Chapter 37
I give Lucky the sad puppy eyes that always work on my brother.
It’s sweet to see how little he fights it, be it because he wants to please me or he’s simply too curious to see what will happen. I like that about him.
“That’s an unfair advantage, love.”
“All’s fair,” I say, grabbing his hand and continuing down the street.
He slips his palm away, choosing to throw his arm around my shoulders instead, and he’s right; this is much nicer.
The only other person in my life who’s ever indulged me in this way is Alice.
No one cheered me on to move here more than she did. I miss her every second of every day. No amount of video calls can replace my best friend, but I made us both a promise when I moved here, and that was to do everything I could to try. Some days are easier than others.
He laughs when I tell him the address. “Starting to think this is fate.”
“Only because you’re an incurable romantic.”
His face lights up with pure and unadulterated joy. The force of it is too strong to look at. “Ah, that explains all the Grammys then.”
I’ve never seen Lucky with an instrument, but it’s not difficult to imagine, with his nimble fingers and tactile nature. I like that about him too.
I pull his arm tighter around me.
* * *
There’s a steady flow of people entering the apartment, and every one of them has the potential to rip this place out of my hands.
Lucky is two steps ahead of me, his long legs projecting him out of the elevator toward the apartment. From this angle, I become acutely aware of how well his jeans fit around the curve of his ass.
Bryan recognizes me. “As you can see, there’s a lot of interest.”
Even as we stand there, more people are filtering in. Jealousy is swimming in my gut. There has to be something I can do.
“Are you sure you can’t convince the owner to hold off a little longer? It’s not going to take me that long to find a new job. I’ve already had a few offers.” It’s a lie, but I feel desperate. I need this apartment. I need something to go right.
My heart plummets as Bryan shakes his head.
“Sorry. The owner is determined. I’ve been told to have someone signed on by the end of today.”
Damn.
“Can I at least take one last look around?”
Bryan nods. “Sure.”
Lucky pulls me back before I walk in, speaking low. “I don’t like this.”
Anyone would think I’m walking into battle. “Don’t worry; I’ll be quick.”
Worry carves itself deeper around his eyes, pinching his mouth.
With no curtains to hold it back, light floods the room, casting a spotlight on the cramped space.
It’s all too easy to picture myself here.
The couch pushed into the corner, facing the windows so that I can start every day watching the sun rise over the city.
A bookshelf on the opposite wall, with a jar of spare hair ties to replace the ones I’m always losing, and a dish for my keys because I’ll forget them if they are anywhere else.
An oven I’ll never use and a sink I’ll pretend I’m not eating over when I’m in a rush.
Candles in the bedroom, perfect for nights when I get sleepy before eight p.m.
Losing this place is awful.
But I’m going to. I can see it in the eyes of everyone else. They see what I see. They are imagining themselves here.
And I can’t let them.
An idea strikes me. This is an older building—beautiful, yes, but showing signs of wear. Cracks in the paint, grout that will never be white again …
It probably hasn’t had the plumbing updated since 1992.
Did I mention my dad is a plumber and used to take me on jobs after school because we couldn’t afford babysitting? And that I learned everything I could ever want to know about how to fix—and subsequently break—the pipes in a bathroom?
It wouldn’t even be a break. Just a small, inconvenient obstruction. Carefully placed to buy me some time.
* * *
Make Your Choice:
embrace your inner rebel (go to 44)
maybe you shouldn’t (go to 77)
go back (go to 30)