Page 17 of Landlord Wars
“Are you sure?”
“Hell no, but you needed someone to make a decision.”
True fact. I’d turned to race back to my bedroom when a knock sounded at the front door, and I froze.
I looked over at Jack. “Crap!”
He set the remote on the coffee table and stood. “Your date picking you up?” he said, heading for the front door.
“No.” And thank goodness. I’d told my boss I would meet this guy at the restaurant. But his showing up here wasn’t what had me panicked. I was experiencing flashbacks of Landlord Devil showing up unannounced. I had that kind of timing when it came to him: my house in disarray, running into him punishing his ex, you get the picture. I’d avoided him over the last couple of days, and I wanted it to stay that way until I was gone.
I hid inside the hallway, and Jack opened the front door.
“Hi, I’m Elise,” I heard my sister say.
She entered the house, smiling cheerily. Her hair was swept forward over one shoulder like a dark curtain, and her chest rose and fell as though she’d run up the stairs to our apartment. She dumped her book bag by the entry.
Jack tracked her movements with a steely, non-brotherly stare, which I did not appreciate. “You’re the sister?”
“The one and only.” She winked. “I’m sure Sophia’s mentioned how awesome I am.”
That girl had zero arrogance. None.
Jack scratched his jaw, seemingly perplexed. “Not exactly.”
When the silence drew out, I called, “Back here.”
Jack looked over, and I widened my eyes, lips compressed, sending him what I hoped was an eyeball death threat, because he was a little too focused on my pretty baby sister.
He held up his hands, acknowledging my unspoken words, and headed for the couch.
I liked Jack. He was a good guy. But he was fresh out of a bad relationship and still licking his wounds. People in pain didn’t make the best partners.
Elise crossed to the hallway where I was huddled. “You look ready,” she said dryly.
I tore off the towel turban and raced into my bedroom. “I’m going to be late. Why are you here?”
“Because you texted me and told me you had a blind date.” She followed me into the bedroom and closed the door behind us. “You’re probably seconds away from calling and canceling.”
“Rude,” I said and tossed the blue blouse on my bed before slipping on the red. I wasn’t about to share how I’d thought about it multiple times. “I might have forgotten how to date. Or talk to men. This is going to be a disaster.”
Elise gave me a sharp look. “You can’t back out. And not because Victor set you up. He adores you and wouldn’t hold it against you. You can’t back out because I think you need a conversation with a man who isn’t a client or your boss.”
“I have a male roommate. We converse. He even helped me choose this top tonight.”
She nodded in appreciation. “Baby steps.”
I hopped on one leg and pulled on a pair of slim black pants. “I don’t know why I’m even bothering to date. It will end up exactly how things did with Paul.” I was being a Debbie Downer after I’d convinced myself this was the right thing to do, but when you know, you know.
Elise shook her head. “Very fatalistic of you. Paul was an ass. I could see his insecurities from a mile away.”
I reached for a pair of nude heels on the top shelf of my closet. “Well, I couldn’t. Which means I shouldn’t date until I can spot the bad apples.”
Elise picked up the relaxation candle I’d bought off Polk Street this week and sniffed. She scrunched her nose and set it down, elucidating my ass-poor taste in—well, everything, apparently. “You doubt yourself, and that’s why you can’t figure out men’s motives.”
I threw up my hands. “I shouldn’t need to figure out their motives. It should be apparent. And anyway, Paul didn’t have any hidden interests when we met. He liked me; he was just shallow and scared of his parents.”
Elise made a sound of disgust. “A man who can’t speak for himself is extremely unattractive. You’re better off without him.”
