Page 25 of A Gift of Time
“Are you okay?” he asked, looking back. “You look a bit… off.”
“It’s called a hangover,” I answered with a laugh. “I’ve had worse, though, so I’m fine.”
“Good. I need to sit down a minute,” he said before moving his gaze to the sitting area. “I’ve been working for hours.”
I scrunched up my face. “Hours? It’s just now nine a.m. What time did you get here?”
“Um.” His blue eyes darted to my face. “I sorta live here. At least for the moment.” Embarrassment caused his cheeks to darken again and his voice became raspier, as if fighting through some emotion he was trying to hold back. “I lived with my boyfriend, and when we broke up, he kicked me out. So… I’ve been living here for about a month.” A smile lifted his lips, even though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It’s not so bad. I have a mini-fridge in the back and a mattress. Also, I’m right in the middle of town, so it’s not hard to get food when I want it.”
I couldn’t believe what he’d just said. Taking another look around the place, I saw it in a different light.
A draft hit me, probably coming in from the front door, and it didn’t seem like the heater worked that well. It wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm enough to walk around barefoot.
But no worries. He had a mattress and a mini-fridge.
This isn’t fucking happening.My Caden wasnotstaying there another night.
“Wow, you look pretty disgusted,” Caden said, taking my silence the wrong way. “I know it’s not your fancy apartment, but it’s the best I can do. I can’t afford anything else right now. Heck, I can barely afford to rent this building.”
I had told Caden many times—after we’d started dating—that he could just work from home. He didn’tneedan office space for a designing company, and I had complained that it was just an extra expense for us—caring more about our financial situation than about his feelings. But he’d disagreed, saying it looked more professional for him to have his own studio setup and a place for potential clients to walk-in and see what he had to offer.
“Frank still gives you a good deal on rent per month, doesn’t he?” I asked, without thinking.
Caden gaped. “How do you know Frank?”
“We helped him advertise his pizza place a few years back,” I casually answered.
It was the truth… in the other life at least.
Holton had put Frank’s pizza place back on the map, and that had led to me and Caden meeting him. He owned the buildings on that side of the street—inheritance from his grandfather—and he tried to cut Caden a good deal. They’d become friends, too.
I only hoped that had happened in this reality as well, otherwise Caden would one hundred percent think I was mentally unstable.
“Oh yeah,” Caden said as realization lit his face. “He told me about that before. However.” Blue eyes burned into mine. “That doesn’t explain how you knew about our payment arrangement.”
Luckily, his phone rang after the question left his lips, and he pulled it from his back pocket.
“Cay Designs,” he answered. A voice murmured on the other end, and he nodded. “Sure. I can do that. Just tell me when is good for you.” Caden listened as the person responded. “Great! Thank you. I’ll be in touch.”
After he pocketed his phone, he looked back at me. “Sorry for taking the call. I just really need the business.”
He was struggling getting customers? In the other life, he’d done extremely well. But then it occurred to me; Caden never decorated Holton. That job had been the one to help him get his name out in the world. My boss had recommended his designing services, and before too long, most of the big companies and law firms around town had been calling him.
Caden decorating my workplace had been how we’d met. Since my wish had been to never have met him… that day never happened and he never landed the one job that would’ve helped him out tremendously.
Another selfish act on my part.
“I have a proposition for you,” I said, following him to the set of chairs beside the window. “And please just hear me out before you answer.”
Suspicion clouded his eyes, but he nodded, allowing me to continue.
“In case you haven’t noticed, it’s fucking freezing outside.” I looked out the window and motioned to all the snow piled on the ground. Focusing back on Caden, I said, “I know you don’t know me that well, and I’m just a client, but the thought of you staying another night here when the temperature is just going to keep dropping upsets me.”
“I’m fine,” he said, still with a leery expression.
“The fireplace doesn’t work, the heater sucks, and there’s a draft coming from the door,” I pointed out.
“What do you propose I do?” he asked with a scoff. “Come stay with you?”
