“Still, it doesn’t give her the right to be disrespectful,” I said, my voice firm.
“True, but how about a compromise? I’ll talk to her, get an apology out of her. No need to kick her out.”
I sighed, considering his offer. “Fine. But make sure she understands there’ll be no more nonsense. I won’t tolerate any noise.”
“I’ll talk to her first thing tomorrow,” Jake promised.
“Good.”
“By the way,” Jake said, his tone shifting back to casual, “a couple of the guys are here. You should join us. There’s a woman here who’s always asking about you.”
“No thanks,” I replied. “I’ll pass.”
“But it’s the weekend, and we’re all just unwinding. It should be better than spending the night alone in that little apartment, don’t you think?”
“Naa… I’m good. I love the comfort of my bed better.”
Jake laughed. “Knew you’d say that. Alright, man. Catch you tomorrow.”
The call ended, and I tossed my phone onto the bed. The guilt from earlier tugged at me again, but I shoved it aside. Her tragic past didn’t absolve her of what she’d done tonight.
Still, it was hard to shake the image of her from my mind.Kendra. Even her name felt oddly familiar. I let it roll around in my thoughts before forcing myself to focus on work.
I had bigger problems. My father’s announcement that he was considering stepping down as CEO and I was to take his place, still hung over me like a shadow. On top of that, he wanted me to mentor my half-brother Damon, who had just turned eighteen.
As if I needed another headache. I didn’t have any personal grudges against the young man, or his mother… but, he was a bit of a rascal, and I just didn’t think I possessed the mental fortitude to deal with him. But, my father had insisted that being able to train Damon for the job was one of my tasks to prove I was ready to become CEO.
I stared at my laptop, but instead of diving into work, my mind wandered back to Kendra. Her face flashed before me again. There was something about her… something I couldn’t quite place.
But where had I seen her before?
Chapter Three
Kendra
“Okay, I’ll get it sorted out. I apologize for any troubles I caused.” I tightened my grip on my phone and ended the call. I couldn’t believe that psycho actually called the landlord on me—just because we had a little misunderstanding.
“Fine! If an apology is what he wants, an apology he will get.”
I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom. A few minutes later, after brushing my teeth and taking a quick shower, I threw on my oversized shirt from my favorite thrift shop back in Alaska and a pair of comfy shorts. I pulled my hair into a ponytail with the elastic band I always kept handy.
There was no reason to be nervous about giving a simple apology, yet my blood was pumping faster than usual. I ignored the strange feeling and marched to Antonio’s door.
Raising my hand to knock, I noticed something I’d missed before—a doorbell. I glanced back at my own apartment and, sure enough, there was one on the wall. So, why hadn’t he rung it instead of banging on my door like a lunatic? I exhaled heavily and pressed the doorbell.
A moment passed with no response. I pressed it again, and this time the door flew open almost immediately. Antonio stood there, giving me a slow, deliberate once-over before his eyes settled back on my face. His gaze made me feel... exposed.
“Yes?”
“Good morning,sir,” I began, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I am here to apologize for my unruly, utterly unacceptable behavior last night. I’m so sorry I disturbed your beauty sleep and slammed the door in your face. Please, find a place in your big heart to forgive me. I’m really sorry I moved in next to you, and I solemnly pledge to never again disturb your peace and quiet.”
He eyed me, his expression darkening. The flash of annoyance in his eyes brought a wry smile to my lips. No one could say I hadn’t apologized, but it was as far from sincere as one could get.
“Is that supposed to be funny?” he growled.
“I don’t understand,” I replied, feigning confusion.
“You call that an apology?”
