Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
GAbrIEL
M y phone buzzes, and the tension I’ve been holding since this morning dissipates.
I’ve spoken to Caleb about my plan, and he is fully on board. Especially if it means sticking one to Leah’s ex-fiancé. The guy is a complete dick, while Leah is family. In Caleb’s mind, he says I owe her. If for nothing else than her putting up with my grumpy ass for all these years.
ME:
She’s going to take it.
CALEB:
Good. Don’t scare her off!
ME:
Ha ha ha
It’s not quite what she agreed, but I know she’ll be willing once she’s seen it.
I meet Leah in reception. Seeing her out of the office and in casual clothes is a shock. I did a double take when she first arrived, dressed in jeans and an off-the-shoulder jumper, her hair tied up in a messy bun. She looked so different from the woman who walks around the office, the epitome of professionalism. Only the dark circles under her eyes highlight the fact she’s clearly not sleeping.
I open the door to the apartment and wait for Leah to enter ahead of me.
I’m happy she finally relented and agreed to view the apartment. It makes perfect sense for her to take it. If she feels uncomfortable staying here long term, it will give her the opportunity to find somewhere decent.
“Gabriel, this is stunning.”
Leah turns to face me, her eyes bright with excitement.
I take a step in and make my way to the left. “This is the main bathroom,” I say, holding the door open so she can enter. The room contains a large walk-in shower, sink and toilet. “Across from here is the second bedroom.”
She follows close behind me. I can feel the excitement radiating off her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Leah like this. She’s usually as reserved as I am.
“Wow,” she says, walking into the room and around the large double bed in the middle. I added a comfy chair while the rest of the furniture in the room, including the television, is built in. Leah walks to the window and takes in the view. I hear her sigh, unsurprised, when she turns and faces me.
“Gabriel, this place is beautiful,” she says.
“I know,” I reply, unsure why she is making such an obvious statement.
“But that’s the thing. I can’t afford this. I wish I could. It’s really stunning, but this is so far out of my price range.”
“Ah.” We’re back to that. I thought I covered this, but then maybe I haven’t. Caleb warned me to tread cautiously and avoid being too pushy, even if I can only see the benefits for Leah.
“Yes. Ah,” she says, giving me her patient smile .
“The apartment is below mine. I keep it empty. It will remain empty if you don’t take it. I currently use it for visitors, but only one person has stayed in it in five years. That was Mark and his wife.” Leah goes to open her mouth, so I add. “They live in Australia. As you can see, the apartment is fully furnished. I hire a cleaner who comes in once a week to ensure it stays in good condition. I’m not renting it out to simply anyone. I never have, but it will solve your immediate problem.”
The words tumble out of me. It’s the truth, and I know Leah appreciates the truth.
“But there’s still rent,” Leah says, although she’s no longer looking at me.
“What are you thinking?” I ask.
Leah looks up, her eyes bleak. “I currently pay...”
“What?” I interrupt. “You currently pay? But I thought Vincent owned the apartment you’re living in.”
She frowns at me. “He does. But I pay him rent.”
I try to school my features. How can someone charge their fiancée rent? I cough, trying to smother my shock. “Sorry, I’m just surprised you pay your fiancé rent.”
“It was like that from the beginning, and we never changed it. Initially, it was to protect him and the apartment, not that I want anything from him. I want a clean break.”
I pull a piece of paper from my jacket pocket. “Here,” I say, handing it over to her. “These are the management fees, which include the building’s heating and my cleaner’s costs. There are no separate bills.” Leah takes the piece of paper from my hand and opens it, her eyes popping out of her head.
Damn, is it too much?
She shakes her head and hands the paper back to me.
“If it’s a problem, you can remove the cleaning cost and do the cleaning yourself. Anita can use the extra hours in my apartment.”
Anita is one of the few people allowed in my space, and that’s only when I’m not there.
“It’s not that,” Leah says. “That’s not nearly enough for this place. This is less than I pay Vince for my portion of the bills.”
Vincent is going down fast, in my estimation. Knowing what traders earn a year and the bank he works for, the fact that he’s been charging his fiancée, the woman he professed to love and wanted to marry, turns my stomach. When Leah smiles at me, I hide the sigh of relief I want to exhale. I was concerned the number which Caleb and I arrived at was too high.
“Why then? This place is empty, plus you haven’t even seen it all yet,” I say, trying to entice her. “Let me show you the rest of the apartment, then you can make up your mind. The rest might disgust you, and I’ll be begging you to take it.”
When Leah quirks her brow, I find myself enjoying our banter. I also know I’ll win in the end.
I always do.
