by Abbi Glines
His frown deepened. “The inspection cleared with no issues,” he finally said as if he himself had dealt with Harry.
I cleared my throat. “Uh, yes, but I was hoping I could speak to the owner. Do you know how I might contact him?”
The guy gave a single nod. “Yeah. How can I help you?” he replied.
It was my turn to frown. Confused, it took me a moment before his words slowly began to make sense. He was the owner? “You own the place?” I tried not to let my surprise ring out in my voice but it slipped in some. I couldn’t help it.
“Yes.” But he said no more.
“Okay, great, uh, I was curious about the apartments. My brother and I are looking for a new place.” I hadn’t made a great impression so far. If this guy was annoyed that I was surprised he owned the place then I doubted I would even get to see the inside. Much less get to the part where we discussed the cost.
“You’re a fireman?” he asked instead
“Yes,” I replied with a quick nod.
“Your brother, what does he do?”
This was an interview. That was good. He wasn’t turning me away. “He’s still finishing up his degree in business but he manages a club downtown. Handles the special events and employees. The Skyline,” I explained trying not to sound too anxious.
“Younger than you?” he asked
“Twin. Identical,” I replied.
He chuckled and shook his head as if what I’d said was a joke. “I have the bottom floor ready to lease. I’ll require you both sign a one-year lease and provide at least three references.”
He said nothing about the cost and that made me nervous. I nodded. “Reasonable.”
“This way,” he said and turned to walk toward the front doors. He took out a key and unlocked the door. I followed him inside silently and took in the staircase and chandelier. This was beyond swanky. No way were we ever going to afford this.
He motioned toward the door to our right. “That’s the first-floor apartment. There is one on the second floor I will be renting soon enough. Still needs a few more finishing touches. The third floor is mine.”
I stared at the door wondering if I was supposed to open it and check out the apartment or continue our conversation here. This guy wasn’t really helpful.
“Go look around,” he finally said.
“Thanks,” I said quickly making my way toward the door. Before I opened the door, I turned to look at him. “You didn’t mention a price.” I needed to know if I had a chance of affording this place before I walked in the door. I already knew I was going to want it.
“You’re a firefighter for the City of Savannah.” It sounded like a question, but maybe it was a statement.
I nodded.
“Pending a meeting with your brother and of course references for both of you, I believe we can agree on a price that is in affordable for you.”
I frowned because I wasn’t sure what the hell that all meant. I stared at him not moving.
“I appreciate your service,” he said.
“Thank you,” was all I could think to say.
THE LAST BOX WAS FINALLY moved into our new apartment. Mack dropped down onto the sofa with a loud sigh. “I hope you’re happy. My entire weekend has been spent doing manual labor. Moving sucks ass.”
“Stop complaining. You know this place is amazing,” I replied sitting down across from him.
“It’s bigger. Big deal,” he refused to be impressed. Even when I brought him to see the place two weeks ago and meet Stone, the owner.
“It doesn’t smell like ass, the hot water works all the time, no loud noise from neighbors, a dishwasher.” I began listing all the other perks.
Mack started to say something then sighed with resignation. “I can’t smoke inside. But yeah, okay, sure, the dishwasher might not suck ass.”
I thought no allowance for smoking inside was a pro. I stood up. “I’m going to unload the kitchen boxes first. I have room to cook here.”
“Do me a favor and don’t go saying that shit around females. You’ll never find a new one talking about your love for big kitchens.”
“Shows what little you know about women.” I smirked and walked toward the kitchen.
A loud knock at the door stopped me. It took me a moment to figure out what the noise was. Stone, the owner of the place, wasn’t here when we arrived and as far as I knew the second floor was still empty.
“You gonna get that?” Mack asked with his feet propped up on a moving box in front of him.
“Who could it be? The front door is always locked,” I said not moving.
“Fuck if I know,” Mack replied. “Guess Richie Rich is home.” He had been calling Stone Richie Rich behind his back since finding out Winston Richmond, son and heir to Richmond Department Stores, was also known as Stone our landlord.
“Stop saying that. You’re gonna slip up and say it in front of him,” I chastised him in a low voice figuring that was the only person that could be outside the door.
Mack rolled his eyes and rested his head on the back of the sofa. “Just get the door. Jesus, you can be so uptight.”
I left it alone because trying to get Mack to see that Stone had given us a great rent price on this place simply because of my job was impossible. By the time I had gotten to the door and opened it, there was already another knock.
The familiar person standing outside our apartment wasn’t one I had forgotten. But her face was also the last one I expected to see ever again, much less outside my door. Calling my reaction confused was an understatement.
Unable to find words, I stood there silently staring at the green-eyed beauty from Brian’s party. Fiona. I hadn’t forgotten her name. I’d wondered about her more than once.
“You live here?” she asked, a touch incredulous.
I wasn’t sure if my disorganized thoughts were cause by shock that she remembered me or that I was dressed like a hobo in a Black Sabbath shirt with several holes, cut off sleeves, and sweatpants that I’d turned into shorts well after they should have been thrown away. And I needed a shave.
