Page 1 of Taffy
Tina
“Are you sure your dad is OK with this?” I ask as I navigate unfamiliar streets with my Rav4 packed so full of boxes I can barely see out the windows.
“Of course,” Kate assures me over the phone. “His last tenant left him high and dry, so you’re doing him a favor.”
“At a huge discount,” I counter, feeling bad because Kate’s dad is allowing me to rent a room in his North Beach townhouse for next to nothing.
“It’s no big deal, Tina. You need somewhere to live, and he needs someone to pay rent.”
“But he could get so much more if advertised—”
“Stop!” She laughs. “If I’d gotten that internship in San Francisco, he would have given me that room forfree.It’s no big deal. My dad isn’t hard up for money, OK? Relax.”
“OK,” I concede. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Good. Because this is all a match made in heaven. That job, the available room…everything is falling into place for you, my friend.”
I allow a small smile to curve the side of my lips. As much as I hate the idea of taking any sort of hand out—I’m a proud southern girl at heart—I do have to admit that this feels a lot like kismet. When college finished, it seemed like everyone I knew had a job lined up. I’d applied to a bunch of big city law firms for their paid internship programs, but nothing seemed to come of it. I was a fairly average student all through college, so I was pretty low in the pecking order. But just as I was about to tuck my tail between my legs and return home, I got a call telling me that if I could be in San Francisco within the week, I had a job. Everything just slotted into place from there.
“I wish you were here with me,” I say. Kate finished top of the class in everything and was snapped up by a fancy New York law firm before the ink was dry on her degree, so I’m embarking on this new chapter of my life without my best friend by my side. I’ve never been completely on my own before.
“I wish I was there too. But my dad will keep an eye on you, I promise. Call me when you’re settled, OK? My break is over and I have to get back in there.”
“Of course. I know you’re busy. Talk soon, OK?”
“Tell my dad I said hi.” She disconnects before I get the chance to say a proper goodbye, and I’m left with a nervous feeling in my stomach as I turn my car into the street my new home is supposed to be on.
As much as Kate keeps assuring me her dad is cool with me staying in his building, I’m scared he’s going to think I’m taking advantage of his and his daughter’s kindness. I mean, I’m paying less than half the rent he’d charge a regular tenant. It’s the deal of the century, but I feel guilty for accepting. I’ll need to do his cooking and cleaning or something to make up the difference.
Pulling up in front of the sea-green townhouse with brown accents, I chew on my lip as I try to squash my nerves down and get out of the car. I don’t know how long I’m sitting here with the engine still running, but a knock on my window startles the hell out of me.
“Can I help you?”
I let out a shriek and fumble for the window button. It slides down, revealing an amused looking man with a beautiful smile and dark gray eyes. My insides flip.Whoa.
“I’m not being creepy,” I blurt.
He runs a hand through his thick dark hair. “Staring at a building from inside a running vehicle is never creepy,” he teases.
I roll my eyes. There’s something about him that puts me at ease and makes me nervous at the same time. “I’m supposed to move in today.”
His brow raises. “Oh yeah? This place right here?” He thumbs over his shoulder, and the leather of his jacket creaks from his movement.
“Yeah. I mean, wait. Forget that. You’re a stranger. I should never tell a stranger where I live.”
“Too late.” He laughs and rests his hand on the ledge of my open window. I can’t help but notice how long and strong his fingers are. He looks like he’s no stranger to a hard day’s work, and I find myself wondering how those callused fingers would feel against my skin.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll walk away from here and forget all about me,” I say, knowing from experience that good looking men tend to see right through me. I’m the designated fat friend. I don’t get the guy.
“I doubt Kate would appreciate me forgetting who her best friend is,” he adds, and my jaw drops.
“How do you know Kate?” I squeak.
He frowns before he laughs. “Because I’m Troy. Kate’s dad. And you’re Tina, right?”
“You’re Kate’sdad?”I can’t keep the shock out of my voice. Kate never said her dad was so young…and so hot.
Troy
