Page 3 of Ms Perfectly Fine
Mr Wells looked at her dressing gown before turning his back on her, though not before his amused smile caused her embarrassment to turn to anger.
“Sorry, I was interrupted. What were you saying?” Mr Wells continued with his conversation, annoyance evident in his deep voice as he continued his conversation about some game.
Autumn gaped at his audacity.Is he seriously going to pretend that I’m not standing right here?Any lingering attraction immediately turned to loathing thanks to his attitude. She rose up on her tiptoes, bringing them face to face. His dark eyebrows pulled tightly together as he frowned at her. He had a small scar on his lip, a flaw in his handsome face.
“Are you just going to ignore me?” she hissed, not caring about being polite anymore.
“I’m on the phone. Do you mind?” he mouthed.
“And movers are removingmythings onyourorders! What are you doing in my—”
“I’ll have to call you back. I’m dealing with a small issue,” he said into the phone. His dark brown eyes fixed on Autumn as he hung up, and she didn’t need to be told she was the ‘small’issue.
She relaxed her shoulders, trying to compose herself. Then she saw her piano and the plants sitting on top of it from the corner of her eye, and rage coiled within her.How fucking dare he!
“What are you doing in my home?” she barked, loudly enough for those working in the kitchen to hear. They stopped working to stare at her, and she pointed towards the door, telling them silently to GET OUT. She spied her phone on the counter. Maybe she should call the police, or at least check to see if Uncle Tim had anything to do with this invasion.
Mr Wells straightened and looked down at her. “You must be Autumn. Tim told me I’d be sharing the house for a time, but it seems Tim forgot to tell you.”
She folded her arms. “Forgot to tell me what? Why would we be sharing the house?” she demanded, tired of being left out of the loop.
He actually looked apologetic, offering her a charming smile and extending a hand towards her. “I thought you knew I’d be coming. My name is Elijah Wells, and we’ll be sharing because I rented half the house.” He extended his hand towards her, but she ignored the gesture and charming smile.
“I wish it was nice to meet you. Maybe it would have been ifyou hadn’t invaded my house with no warning! I wasn’t informed you were coming. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there is no way we are sharing the house.”
Elijah didn’t seem fazed. “Pardon myinvasion,but it was a last-minute decision. I’m afraid my being here isn’t up to you. Tim offered me the house for a few months, and since you’re apparently going on tour soon, he didn’t think it would be an issue.” He circled her as he spoke, but she refused to be intimidated.
“The tour isn’t for another five weeks. My leaving is only amightat this point—nothing is confirmed. I don’t think either of us wants to be sharing the house indefinitely,” she pointed out. Why would Tim even offer the house to this man? She was only considering going on tour with her company the week after the showcaseifthe showcase went well and she somehow survived her solo. And even if she did go on tour for three months, she still planned on coming home.
“How do I even know you’re telling the truth? I’ve never even heard Tim mention you, and I’ve known him pretty much my whole life,” she added. He could just be some psycho!A tall, dark, handsome psycho. But when did hotness ever stop someone from being dangerous?
Elijah squared his shoulders, clearly growing tired of their conversation. “Tim and I are old acquaintances. I just came back from abroad and I needed a place to live and work while I get my company off the ground. He was kind enough to offer this place. Let’s say he owes me a favour.”
That only left her with more questions.Acquaintances? Tim wants me to share my home with some random guy he owes a favour to? And he wants to work from home, which means he’ll always be here. This isn’t happening.Her worst nightmare was coming to life, even if it came wrapped in a pretty, tailored package.
“I don’t care what Tim owes you. He never told me you were coming, and trust me, you don’t want to live with me—” She was cut off by more drilling.
“Whether I want to live with you or not is beside the point. I’ve already paid for six months, and then I’ll be out of your hair. If you don’t like it, take it up with Tim. He’s the landlord, so it’s his decision, not yours,” Elijah said.
Autumn realised he had backed her up against the counter. She considered shoving him, but she didn’t want to touch him or his immaculately ironed shirt. “He might own the house, but this is my home. I won’t share it with a stranger,” she ground out as he leaned over her, a smile creasing his scarred lip.
“Once we get to know each other, I think I could grow on you. You might even be gone by next month. After that, you’ll never have to see me again.” His gaze fixed on hers confidently, as if she’d already agreed. If he hadn’t been so smug, it might have worked.
“Whether I leave or not is up to me, and stop looking at me like that, it won’t work,” she said, breaking eye contact. “You can’t workorlive here. I have to practise, and—” She stopped.I don’t owe him any explanation. I cover my rent; why would Tim do this?
The drilling started again, and she couldn’t think. “Can you ask them to stop for a minute?”
Elijah shouted for them to stop, and they did so immediately. She was surprised he’d listened.Maybe he won’t be too unreasonable.
“Why would a grown man want to share with a stranger when you don’t have to?” Autumn asked, wanting,needinghim to see reason.
He shrugged. “I don’t have to explain myself to you, but since you’ve been blindsided…I’ll admit I’d be happier in my own place, but my company is developing, and renting business space in the city is expensive and hard to find. I moved home rather quickly and didn’t have time to search for a place to live. Since Tim is an investor in my company, he offered me the house—or half, I should say.” Elijah plugged in the coffee machine by the fridge while he spoke, and Autumn was glad for the space he put between them. She ran her hands through her hair. She understood his reasoning, but she didn’t want the solution to his problems to be the cause of her own.
“I understand that Tim wanted to help you, and I wish you all the best in your search, but Tim never talked to me about this arrangement, and I like my privacy. Trust me, you don’t want to live with me. I play the piano at all hours, and you won’t be able to work,” she said, though it came out more as a plea. “Surely, there’s someone you can stay with?”
“Nope. But if you really have a problem, leave. I won’t keep you,” he said, openingherfridge. Her anger rose to new levels as he took her watermelon slices.
“Make yourself at home,” she gritted out.
