Page 6 of Confessions of a High School Guidance Counselor

“You mean next month’s?” I said, ignoring the dread pooling in my gut. That was just all the coffee I drank wearing a hole in my stomach, right? Not panic. Right.

The clicking of a mouse and clattering of keys sounded through the phone. “No, this month. He usually pays the first, but I haven’t seen it yet.”

“It’s the ninth,” I said, pulling my car to the side of the road. I jammed it into park, not caring how crooked my car was on the curb.

“Nine days late,” he confirmed.

“Rob, he should have paid the rent.” My hand shook on the phone. What had Dax done with the money I transferred to his account?

“He hasn’t. So how would you like to go about making this month’s payment?”

“I made the payment!” I cried. “I gave it to Dax to handle!”

He let out a pained sigh. “I hate to be this guy, Kitty, I do, but if you can’t pay your rent, you can’t stay there. You know there are tons of people lining up for a cute little townhouse on that part of town.”

“I was going to call to ask for an extension for next month,” I said, leaning against the steering wheel.

“I can give you until the end of this month to pay for last month’s rent, and then of course you’re on the line for next month’s payment.”

I sat back, blinking back tears. “And if I can’t come up with it all?”

“Eviction may be on the table.”

My lips parted. “Eviction?”

Voices came through on the other side of the phone, and he said, “Sorry, Kitty, I have another round of golf to get to. Bring the check by my office or get it in the mail asap.”

The line went silent, and I stared at my phone.

There was only one thing left to do—call in reinforcements.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about the most horrible of horrible days over the phone on my drive home, so I just asked her to come over.

Birdie: SOS. Can you come over? And bring wine? A lot of wine.

Mara: That bad? I’ll be there as fast as I can.

Soon, Mara and I were sitting on the floor in my empty living room two glasses deep. Dax had even taken the couch after I left for work. Mara was on a deadline for her latest romance book, so her hair was in a messy topknot and she covered her ample curves with leggings and a tank top, but she still looked stunning with her full rosy cheeks and kind blue eyes.

Mara tapped her finger against the glass, pursing her lips. “You know, you could always ask your parents for money. They wouldn’t miss it.”

“I’ve told you three times. Not a chance.” She opened her mouth to speak, and I raised my hands. “I will also not be taking money from you.”

“Then move in with me,” she said simply.

“What?” I asked, shocked. “You just got settled in the new house and you want me busting in?” Her online business writing romance novels had gone gangbusters, and she made triple what I did. Which was why she owned an adorable bungalow a few blocks from the beach in Brentwood and I couldn’t afford to rent my townhouse in Emerson on my own.

“I don’t know...” I said.

“Could you get a roommate? At least for a little while?”

I shook my head. “Rob doesn’t seem like he’s going to work with me. Especially since Dax didn’t pay the last monthlike he said he would.”

“I hate him.”

“Same.” But also... I missed him.

Evidence of our relationship was all over this house. It was the first one he and I lived in together, and we hadn’t even made it a full year before he decided he was out.

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