”
Nine was excessive. Especially for such a small cat. Yeah, he should cancel the extra-large cat tree. Judging from how close these doors were to each other, the apartments were on the small side.
“Think nothing of it,” the woman muttered.
He wasn’t paying close attention to the stranger but something in her tone made him swing his gaze to her.
The woman’s features hardened. He didn’t understand why until the door of the apartment swung open, revealing a full-blown hoarder’s den.
Emma had called in sick to work and put herself to bed after recognizing the signs of a swiftly approaching migraine. But she hadn’t quite succeeded in sleeping it off when the shouting woke her.
Sucking in a deep breath, she forced herself to her feet, holding on to the bed frame for support. Long experience had taught her she had to wait for the ceiling to stop spinning and the nausea to subside. Then she made her way to the living room.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice hoarse from sleep.
Pedro spun around, his eyes rimmed in red. The reason became clear when she registered who was standing behind him.
“Having a cat is a violation of your lease!” Hannah Cho crowed, the vindication on her face out of proportion with her petite features.
Garrett Chapman was standing next to her, unable to hide his stunned dismay as he took in the stacks of broken outdated computer equipment, magazines, and stacked boxes of new household appliances.
“But this building allows pets.” Emma turned toward Hannah, her head beginning to pound. “I know I’ve seen Mrs. Moore on the first floor carrying a Maltese in her purse. And the big, bearded man on the floor above us had that huge German shepherd. We can hear it barking sometimes. The building must allow pets.”
Hannah pointed at Pedro, her head wagging side to side. “Not for him it doesn’t. The updated lease you signed last March explicitly forbade you from having any sort of animal.”
“It did?” Pedro frowned. “But you can’t have separate rules for one person and another set for everyone else.”
Hannah put her hands on her hips. “We can for problem tenants like you.”
The sick feeling in Emma’s stomach grew with Hannah’s jubilation. The landlord’s daughter was almost dancing, she was so excited.
Unlike most of the buildings owned by faceless corporations, Pedro’s apartment building was owned by a single family.
Her cousin made some comments about the Chos not being fans when she moved in, but Emma hadn’t realized they were actively gunning to get him out.
“Look at this place,” Hannah yelled. She waved at the crowded stacks with a frenetic air. “This is not normal . Letting you introduce animals into this mess would be criminal.”
Emma’s head was killing her at this point. “But it’s not his cat,” she said, her voice far weaker than intended.
“Emmy, what’s wrong?” Garrett was suddenly in front of her. She recognized him by his size—she could barely make out details now, her headache was so bad.
“Migraine,” she whispered, bile rising in her throat as she struggled not to throw up. No other words were possible. She couldn’t even speak to chastise him for getting her name wrong again.
“Christ, this is bad,” he muttered before his voice grew distant.
She knew he was speaking to Pedro and Hannah, but her world was pain. Staying upright required every ounce of energy.
Emma stifled a cry as she went horizontal. For a second, she thought she’d lost the ability to stand. It took her too long to realize she was being carried.
Garrett set her down on her bed, turning off the light and crouching next to her head. “Close your eyes and rest. I’m going to get someone over here right away.”
“ What ?” Who was he going to call?
“Just rest.”
The words were kind, but the tone was an order.
“But Hannah is going to kick us out…” Emma had to do something.
She jerked when a heavy hand touched her forehead. “Shh. That’s my fault for pointing out the cat. I clean up my messes. So rest. I’m going to take care of everything.”
The door closed behind him.
On some level, Emma must have believed him because she let go, closing her eyes until sleep finally claimed her.