“Yes,” was all I said. I wanted to ask how she got inside the building and why she was here. When I finally started putting the scattered pieces of my thoughts together, I figured Fiona must be Stone’s girlfriend.
“Didn’t expect that,” she drawled. Then with a shrug of her right shoulder she continued. “Stone suggested I ask a Marty for help if I had anything too heavy to carry up the stairs tonight.”
She didn’t mention that Stone included Mack. That meant Stone had my brother figured out already. I liked and appreciated Stone, but damn if it wasn’t cool to get another man to move his girlfriend into his apartment. Things like this may end up being something I had to accept with my discounted rent.
“I’m Marty,” I told her.
She didn’t look thrilled about that. “I remember that from the party. Just wasn’t expecting it to be the same Marty. I hate to ask. But would you mind helping me get the mattress up the stairs. I just need somewhere to sleep tonight. I have a moving company coming in the morning to move the other things. I can pay you,” she added the last bit with a rush.
“Sure, but,” I paused trying to figure out why she needed her mattress to sleep in Stone’s apartment. “Doesn’t Stone already have a bed or two in his place?” Might not be my business but she was asking me to haul shit up the stairs for her.
Her brow creased and she frowned. “I guess he has beds. I would assume so. I’ve not had a tour of his apartment. But I need the mattress taken to my apartment. Not Stone’s.”
Her apartment. She had an apartment. Which meant Fiona was the resident on floor two. The grin that slowly spread over my face was unavoidable. Because damn if life hadn’t just gotten a hell of a lot more interesting. Of all the places in Savannah, she had ended up in the same building as me. Maybe fate was telling me something.
“I’ll be back later,” I called out to Mack over my shoulder and didn’t wait fo
r his response before walking outside our apartment and closing the door between my brother and Fiona. I needed to speak with him alone before he saw her. He needed to know I was interested and his opinion didn’t matter.
“When did you lease the second apartment?” I asked her as she stepped back and looked at me unsure of what to do next.
“Last week. A friend of a friend told me about it. I came to see it and fell in love. This building is stunning.”
I agreed. “Yes it is. Great location too.”
She nodded then waved toward the door leading outside. “Uh, well, the mattress is outside.”
“Lead the way,” I said and she did after one last glance at me.
When she got to the door, she turned to look at me again. “Did Mack move with you? Here?” The disbelief in her eyes was understandable. She apparently had been around Mack enough to know him well.
“Not without some encouragement.”
She nodded. “I can imagine. This isn’t”—she glanced around—“his speed.”
“No, but if we we’re going to share a place then he had to adjust. That shithole he and Brian lived in wasn’t something I could do long term.”
She agreed with another nod. Turning, she opened the door and headed outside. I followed her again and stopped when I saw her walking toward a Ford F150 Platinum. A truck I would give my right nut for. That was not what I pictured Fiona driving. The mattress in the back was visible from where I stood.
When she reached the truck, she glanced back at me and I started walking that way again.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
“Uh, no. I wasn’t expecting you to drive a truck. Not even a badass one like this.”
She laughed. It was musical and her whole face lit up making everything around her dull in comparison. Damned if I’d ever seen something like that before. Her eyes even twinkled. Did she have any idea how powerful her smile was? She could use it as a weapon. Dangerous.
“That’s not my truck. I can barely drive the thing. You should have seen me trying to park it.” She was still smiling. “It belongs to a friend of mine. He agreed to trade vehicles with me for the weekend so I could get moved.”
Her friend was a guy who had a truck, and he hadn’t offered to help her. He must not be from around here. Or his momma failed in his raising.
“That makes more sense,” I managed to get out after forcing myself to stop looking at her. When she smiled, I had a hard time forming thoughts much less words.
“Thanks for helping me. I guess I could have waited until tomorrow when the movers could move it all but I was ready to get us out . . .” she trailed off and shifted her gaze away from me. The smile was gone, and a tight frown had taken its place. “I can carry one end if you can get the other for me.”
She changed the subject. But I didn’t forget what she said. I wouldn’t ask any questions now, but I wanted to know who was moving in with her. Why she was ready to get out of her other place. I wanted to know what made her laugh because seeing her smile more was a priority. I wanted to know Fiona and that surprised me. This was a feeling I never thought I’d experience again.
MACK WAS STANDING AT THE bar pouring himself a glass of milk. He lifted his gaze to me then shook his head as if he was disgusted. “I warned you about her already.”
He had said she was nothing like Mary Grace and I didn’t see how that was a bad thing. I didn’t want to compare another woman to her. I wanted to move on. Let the past be just that. The past.
“She’s nice. Determined. Serious. But when she smiles . . .” A smile of my own appeared on my face. “It’s something else.”
Mack gave me an eye roll. “She’s a model. She makes money off that smile. It’s perfected. Get a grip dude.”
His attitude about Fiona was getting on my nerves. I hadn’t been attracted to anyone but Mary Grace until now. He had been pushing me to move on. “You’ve dated models,” I reminded him.
“If you call flings dating then sure. Never anything serious. They don’t want serious.”
