Page 69 of Winter
She waved him away. “You go ahead.”
He grinned and went into the bathroom. “Anyway, this is a nice surprise. How are you?”
Inca blew out her cheeks, relieved the awkward atmosphere she’d feared was nowhere in sight. “I’m good … look, I wanted to apologize for last night.”
There was a small silence, then Olly stuck his head out of the door and smiled at her. “Let’s forget it. We were both, well, emotional. Friends?”
“Of course.”
He grinned and disappeared again. “It’s me who should be apologizing.” She heard the shower crank on. “I was a jerk. Forgive me?”
“Of course.”
She heard him chuckle, then the door closed. She shifted on the bed, looking around the room. It was untidy. Clothes were strewn everywhere; Inca realized she had always thought of Olly as so organized. The mess surprised her. The window was open, a cold breeze blowing the curtain. She walked over to the window. The room on the first floor had a view out to the forest, the trails marked. She saw a couple walking their dog and a jogger or two. The other side of the woods was the beach, and she stood on her tiptoes trying to see if she could see the water from here. Nope.
She moved away from the window and her foot kicked against some papers. She bent to pick them up. It was a manila envelope, addressed to Olly. With a start, Inca saw her realtor Mindy’s return address in the left-hand corner. She frowned—she had had no idea that the two knew each other. In fact, when they’d met a few weeks ago … then she saw the date. December sixth.
December sixth. The day before Mindy had called her to tell the apartment above the Sakura was gone.
Her heart was thudding. She looked up and listened. The shower was still running, and the scent of apple shampoo drifted underneath the door. Olly was humming to himself. Quickly, Inca prized open the envelope and pulled out the papers inside. Then all the breath left her body, her heart slamming against her ribs.
The deeds to the Sakura apartment.
She sat down on the bed hard, only just acknowledging its rumbling creak. She read the papers quickly. The letter was signed by a partner of Mindy’s, Jeb Verdona, a fawning sycophant who was full of clichéd platitudes and realtor-speak. He expressed surprise at the large amount Olly was prepared to pay at such short notice to secure the property. Olly had bought the Sakura apartment.Olly.Inca couldn’t get her head around it. She rechecked the dates again.Definitelythe day before Mindy had called her.
Inca gritted her teeth; the next moment she heard the shower shut off. She pushed the papers back in the envelope and shoved it back under the bed. She got up and went to the window again, hearing him open the door to the bathroom. She needed a moment to arrange her expression, to erase the shock she felt. Olly had bought the apartment from under her.
Bastard.
“You can turn around. I’m decent.” Olly chuckled, then saw her pale face. “You okay?”
She turned, nodded, and tried to smile. “You have a great view from here.”God, so trite, she cursed herself. Olly didn’t notice. He nodded.
“It’s a great location. Not as good as your abode, of course.”
Or the Sakura apartment, she thought with a grim smile. Olly pulled on his sweater and stood staring at her.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Inca pulled in a deep breath. “I’m fine. Look, Olly, like I said, I came over to apologize for last night. I should never have taken it out on you.”
“Ssh.” He was suddenly beside her, his hand brushing away the hair that fell over her face, his mouth against her cheek. “I said, no need to apologize.”
She was about to protest, but something in his eyes made her stop. A blankness.
She changed the subject. “I hope I’m not interfering with your day.”
“Quite the opposite.” He stood, reached for his sweater, and put it on, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “I was going to call you. How about hanging out with me for the day?”
She swallowed.He bought the apartment; he bought the apartment.Anger and confusion were starting to replace the shock. Her eyes narrowed, but she kept her voice steady.
“I can’t today, Olly. I have to work. Maybe some other time. I have to go.”
She moved toward the door, but he stopped her, his face confused. “What’s wrong?”
She made her smile neutral. “Nothing. I’ll see you later.”
The tightness in her chest didn’t ease as she drove to work. She parked the car outside of the Sakura and sat for a while, trying to digest what she’d found. Olly had bought the apartment. An investment? She rubbed at her eyes, a headache starting to pound at the back of her head. She slid out of the car and went into work.
