25. June
“Thanks for breakfast. It was delicious,” I tell Ryan.
His face breaks into a warm smile. “My pleasure.”
I get up and start to collect the dirty dishes, but Jake holds my wrist. “What are you doing? You don’t need to clean up.”
I frown. “Of course I do.”
“You’re our guest.” Jake insists, still holding my wrist, not that I mind. I like his warm and callused hand on me.
I immediately berate myself for the thought. I just spent the night with Lachlan, for crying out loud.
“And guests help,” I reply. “That’s how I was raised. Sorry, but I won’t budge on this.”
We keep our gazes locked in a staring contest, until finally, Jake releases my wrist, sighing in resignation. “Okay, you win. But I’ll help.”
Lachlan stands as well. “Me too.”
“I’ve never seen my roomies so eager to clean up. Eat here more often, Peaches.” Ryan winks at me.
“Don’t tempt me.”
He curls his lips into a devious smile, making my body temperature kick up a notch. “Oh, I plan to do just that.”
“Stop flirting with her,” Lachlan grumbles.
My face is on fire. Does he think I was encouraging Ryan? Oh God. Am I messing things up already? I put on the serious face I wear when I want my students to behave, and head to the kitchen sink. Lachlan and Jake bring the rest of the dishes, and we work together in silence. There’s not much to do but load the dishwasher. Ryan is probably the type of person that cleans as he goes.
“All right. All done here,” I say. “I’ll start moving my things to Mrs. Carpenter’s apartment now.”
“We’ll help you, lass.”
“I’ll get the dolly. It’ll be faster,” Jake says, then heads for the door.
Lachlan turns to Ryan, who’s sitting at the table, scrolling through his phone. “Are you going to help?”
He looks up. “I will, but Jake’s not back yet with the dolly. Chill.”
I feel uncomfortable with the exchange, and the idea that I’m a burden returns with a vengeance.
“I’m sure I don’t need everyone’s help. I don’t have a lot of boxes.”
Ryan’s brows furrow together. “I want to help, Peaches.”
“All right. I’ll start bringing the bags to the hallway.” I grab a couple of garbage bags and try to not wince. I’m still not over the fact that Bill did this. I can’t help but see his action as a metaphor for what he thinks about our relationship.
Before I can get to the door, Jake returns with the dolly and takes something from his pocket. “Here’s your copy of the apartment key.”
Our fingers touch in the exchange, and I swear I feel electric sparks. “Thanks.”
Lachlan follows me to the hallway, carrying a few bags himself. He presses the button for the elevator before I can get to it.
“Shouldn’t we use the service one?”
“It’s just us on this floor. Who’s going to complain?”
We get inside, and just as the door is about to shut, Ryan calls out, “Wait for me.”
“Take the stairs.” Lachlan laughs, and the door closes completely.
“That was mean.”
He looks at me, his eyes widely innocent. “What? Our hands are full. We couldn’t stop the door from closing.”
I shake my head. “Right.”
He bumps his arm with mine. “You can’t blame me for wanting more time alone with you, lass.”
I don’t make eye contact, but I can’t hide the smile that blossoms on my face. I’m in so much trouble already.
When we arrive on the floor below, Ryan is already there, waiting for us with a scowl aimed at Lachlan. “You suck.”
Lachlan laughs. “I’m not sorry.”
“Boys... play nice.”
I don’t think anything about my reply until I see the look in their eyes. It’s like a fire lit up in them. Oh God. What I said wasn’t meant to be an innuendo to sexy times. I pretend I don’t notice how they’re staring at me and focus on opening the door to the apartment. The moment I step foot inside, Winston comes running and barking. I’ve only met him once, but he seems happy to greet me.
“Hi, boy. It’s nice to see you too.” He jumps on my legs. “I’d pet you if my hands were free.”
Lachlan and Ryan follow me, which draws Winston’s attention. Now that I don’t have him distracting me, I can soak in my surroundings. Mrs. Carpenter’s apartment is exactly as I expected it to be. Her furniture is a mix of odd pieces, some vintage, some just plain old, that shouldn’t go together but somehow do. The walls are painted a light neutral color, eggshell if I were to guess, and there are several colorful paintings and photographs hanging on them.
