to make
sure youre not moving into a crack house?”
“Pretty much. Though you dont strike me as the type to be
running a place like that.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” I said.
He chuckled. “Not that deceiving.”
Our eyes met, and his knowing smile made me shiver.
Shouldve remembered who I was talking to here. The man had
probably already guessed what kind of artwork I had on the walls
and what shows I TiVod on a regular basis.
Shifting my attention back to my phone, I tapped the photo
album of shots Id taken earlier today. “Anyway, here are some
pictures of the house.” I slid my phone across the table. He picked it up and thumbed through the album.
“Wow. Beautiful house.”
“Thanks.” I laughed dryly. “Thought I was getting a great deal
on it, but…”
He glanced up from the pictures. “Anything wrong with it?” “No, no, nothing wrong with the house itself,” I said. “But I
went into it thinking thered be two incomes paying the mortgage,
and, well, that didnt quite work out.”
“Yeah, I can relate,” he muttered, and kept thumbing through
the album. When hed finished, he set the phone down and slid it
back to me. “Im definitely interested. Are you sure this isnt an
imposition for you, though?”
“Not at all,” I said. “And as far as Im concerned, its no
different than if wed rented the place together from day one.
Yeah, I own the place, but Im in the same position you are, so Im
not about to lord it over you.”
“And youre absolutely sure you arent opposed to having my
son move in too?”
“Of course not,” I said.
“Good,” he said quietly, possibly more to himself than me.
“Hell only be there every two weeks anyway. His mother and I
switch every other Wednesday night.”
“How old did you say he is?”
“Seven,” Michael said. “And hes a quiet kid. A little on the
shy side, but…his mother and I are trying to help him come out of
his shell. Point being, he wont be running screaming through the
house every five minutes.”
I laughed. “Well, thats always a plus. But, I mean, hes a kid.”
I shrugged. “I have nieces and nephews. I know the drill.” He nodded, glancing at the folder containing the lease
agreement. “You know, to be honest, with the position Im in right
now, Im half-tempted to sign sight unseen.”
“I know the feeling.” I looked at my watch. “How much time
do you have?”
“Im free for the evening. My sons with his mother, and Ive
already closed the clinic for the day.”
“Why dont we go over there now?”
* * *
Michael parked beside me in the driveway. As I got out of the car, I glanced around the cul de sac. I had a few nosy neighbors who didnt have a lot to do—and still hyperventilated about the fact that one of them lived in this respectable neighborhood instead of in the Light District where we belonged—and they were probably already speeddialing each other to announce that Id brought a man home. Again. In broad daylight, no less, shameless bastard that I was.
I laughed to myself.
I wish, ladies. Believe me, I wish.
I keyed open the front door and led Michael inside. As I
entered the code for the security system, he looked around the entryway. I followed his gaze, taking in my familiar surroundings like Id never seen them before.
This place was way too big for one person. Every floor was hardwood, the kind that creaked with the slightest pressure, and the cavernous rooms and towering ceilings amplified every sound. A house this big had seemed like a good idea when Wes and I were talking about things like “forever” and “a family,” but living here alone made my skin crawl almost as badly as paying the mortgage on my own.
I shook myself out of my thoughts and led Michael down the hall. On one side, the living room. On the other, the kitchen and barely used dining room.
In the living room, the walls and built-in shelves were conspicuously almost empty. Not completely bare like they would be in the house of someone who deplored
sure youre not moving into a crack house?”
“Pretty much. Though you dont strike me as the type to be
running a place like that.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” I said.
He chuckled. “Not that deceiving.”
Our eyes met, and his knowing smile made me shiver.
Shouldve remembered who I was talking to here. The man had
probably already guessed what kind of artwork I had on the walls
and what shows I TiVod on a regular basis.
Shifting my attention back to my phone, I tapped the photo
album of shots Id taken earlier today. “Anyway, here are some
pictures of the house.” I slid my phone across the table. He picked it up and thumbed through the album.
“Wow. Beautiful house.”
“Thanks.” I laughed dryly. “Thought I was getting a great deal
on it, but…”
He glanced up from the pictures. “Anything wrong with it?” “No, no, nothing wrong with the house itself,” I said. “But I
went into it thinking thered be two incomes paying the mortgage,
and, well, that didnt quite work out.”
“Yeah, I can relate,” he muttered, and kept thumbing through
the album. When hed finished, he set the phone down and slid it
back to me. “Im definitely interested. Are you sure this isnt an
imposition for you, though?”
“Not at all,” I said. “And as far as Im concerned, its no
different than if wed rented the place together from day one.
Yeah, I own the place, but Im in the same position you are, so Im
not about to lord it over you.”
“And youre absolutely sure you arent opposed to having my
son move in too?”
“Of course not,” I said.
“Good,” he said quietly, possibly more to himself than me.
“Hell only be there every two weeks anyway. His mother and I
switch every other Wednesday night.”
“How old did you say he is?”
“Seven,” Michael said. “And hes a quiet kid. A little on the
shy side, but…his mother and I are trying to help him come out of
his shell. Point being, he wont be running screaming through the
house every five minutes.”
I laughed. “Well, thats always a plus. But, I mean, hes a kid.”
I shrugged. “I have nieces and nephews. I know the drill.” He nodded, glancing at the folder containing the lease
agreement. “You know, to be honest, with the position Im in right
now, Im half-tempted to sign sight unseen.”
“I know the feeling.” I looked at my watch. “How much time
do you have?”
“Im free for the evening. My sons with his mother, and Ive
already closed the clinic for the day.”
“Why dont we go over there now?”
* * *
Michael parked beside me in the driveway. As I got out of the car, I glanced around the cul de sac. I had a few nosy neighbors who didnt have a lot to do—and still hyperventilated about the fact that one of them lived in this respectable neighborhood instead of in the Light District where we belonged—and they were probably already speeddialing each other to announce that Id brought a man home. Again. In broad daylight, no less, shameless bastard that I was.
I laughed to myself.
I wish, ladies. Believe me, I wish.
I keyed open the front door and led Michael inside. As I
entered the code for the security system, he looked around the entryway. I followed his gaze, taking in my familiar surroundings like Id never seen them before.
This place was way too big for one person. Every floor was hardwood, the kind that creaked with the slightest pressure, and the cavernous rooms and towering ceilings amplified every sound. A house this big had seemed like a good idea when Wes and I were talking about things like “forever” and “a family,” but living here alone made my skin crawl almost as badly as paying the mortgage on my own.
I shook myself out of my thoughts and led Michael down the hall. On one side, the living room. On the other, the kitchen and barely used dining room.
In the living room, the walls and built-in shelves were conspicuously almost empty. Not completely bare like they would be in the house of someone who deplored
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