Page 54 of The Jerk in Apartment 1B

He smiles. “I kind of liked your sex float theory better than the truth. Cole was right when he said it was a good idea. Unfortunately, I can’t imagine the new owners wanting to expand the business to sex products.”

“Can we just forget that I said that?” I say, feeling my face getting warm.

“Definitely not. That story’s gonna live on long after you’ve moved out of here.”

“Great,” I mutter. “So what are you doing now? Do you work?”

“I do consulting for startups. I help with all the legal work and some of the financials. And if they want, I’ll give them input on their ideas. Point out any potential problems.”

“Where’s your office?”

“Next door. I work out of my apartment. That’s why people are always coming and going. Like Bridget. She was one of my first clients. And those girls you saw on Sunday have a candle business. They want to expand it and get distribution in stores.”

So he wasn’t sleeping with them. I had it totally wrong. But how was I to know he was helping them with their business?

“How’d you end up here? From California?”

“I’ve always wanted to live in New York, and I saw a need. Silicon Valley has an endless amount of support for startups, but there isn’t as much out here. I’ve got a waiting list of people wanting my help, but I only take the ones that are reallystruggling financially. I bill at a low rate because I want to see these small businesses do well.”

“Why did you buy this building? You could’ve just bought an apartment.”

“I wanted people to have a cheap place to live. Most of the tenants here are trying to start a business, which means they’re making little to no money. I keep the rent cheap so they can afford to live here while they work on their company.”

As he’s telling me this, all I can think about is how wrong I was about him. I thought he was some immature party boy, but he’s actually a lawyer who owns a building and helps people. I feel kind of bad for calling him a jerk. He’s actually a nice guy.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Trina

“You want the same shower head?” Scott says, getting out his phone. “I’m texting Cole about it now so I don’t forget.”

“What are my options?” I ask.

He looks up from his phone. “I could get you one like mine. It’s bigger than the one you have and the pressure is good. You want to see it before you decide?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

We leave my apartment and go over to his, which is like ten times the size of mine.

“This place is huge!” I say, looking around.

“It used to be two apartments, but I made it into one. I needed the space since it’s also my office.”

We’re standing in the living room which has two oversized couches, four leather chairs, and a massive TV on the wall. There’s a kitchen off to the left with a stove and full-sized refrigerator. I miss having those things. It’s funny how you take things for granted until you no longer have them.

I point to the hallway on my right. “What’s down there?”

“My office, a conference room, and an office my clients can use when they’re here. There’s also a bathroom and a walk-in closet I use for office supplies.”

“What about down there?” I point to the other hallway, the one that goes by the kitchen.

“My bedroom. Let’s go down there and I’ll show you the shower.”

“This is like two of my apartments,” I say as we go into his bedroom. “Maybe three.”

He smiles at me. “I’m a big guy. I need space.”

He has a king-sized bed, two nightstands, and a dresser, and still has plenty of space to walk around. As I look at his room, I imagine it filled with girls. Girls in panties and bras, or nothing at all, and Scott on the bed, trying to decide which girl he wants to be with next.

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