Page 78 of One Pucking Surprise
“Unfortunately, yes,” Meredith, my property manager, says brightly, as if she’s giving me the weather report and not a sentence of total upheaval. “We’ve figured out the issue. It’s the upstairs unit’s plumbing. A burst pipe. Big mess.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Great.”
“The plumbers have already started working upstairs, but with the extent of the damage…”
I pace the length of my living room, dodging the growing puddle near my couch. “Meredith, my ceiling is leaking. Actively. Likeit’s auditioning to be Niagara Falls. And you’re telling me I have to live like this for a week?”
“Well, we can offer a discount on next month’s rent,” she offers, her chirpy tone only amplifying my irritation. “Do you have anywhere else you can stay in the meantime?”
I rub my temples, glancing at the bucket catching the water near my coffee table. I’d already texted Chloe and Janelle when this disaster started last night, and both had immediately offered their places. I’d brushed them off, hoping for a quick resolution. Clearly, I was too optimistic.
“I’ll figure something out,” I mutter before hanging up.
As if on cue, my phone buzzes with a text in our group chat.
Chloe: Any update? How bad is it?
Janelle: Please tell me they fixed it.
I sigh and type back.
Lainey: It’s going to take a week.
Their responses come almost immediately.
Chloe: Stay with us! Wyatt and I have the guest room ready.
Janelle: No way. Stay with me. Newlyweds aren’t good for your mental health. You might see things. Hear things. Be traumatized.
I snort, rolling my eyes at Janelle’s teasing.
Lainey: LOL. Thanks for the visual, Janelle.
The group chat devolves into laughing emojis and Chloe insisting she and Wyatt are “discreet,” which only makes Janelle double down. I’m in the middle of typing a sarcastic comeback when my phone rings again.
Zach.
“Hey,” I answer warily.
“I heard you’re dealing with a leak,” he says, his voice laced with amusement.
“Ugh. Wyatt and his big mouth,” I groan.
Zach laughs. It’s a deep, rich sound that shouldn’t make my insides flutter, but does anyway. “You’re not seriously thinking of staying with Wyatt and Chloe, are you? You’ll disrupt their… uh, extracurriculars.”
“Gross,” I say, but I can’t help but laugh. “Why does everyone keep bringing that up?”
“Because it’s true,” Zach says matter-of-factly. “Just move in with me, Lainey. Problem solved.”
I blink, caught off guard. “Don’t rush my decision, Zach. I told you I’ll think about it. Besides, Janelle offered her place too.”
He makes an exaggerated scoffing sound. “Lainey. Come on. It’s fate. The universe is literally screaming at you to move in with me.”
I roll my eyes so hard it’s a miracle they don’t fall out. “That’s not funny, Zach. Are you seriously telling me that the universe caused my upstairs neighbors’ plumbing to explode just so I’d move in with you?”
“Yes,” he says without missing a beat. “So, are you moving in now?”
“No,” I say firmly. “Actually, I was thinking about taking a vacation and visiting my sister while they fix this.”
