I stop short on the top step.
Jack joins me, his hands back in his pockets. “It needs a little work.”
That’s the understatement of the century.
Overgrown, dead bushes line the wooden fences. Weeds spill out of the raised garden beds. All kinds of tall green grass stalks push up between the stepping-stone path. It’s an absolute crime against backyardery.
“I love it,” I breathe out, already mapping what I’ll plant and where.
Jack looks at me like I’m crazy, the first time he’s given me such alook, which is odd, all things considered. “I was never much of a gardener.”
“You’re so lucky you swiped right on me, my friend. I mean, that was a given already, but especially considering all of this untapped potential.”
I take out my phone, hit Harley’s number, and don’t wait for her to actually greet me before talking. “Hi, yes, I’m going to need you and Gem to come meet me at that address I sent you.”
“Oh shit, are you getting kidnapped? Are they selling you into sex slavery?” Harley calls for Gemma in the background, and I can tell she’s going into full-blown lawyer mode.
“No, but I’m about to agree to move in with a guy I just met.” I throw Jack a wink as I stride past him and back into the house.
“Jesus Christ, Sadie, you’ll be the death of me one day. Don’t sign anything! We’ll be there in twenty.” Harley hangs up on me and I tuck my phone back in my purse.
Jack meets me in the kitchen, him on one side of the peninsula, me on the other. “So what do you think?”
What do I think? I think my fairy godmother just dropped the solution to all my problems in my lap. With my savings and this ridiculously low rent, I’ll have plenty of time to look for a new job. Maybe even one I actually like. “I think it’s fucking perfect and you’re probably making a huge mistake letting me come live in your perfect house, but I don’t care because I love it so much and also that’s on you for matching with me.” I take a deep breath, knowing I can’t get into this arrangement without telling Jack the whole truth. “But I have to be honest about something. I just got laid off from my job. I do have some savings and I’m like a seriously, ridiculously hard worker. For real, myjob was my life. And I promise I will find something soon and I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you take this chance, I swear I’ll be not the worst roommate.” I clasp my hands together as if in prayer. Which they might as well be.
He slides a lease agreement across the counter. “Sounds like you could use a bit of a break.”
I pull the paper to me, smiling softly. I don’t bother reading it since Harley is going to examine it within an inch of its life as soon as she gets here. “Thank you, Jack.” And before he can change his mind, I steer the conversation far away from my employment. Or lack thereof. “So seriously, how does someone our age end up with a free-and-clear brownstone in Park Slope? Bestselling sex tape? Lotto? Black-market drugs?”
His mouth pulls into a flat line. “Dead parents.”
“Oh fuck. Oh god, Jack. Jesus Christ, I’m the worst. I’m so sorry. I want to say it gets better when you get to know me, but my friends will attest to the fact that I’ll always be a huge asshole. I’ll totally not be offended if you want to kick me out. I’m definitely going to cry all the way home because seriously this place is to die for, and I like really need this break so I don’t go completely broke, but I’ll totally understand. Fuck.”
The corners of his mouth tilt up into what just might be the beginnings of a smile. “I think you’re going to be good for me, Sadie Green.”
“Oh, I definitely won’t be. Like literally no one has ever come away from knowing me thinking that, promise,” I blurt out before clamping my lips shut, not needing to dig my own grave any further.
“When can you move in?”
Four
An hour later,Harley, Gemma, and I sit in a different, equally adorable café even closer to Jack’s brownstone. Which is about to be my brownstone. Because holy shit, how could I even think about turning down this opportunity?
“Gotta say, Sade, definitely walked into this thinking you’d once again lost your damn mind, but now I’m just pissed you found him first.” Gemma rips into her chocolate croissant, handing me a third and Harley a third before shoving her own portion into her mouth in one bite. She somehow manages to also be tapping on her phone screen at the same time. “Although, he doesn’t appear to have a social media presence. Not even an old Facebook. And when I googled him, there were like eighty bazillion Jack Thomases, none of whom are your adorable hipster, which seems a teeny bit sketchy.”
“Okay, one, he is not adorable. Two, at least that means he probably doesn’t have a record. Surely a murderer would be among the firstGoogle results, right?” I check my own phone, bringing up the roommate app. “And his profile here says he doesn’t do social media because it’s bad for your brain.”
“He’s not wrong about that.” Harley bites into her section of the croissant, never moving her eyes from the lease agreement. “These terms look pretty fair. Technically he can ask you to leave at pretty much any time, but you also have the right to terminate the lease and move out at any time, should things get weird. You’re each just required to give two weeks’ notice, so it all seems pretty standard.”
Gemma sips her iced coffee. “Jesus, you’re going to be able to actually pay off your loans. I’d literally commit murder to pay off my student loans.”
“As an English teacher, shouldn’t you be more careful about using the word ‘literally’?” I raise one arched eyebrow at her, then duck when she throws her straw wrapper at me. Now that they’ve been plied with chocolate, carbs, and caffeine, I figure I can broach the real reason I brought them here, other than abusing Harley’s free legal services. “Also, I’ve been thinking.”
“Uh-oh,” Harley says.
“Fuck me,” Gemma groans.
“Okay, rude.” I tear my own straw wrapper in half and throw a wadded-up paper ball at each of them, trying not to be deterred by their reactions. “What if...” I pause for dramatic effect—and to gather my courage. “I didn’t look for a new job?”