It”s an open-space layout with the kitchen being the first thing you see as you walk in. Just like the boys’ apartment, there’s a lot of light coming from the tall windows. All sorts of plants are spread throughout the living room, something Jake forgot to mention. They’ll need tending too. In fact, I’m sure they should be watered asap.
“You can put your bags in the bedroom, June,” Lachlan tells me.
“Right.”
“I’ve never been in Mrs. Carpenter’s bedroom,” Ryan pipes up. “Have you?”
“Once, when she needed help with her light fixture.”
It’s strange to sleep in someone else’s room, but if there was a guest room, Jake would have told me. I hope she doesn’t have personal pictures on display. I’d feel like they were watching me.
On the way to the bedroom, we walk past the big aquarium in the living room. There are three exotic fish in there, but I can’t tell what they are. “Do the fish have names?”
“Yes. Frodo, Bilbo, and Sam,” Jake replies.
I turn and see him by the front door with the dolly and most of my boxes stacked up.
“Oh, she’s a Lord of Rings fan. Cool.”
“Her cats are called Eros and Apollo,” Ryan chimes in. “Where are they by the way?”
“They must be hiding. They’re a little shy.”
“Oh. Do you think they’ll come to me?” I ask, worried that they’ll be afraid of me.
“Open a can of tuna, and they’ll come running.” Jake smiles. “Where do you want the boxes?”
I bite my lower lip and glance at the space available. “I think we can set them in the living room for now. I’ll unpack whatever I need then put the rest in storage.”
“Jaaake!” a parrot in a cage in the corner of the living room calls.
“Hey, hi Admiral.”
I chuckle. “The parrot is called Admiral?”
Jake smirks. “Mrs. Carpenter was very creative when she named her pets.”
“I’ll say. Where do you think Humberto is?” I have no clue how big the turtle is, but I know they can be difficult to find sometimes.
“He should be in this little habitat on the balcony,” Jake says.
Lachlan returns to the living room—I didn’t even notice him leaving—and he’s holding a melon-size turtle in his hands. “He was in Mrs. Carpenter’s bathroom.”
“Uh? How did he get there?” Ryan asks.
Lachlan walks toward the balcony. “Through the pet door. Mrs. Carpenter had it installed because Eros and Apollo like to chill outside.”
“No, Winston. That’s not a toy!”
I look and find Jake trying to yank something free from Winston’s clenched teeth. It’s a dark piece of fabric I don’t recognize at first. He must have snagged it from the box Jake set down. The lid is open.
“What did he get?” I walk over.
“A pair of slacks from your box. He thinks it’s a toy. I’m sorry, June.”
Up close, I recognize the material. Instead of being upset, I laugh. “Let him play with it. I don’t care.”
Jake looks at me, brows scrunched together. “Are you sure?”
“Those are Bill’s pants. I had his dry cleaning with me on the day he kicked me out of the apartment. He decided he’d rather give up his favorite suit than let me inside.”
Jake releases the fabric and stands straight. “In that case, go to town, Winston.”
“Where’s the jacket?” Ryan peers inside the box and pulls it out. “Oh, this isn’t a cheap suit.”
I was amused before, but Ryan’s comment about the suit’s price tag makes me feel guilty. “I know. I planned to donate it to charity.”
Ryan grimaces. “Nah. You don’t want anyone getting exposed to your ex’s douche energy.”
Now that Jake is no longer trying to snag the pants from Winston, he loses interest in them and jumps to catch a sleeve of the jacket Ryan’s holding. Ryan pulls it back, hard, and the sleeve rips at the seam. “Oops. I guess Bill’s suit is Winston’s bitch now.”
I shrug. “Oh well.”
Ryan steps closer and throws an arm over my shoulder. “I’ll donate one of my suits to charity, Peaches.”
My entire body tingles from his proximity, and my ability to form sentences is hindered for a moment. “You don’t have to.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll donate too,” Jake butts in.
Ryan drops his arm from my shoulder and steps back. “Sure, Jakey, steal my thunder, why don’t you?”
“And me.” Lachlan smirks. “I’m donating too.”
Ryan shakes his head then looks at me. “Watch out for those two.”
I’m not sure how I’m supposed to take his statement. It sounds like he’s joking, but I do have to be careful… with all of them. They’re way too dreamy for my bruised heart.