just don’t like the negative element that exists in this building. I have a very good nose for crime and a zero tolerance.”
He looked around her apartment, as if to inspect it. She felt a quick surge of pride. She kept her apartment immaculate. He’d approve. There was no way he couldn’t. But when he turned back toward her, she had to re-evaluate her opinion. He obviously didn’t approve of it. He shook his head and glanced her way. If he were her mother, she’d swear his next words would be, “What am I going to do with you?”
He paused for a moment. “I’ll be sending workers in to replace your front door and windows, add more secure locks, and install a security system in your apartment.”
Sara’s jaw dropped. “Um, isn’t that awfully expensive? I mean, are you sure you want to go to the trouble? You won’t be raising my rent, will you?” Her thoughts jumbled as questions tumbled from her lips. She couldn’t afford the apartment as it was. There was no way she could afford more. And she’d live in a tent before she’d go back to her mother.
“No, not at all,” he answered. She assumed he was answering her last question.
He smoothly strolled over to the table—so smoothly he practically glided. Maybe his mother had made him practice walking with a book on his head. She almost smiled as she pictured him doing just that.
He bent down, picked her apple up off the floor, and handed it to her. “Thank you,” she said, surprised.
“Isn’t it difficult for you to prepare your meals in this kitchen?” he asked, placing his hand on the counter.
That question surprised her even more than the apple. “Yes, but I’m used to it. I’ve never known different.”
“You haven’t?”
“No. My mother didn’t think it worth the lower resale value. Besides, I could manage.”
“Wouldn’t it be easie r if your counters were lower?”
“I guess it would.” She shrugged. “But you can’t think to make such a drastic and expensive change for me.”
“I’ll have them switched out by next week.”
“But sir, wouldn’t that make this apartment difficult to rent in the future?”
“Miss Taylor, I own this building and I’ll do as I wish. I’d appreciate it if you would stop instructing me.”
Was she doing that? Okay, maybe a little. “I’m sorry Mr.…” Oh shoot. She’d forgotten his name. It was his fault for having such an unusual name.
“ Dimitriou,” he said. “Now, you will stop worrying about me raising your rent or evicting you. I will make changes as I see fit and you will remain here as long as you desire, paying the same amount of rent you have been paying all along. Is that clear?”
Boy, what a change from when he’d first stepped through her door. She’d thought she was staring death in the eye. He was still a force to be reckoned with, but now he seemed to be looking out for her. She didn’t know what to think about that. Mr. Dimitriou didn’t even know her. What were his motives? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t about to trust him. Still, she answere d him with a clear, “Yes, sir.”
“He said that?” Gretchen stood with her eyes wide as her newly sewn satin drapes slid off the curtain rod onto the slate-tile floor.
“Exactly like that ,” Sara said. “I mean, I’ll admit I was out of line telling him what he could and couldn’t do with the apartment he owned. But it just doesn’t make sense. Why would he pay for all these changes without expecting to raise the rent?”
“I’ll tell you why.” Gretchen picked the curtain off the floor and slid it back over the rod. “You flashed your baby blues at the man and he fell hopelessly in love with you.”
“Yeah, right. That reminds me. He freaked when he saw my eyes were blue. I tell you, the man is demented. I think I should be afraid.”
“ Sweetie, you just worded that wrong. The man freaked when he saw your blue eyes. They are an unusual color. I just think he’s smitten with you
He looked around her apartment, as if to inspect it. She felt a quick surge of pride. She kept her apartment immaculate. He’d approve. There was no way he couldn’t. But when he turned back toward her, she had to re-evaluate her opinion. He obviously didn’t approve of it. He shook his head and glanced her way. If he were her mother, she’d swear his next words would be, “What am I going to do with you?”
He paused for a moment. “I’ll be sending workers in to replace your front door and windows, add more secure locks, and install a security system in your apartment.”
Sara’s jaw dropped. “Um, isn’t that awfully expensive? I mean, are you sure you want to go to the trouble? You won’t be raising my rent, will you?” Her thoughts jumbled as questions tumbled from her lips. She couldn’t afford the apartment as it was. There was no way she could afford more. And she’d live in a tent before she’d go back to her mother.
“No, not at all,” he answered. She assumed he was answering her last question.
He smoothly strolled over to the table—so smoothly he practically glided. Maybe his mother had made him practice walking with a book on his head. She almost smiled as she pictured him doing just that.
He bent down, picked her apple up off the floor, and handed it to her. “Thank you,” she said, surprised.
“Isn’t it difficult for you to prepare your meals in this kitchen?” he asked, placing his hand on the counter.
That question surprised her even more than the apple. “Yes, but I’m used to it. I’ve never known different.”
“You haven’t?”
“No. My mother didn’t think it worth the lower resale value. Besides, I could manage.”
“Wouldn’t it be easie r if your counters were lower?”
“I guess it would.” She shrugged. “But you can’t think to make such a drastic and expensive change for me.”
“I’ll have them switched out by next week.”
“But sir, wouldn’t that make this apartment difficult to rent in the future?”
“Miss Taylor, I own this building and I’ll do as I wish. I’d appreciate it if you would stop instructing me.”
Was she doing that? Okay, maybe a little. “I’m sorry Mr.…” Oh shoot. She’d forgotten his name. It was his fault for having such an unusual name.
“ Dimitriou,” he said. “Now, you will stop worrying about me raising your rent or evicting you. I will make changes as I see fit and you will remain here as long as you desire, paying the same amount of rent you have been paying all along. Is that clear?”
Boy, what a change from when he’d first stepped through her door. She’d thought she was staring death in the eye. He was still a force to be reckoned with, but now he seemed to be looking out for her. She didn’t know what to think about that. Mr. Dimitriou didn’t even know her. What were his motives? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t about to trust him. Still, she answere d him with a clear, “Yes, sir.”
“He said that?” Gretchen stood with her eyes wide as her newly sewn satin drapes slid off the curtain rod onto the slate-tile floor.
“Exactly like that ,” Sara said. “I mean, I’ll admit I was out of line telling him what he could and couldn’t do with the apartment he owned. But it just doesn’t make sense. Why would he pay for all these changes without expecting to raise the rent?”
“I’ll tell you why.” Gretchen picked the curtain off the floor and slid it back over the rod. “You flashed your baby blues at the man and he fell hopelessly in love with you.”
“Yeah, right. That reminds me. He freaked when he saw my eyes were blue. I tell you, the man is demented. I think I should be afraid.”
“ Sweetie, you just worded that wrong. The man freaked when he saw your blue eyes. They are an unusual color. I just think he’s smitten with you
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