I lead her back out into the main living area. A large open-plan kitchen sits against the back wall. The granite worktops reflect the sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the room an even brighter, airier feel. The kitchen overlooks the main living and dining area. A large, white, L-shaped sofa sits on a pale, long pile rug.
“The wooden floors all house the underfloor heating throughout the apartment and building,” I say.
Leah nods, her eyes wide as she takes in the room. The room has been divided into zones. A seventy-inch flat-screen television is on the wall in front of the sofa. A glass dining table and chairs occupy the opposite wall. “The balcony sits below mine. It houses an outdoor seating area and heat lamp for nights when the temperature drops.”
I move to the door, sliding it open and allowing her to step outside.
Leah walks forward, her hands gripping the edge of the balcony as she takes in the view. She sighs, closing her eyes for a second. When she reopens them, her eyes meet mine. I motion for her to follow me as I walk her back through the main living area and through another side door. It opens straight into a walk-in wardrobe, banked with a generous supply of enclosed hanging and shelving space.
“To the left is the master suite, and to the right is the ensuite,” I say.
Stepping back I allow Leah to explore. The bathroom houses a claw foot bath, a large walk-in rainfall shower, a toilet and a sink unit. Caleb and I went all out when fitting the apartment out.
Leah squeaks, her hand flying to her mouth when she sees the bathroom, and I bite the inside of my lip to prevent myself from smiling. She then turns towards the bedroom itself. The bedroom holds a king-size bed, a television, and a small seating area. It’s a tranquil area, just as mine is. She remains silent, taking in her surroundings before dropping herself onto the bed. She bounces back up, shooting me an embarrassed glance.
“Well. What do you think?” I ask tightly, clearing my throat.
Leah looks at me, her eyes sparkling. “Just until I find somewhere else,” she states.
“I’m happy for you to stay, but if those are your terms,” I say. “It’s yours for as long as you want it.”
“Let me at least pay you what I pay Vince,” she says. “This is too little.”
She waves the piece of paper I gave her .
I sigh. “I don’t need your money, Leah. This place is empty. It’s costing me money. If you cover the costs it incurs, then I’ll be more than happy. Caleb wants to check that everything works, and I can only do that if someone lives in it. I want someone considerate living beneath me.”
“What if I decide to have parties... loud parties?” she asks.
I scrunch up my eyes as I stare at her, unsure whether she’s joking.
“Are you going to?” I ask warily.
“No,” she says, grinning at me. “But it was worth seeing the look on your face. At least I’ve had none to date. But then, I haven’t been single in a really long time.”
I scowl at her now. “Then I don’t understand. It’s a moot point.”
She looks at me, her head tilted to one side, as if she’s weighing me up. “Why Gabriel? Why are you doing this? You don’t owe me anything. I simply work for you.”
“You’ve worked for me for eight years. Been loyal. Done everything I’ve asked, worked longer hours than most would have in your position. Helped me become what I am today. Take this as me paying back.”
She gives a slight nod in acknowledgment of my words. Well, that was easy.
“If I take the apartment. Would you prefer I don’t use the balcony?” she asks as we leave the bedroom.
The air around me becomes less suffocating.
I frown, confused by her question.
“You can use the balcony. This will be your home,” I say. I trust her. This is Leah, after all. “There’s also a gym, a fifty-metre swimming pool, steam and sauna rooms, a residents’ lounge, a library, and you can hire out the cinema.”
Leah’s jaw drops before she clamps it shut, her lips pursing.
“What do you think? Do you want the apartment? ”
She nods, her eyes twinkling, a wide smile splitting her face. “Yes... oh my goodness. Yes.” She takes a step towards me but freezes, instead holding out her hand. “So, you’re going to be my landlord. I promise to be the best tenant.”
I take her hand in mine, surprised at how my large one engulfs hers. The awareness I thought I imagined the night I dropped her home reignites where our skin touches.
“I’ll get the papers drawn up, and you can move in whenever you want. If you need help. Caleb has a company he uses.”
“It’s okay. Vince is purchasing all my furniture. He wants to keep the apartment as it is, for him and Yasmin.” She sighs. “It will only be me and my suitcases. Maybe a few throws, pillows.”
Jesus. What a fucking arsehole.
“Well, if you need a hand moving, we’re happy to help,” I say instead.
We stand in silence for a moment, before walking back towards the door. Leah touches my arm, sending more shivers of awareness down my spine.
“Thank you, Gabriel.” She screws up her face. “That seems to be my favourite phrase around you. But I want you to know I truly mean it.”
I look into her eyes, lost in the sincerity. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I can help.”