My brother didn’t want a relationship. He wanted nothing to do with it. Explaining anything to him was pointless. There was more to Fiona. I could see it. I had noticed it at Brian’s party. She hadn’t been the only model there. Beautiful women had filled the apartment. None of them stood out to me. None of them intrigued me, but Fiona had. I didn’t need to know what Mack thought of her.
“She’s moving into the second-floor apartment?” Mack wasn’t asking. He’d heard her at the door.
“Yeah, she is.”
“You sure were quick to help her haul that mattress upstairs. Didn’t ask for my help. How do you think Richie Rich found her to rent the place to her? She’s exactly what a guy like him will want on his arm. You do realize you can’t compete with that. Obviously, you’ve got a pretty face. But you don’t have the billions of dollars.”
I had thought of that. Stone might be interested in Fiona. I wouldn’t blame him. If he was then Mack was right—he had a lot more going for him than I did.
With a shrug, I walked over to the fridge to peruse the few groceries I’d bought early today. “I’m not planning my wedding. Just think she’s interesting.”
Mack grunted as if he didn’t believe me.
“Fix me a sandwich?” he asked.
I shot him an annoyed glare over my shoulder. “You’re standing at the bar. Fix your own damn sandwich.”
He shot his eyebrows up. “But you’re at the fridge and you like to cook,” he argued.
“Making a sandwich isn’t cooking,” I replied. Annoyed, I closed the fridge after grabbing a handful of grapes.
“Are you bitchy because I think Fiona is a waste of time?”
I tossed a grape into the air and caught it in my mouth. After taking my time chewing it and swallowing, I met Mack’s steady gaze. “Nope. I’ve got unpacking to do. And you can make your own sandwich.”
“Whatever,” he muttered. He gave up on me making his sandwich for him and walked past me to the fridge. “You know there is this new waitress I hired at the club. She’s nice. Hometown kinda girl. Has that innocent shit you like. I thought you might want to get a drink at the club tomorrow night while I’m working and I can introduce you. She works the eight to two shift.”
I started to say no but thought about what he’d suggested. Sure, I was interested in Fiona, but that didn’t mean that would ever come to anything. Mack might have been right about Stone planning to pursue her. And Stone would win.
“Okay,” I surprised both of us by saying before I could work through the pros and cons of that decision.
Mack’s shocked face slowly turned to a grin. “Well I’ll be damned. I think the boy is ready to move on. And not just with the hot model upstairs.”
“Shut up,” I snarled before eating another grape.
The doorbell rang and we both frowned at each other, and then at the door.
“For a private building this place has more fucking action than the place we just left,” Mack said not moving from his spot in front of the fridge.
Taking my grapes, I went to see who was at the door this time. I’d be lying if I wasn’t hoping and expecting it to be Fiona again. The only other option was Stone and he wasn’t supposed to be here. We’d already gone over that. By the time I got to the door, I was ready to say yes to whatever else I could help Fiona with and swung it open.
The blonde from the party, the drunk one that was oddly perfect, stood there staring at me like I was the wrong person. She’d obviously expected someone else to open the door. I’d assume she was looking for Mack, but she hadn’t been able to tell us apart drunk, and I doubted she could see any difference now.
“Hello,” I said when she stood there silently.
“Uh, oh, um . . .” She glanced around looking unsure and nervous. “Mack?” she finally asked with confusion.
I shook my head. “Try again.”
She kept frowning and played with a lock of her long ha
ir draped over her shoulder. “Oh, you’re the brother. The party. I remember now. I forgot he had a twin.” She was smiling now but the smile was still one of uncertainty.
“Marty,” I offered.
She nodded like she agreed that was my name. Instead of offering hers. When her gaze went over my left shoulder she smiled a little brighter.
“Chantel, I expected your sexy little ass wouldn’t be too far behind.” Mack’s words were flirty. Familiar. As if he’d seen her naked. Which was possible. I wouldn’t be surprised.
“Don’t tell me this apartment is yours.” Her smile was soft and relaxed now as she spoke to my brother.
I stepped back, moving out of their way.
Mack walked toward her. “Marty made me move. He hated the other place.”
Chantel’s laughter was practiced. “I can’t imagine what he didn’t like about the place.” The sarcasm in her voice was thick.
“Aw, come on now, girl. Don’t go hating on the pad. You had some good times there.”
Her cheeks flushed in response to whatever he was referring to. “Brian had some wild parties there,” she agreed.
Mack propped himself against the doorframe with one arm and leaned closer to her. “Not what I was referring to, but okay. We can pretend if you like.” His voice dropped low, and Chantel shivered a little.
Rolling my eyes, I turned to walk back to the kitchen and leave these two to reconnect.
“Fiona’s place is on the second floor. Did you move with her?” That got my attention. I waited for her answer simply because anything about Fiona interested me.
“Yes. She found this place and fell in love. Our lease was up and it all just worked out easy enough.”
“Damned if this apartment didn’t just get a hell of a lot better. I think I can see the perks now,” he said with a crooked smile.
On that note, I left them to it.
Fiona had a roommate. Stone wasn’t helping her moved into her apartment, or at least it didn’t sound like it. I was way too interested in a woman I didn’t know. Meeting up with Mack at the club tomorrow night was probably exactly what I needed.