He moved between the piles to a window on the northeast side and looked out across Prospect Park Lake. A moment later, Evie slipped her hand through his arm, smiling up at him.
“What do you think?”
“I think this is too much.” He chuckled, still a little dazed by how quickly his life had changed. Wealth opened doors; he knew that much from guarding ministers back in Serbia. But he’d never seen it move forhimbefore, never had anyone so intent on his comfort. “I lived in a six-hundred-square-foot apartment in Kragujevac,” he said, gesturing helplessly. “I have no idea what to do with this space or the money to fill it.”
Evie’s giggle warmed him. She so often looked sad and anxious when she thought no one was watching that Thorn had made it his quiet mission to ease her loneliness when he could. What began as repayment for her kindness had turned into something else entirely. He adored her - more than was wise. If his past had been different, and if she were older, he would have pursued her without hesitation. But he knew what followed men like him, and she had become too important to risk hurting. So,he buried the feeling and contented himself with simply being there.
“You think Tommy expects you to pay for renovations or buy anything you need?” Her amused voice cut through his thoughts. He blinked, refocusing on her, frowning slightly as the question sank in.
“Tommy should not have to pay for that. He’s done enough,” Thorn said, his tone firm but sincere. He respected Tommy, both the man and the businessman, and wanted no part in taking advantage of him.
Evie rolled her eyes and turned in a slow circle, scanning the stacks of boxes and furniture. Thorn could practically see her mind mapping the room, already strategizing how to clear it.
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” she said, thumbs flying over her phone before she slipped it back into her pocket. “Tommy’s generous, but he’s still a businessman. This is an investment for him.”
Thorn frowned. “An investment?” The word felt strange in his mouth. “I do not understand.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” she said as she tugged a sheet off a sagging sofa that looked decades old. “But giving you a job, a home, helping with your citizenship, that’s him investing in you.” She wrinkled her nose at the couch. “Help me move this to one side. Donate pile.”
Thorn walked over and gripped one end. “Just tell me where, Mališa.”
She pointed toward the wall to the left of the elevator, and he dragged it easily into place. “You’re saying he sees me as an investment?”
“Well, yeah, but don’t get upset about it.” Evie smiled over her shoulder as she tugged a sheet off a matching chair. “Hesees me the same way, and it’s not a bad thing. He wants us to do well. If he sees potential in someone, he makes sure it gets the chance to grow.”
She glanced back at him, eyes bright. “And honestly? It guarantees loyalty. You’re not taking advantage of him by accepting help. You heard him, he’s buying an apartment complex so employees can live closer to work. What do you think he’s getting out of that?”
Thorn nodded as he lifted the chair and set it beside the sofa. Now that he understood, the tension eased from his shoulders. “Their loyalty and happiness?” he guessed.
“Exactly.” Evie grinned. “Tommy’s father always said a happy worker was a loyal worker. Tommy just… expanded the theory.”
Her phone chimed. She checked it, then smiled wider. “Perfect. Tommy’s had security close off this elevator, so we’ve got it to ourselves for the next few days. Come on, let’s hit the basement, find a couple of carts and dollies, and start hauling this stuff out.” She slid the phone back into her pocket, already heading for the doors. “And while we work, you can tell me all about your dream home. You’ve got me for the next twenty days to make it happen.”
**********
It took them the better part of three days to clear out Thorn’s soon-to-be apartment.
Tommy had told Evie to use her best judgment about what to toss, donate, or keep, explaining that his father had grown up poor and never liked throwing things away “in case they might come in handy.” So, she discarded anything too dated, including a sofa set straight out of the eighties, and donated what she thought Tommy would never use but wasstill in good shape. A charity shop agreed to pick everything up once it reopened after the holidays. The boxes they left sealed, figuring Tommy could sort them later. Anything that looked antique or expensive, they carefully moved down to a storage room in the basement.
When the floor was finally empty, Thorn stood in the center of the room, hands on his hips, trying to visualize the layout. He was waiting for Evie to come back with the measuring tape and masking tape so they could mark out the floor plan for the construction crew scheduled to arrive the next day.
The elevator chimed, and he turned as Evie stepped out, a bag slung over her shoulder. He recognized the roll of measuring tape and masking tape inside, but the long tube of paper and her laptop caught his attention.
“I had a thought,” she said with a grin as she crossed the room. “I play this computer game calledThe Sims. You can build houses with it. I figured we could use it to design your apartment once we’ve got the measurements. Each block in the game equals about a meter, so it’ll give us a good sense of scale.”
She gestured to a nearby column with an outlet. “And to make our lives easier, Tommy found the blueprints, schematics, and MEP drawings for the Tower and dug out the ones for this floor.” She held up the roll of paper like a trophy, beaming. “So now we know where the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical components are, and we can plan where to put your kitchen and bathrooms accordingly.”
She set her things down beside the column and looked up at him, still smiling. “What do you think?”
Thorn shook his head, a low chuckle rumbling out as he joined her on the floor. He was constantly impressed by howsharp Evie was. Maybe not quite on Tommy’s level, but close enough that it wouldn’t surprise him if she got there someday.
“I think that’s a great idea, Mališa.” He watched her plug in her laptop and took the roll of paper from her, sliding off the rubber band and spreading it across the floor. While she booted the computer, he studied the plumbing schematics, marking where the contractors could most easily tie into existing lines. When he found the best spots, he flipped to the blueprints, took the dimensions, and converted them to meters for her game.
They spent the rest of the afternoon designing the space inThe Simsuntil they landed on a layout he liked. Then Evie put on some music, and together they mapped it onto the floor with masking tape. When they finished, she did a triumphant little spin.
“It’s going to look so good!” she said, grabbing his hand and trying to pull him into a dance.
Thorn laughed and shook his head, holding their joined hands up so she could twirl beneath them like a ballerina. He loved her bursts of pure, childlike joy, but he was also fairly certain that if he stepped on her, he’d break her.
