Page 114 of One Small Spark
Daniel has mentioned RVing to Mom a few times. I’m noteven going to think about what it would be like if those two ran off to travel Route 66 one day. Hmm…but then, I would be in charge of the pie side of the bakery. Might not be so bad, after all. Retire, you lovesick fools.
“What are utilities usually like?” I had to pull up a website with questions to ask potential landlords. I’ve already asked her about trash, parking, and pets, and I’m running out of ideas.
She gives me a few numbers, and I nod along like it’s neck day at the gym and I have to get in every rep. The rent is super reasonable for such a nice place. Not as cheap as Tess’s family discount on her duplex, but nowhere close to what it could go for. I keep wandering through the rooms, trying to find a catch, but I haven’t spotted a flaw yet.
Shepherd stands off to the side, watching me flit from room to room, a happy smirk in place on his mouth.
It’s probably stuck there permanently after last night. Mine probably is, too.
“Olive and I have barbecues out back in the summer,” Lucy says. “Sometimes we do s’mores around the fire pit in the winter, but not as much. Olive’s my roommate, I probably should have said that. You don’t have to join in, but it’s nice to feel like we can be friends. No pressure.”
She looks hopeful, though, like maybe she needs this as much as I do. I wasn’t looking for a new place to live to expand my social circle, but…I like the sound of that. Lucy seems like she’d be fun to know. And I could use more friends in my life.
Am I…growing? How disgusting.
“I’d like that,” I say anyway.
She grins, making her dimples pop. Attempts at socializing would be a bad sign from any other landlord, but it’s different when it’s a woman my age with just one apartment to rent. I assume. If it turns out it’s just a way for her to sell me essential oils, I’ll bail.
“You should know my brothers come around a lot, but they’re completely harmless. And of course, they won’t bother you up here. I’ll warn Nathan that you have a boyfriend, and all will be well.” She shoots Shepherd a reassuring look that has the opposite effect.
“Do I need to be worried about Nathan?” He seems to be regretting helping me find this apartment in the first place. And also might hunt the guy down to have a little conversation of his own.
A jealous Shepherd is a hot Shepherd. Really, all versions of him are.
“Flirting is his default communication style, but I’ll tell him to knock it off.” Lucy gives me a stout nod. “She’ll be fine.”
“I prefer broody guys anyway, so it would never work out.” He seems pacified by my addition. Lucy just giggles.
“What else would be helpful to know?” she asks. “One of our neighbors runs a plow service so the streets always get cleared even though we’re not covered by the town. We have a pretty competitive holiday lights competition every winter. Last year the Cohens won with their spectacular Hanukkah display. They had a giant inflatable dreidel and everything. So, if you have ideas for what we can do to try to top that this year, I’ll be open to them.”
“It sounds like a great neighborhood.” Which is a comfort, since I’m weirdly missing my old one and I haven’t even left yet.
“Everybody’s really nice. What else? I teach high school English. I keep pretty normal hours during the school year, but in summer, anything goes. If you text me and I don’t answer, I’m probably at a good spot in my romance book and can’t be distracted from my writing.”
“You write romances?”
Lucy pales, her eyes widening comically. “I meant to sayreading. Obviously, I don’t write them. That would be so weird, right?”
“I think it’d be super cool. I love romances.”
She relaxes, and her smile reappears. “Then we’ll have plenty to talk about. If you decide to move in, I mean. Obviously, it’s all up to you. I’ll give you guys some time to talk about it, and you can come knock on the back door at the main house when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” I watch her slowly disappear down the open stairwell on one side of the living room until I hear the door to the rental open and close.
“Is it strange that the stairs are inside the apartment?” I ask Shepherd. It’s the only oddity I’ve found.
“It’s probably so they can’t ice up in the winter.”
“Oh. That’s smart.” I make my way over to him, peeking around the room again as if I’ll spot a family of mice I missed earlier, having a tea party on the vinyl wood-look floor. “Do you see any red flags?”
“Just Nathan.”
Aww. My man’s gone so surly.
My mouth twists as I fight my smile. I sneak closer and run my hands up his chest, delighting in the soft flannel fabric over his perfectly touchable pecs. “Are you jealous now?”
He loops his arms around me, reeling me in. “I’ve always been jealous over you.”
