Page 94 of Say Yes to the Hot Mess

I hold my tongue, forcing myself not to answer.

“Dex!” she says. “Howeverwhat?I swear, if you don’t answer me—”

I can’t help it; I burst into laughter.

“Dex!” Maya all but shouts into the phone. “Answer my question!”

“I’m sorry—I’m sorry,” I say, still smiling. “You’re staying, Maya. You can stay. If you want to keep living there, you can.”

“Wait, Dex, really?” she breathes.

“Really,” I say.

“Like,reallyreally?”

“Yes. Really really.” I hesitate before saying, “The main purpose of Sunset Horizons is to help people whoneedthe amenities we provide. And I think you do. So…yes. Now full disclosure—wedohave a waitlist,” I admit. “And Archer seems to be the main reason your apartment works so well for you, but he won’t be little forever. At that point we may need to discuss other options—”

“Absolutely,” she says quickly. “That’s fair. That’s more than fair.”

I nod, relieved. Because I can’t just ignore my work duties in all of this either. “Good. I think that will work just fine.”

“Oh, thank you!” she squeals. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard that sound coming from her, and I have to hold the phone away from my ear for just a second to combat the volume. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Because honestly, Dex, moving is the biggest pain in the world, and Frank is here, and—well, you’re here, too. So thank you.”

“It is mysincerestpleasure,” I say, and I mean every word.

Twenty-Three

Maya

After I hangup with Dex, I do an embarrassing little dance around the kitchen for thirty seconds. I’m sure I look like an absolute fool, but I don’t even care; I’m just excited I don’t have to move. Then I call Scarlett to give her the update.

“I have good news and bad news,” I say. “Where do you want me to start?”

“Bad news. Always start with the bad news,” she says.

“Right. Okay,” I say, holding the phone with my good hand and leaning back to rest against the kitchen counter. “The bad news is that I won’t be moving in with you.”

Scarlett lets out a loud, high-pitched shriek that I think is positive in nature, but I wait for her to speak just in case I’m misreading the noise.

“That means he’s letting you stay!” she says, and I relax with relief. “He’s not kicking you out!”

“Yes!” I say. “That’s the good news. I get to stay!”

“Maya, that’s so exciting! And totally don’t worry about the roommate thing—it really doesn’t change things. I would have been looking for a new place to live even if we hadn’t been thinking of rooming together.”

“Oh, good,” I say, my breath gusting out of me. “Good. Because I didn’t want you to feel like you’d done all this looking for nothing—”

“Not at all,” she says. “I definitely do not feel like that.”

Okay, that makes me feel a lot better. “Thank you so much for searching, though,” I say. “And for being willing to room with me and Archer.”

“Psh, of course. It was a no-brainer.”

I smile as gratitude wells within me. I have the best friends.

I talk to Scarlett for a few moments longer before letting her go, telling her there’s another call I need to make. Then I flop down on the couch, shooting a look at Archer, who’s happy in his baby swing, and video calling Carter.

I’ve been meaning to talk to him ever since Frank told me Carter and Sam were officially engaged, but I haven’t gotten around to it. So I’m glad when he answers, and I’m even happier to see that Sam is with him.

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