FOUR
Muttering to himself, Leo stormed over to the breaker box, found the blown switches, and flipped both his and Cantrell’s to the correct position.
“It would serve the dumbass right if I taught him a lesson and let him sit and suffer for the night without his air conditioner.” Good thing Cantrell didn’t flip any of the switches for the other apartments, or he’d have an uprising. Nothing like no electricity on a hot-as-hell day to get his tenants riled up.
A trickle of sweat ran down his neck, and he grimaced. Another shower wouldn’t kill him, he reasoned as he entered his apartment, but he might need to read that guy the riot act about messing around where he didn’t belong. A tenant had no right sticking his nose into the mechanics of the building. He stomped around the apartment for a few minutes before remembering the microwaved meal he’d been heating up when the power went out. The dish smelled as bad as it looked, so he tossed it in disgust. When he opened his refrigerator for a beer, he spotted the package of ground beef he’d bought when Cantrell left the store yesterday.
Ran, you mean.
Leo had recognized the shadows in Cantrell’s eyes. He saw that pain and loss in the mirror every day, and every day he ignored it. If Leo were to hazard a guess, it must have something to do with his failed marriage. No one went from luxury to low-cost without a damn good reason.
“Well, Mr. Nosy Ass, you still have to eat.” He gathered up the items, put them in a bag, and left his apartment.
Trudging up to the fifth floor, he figured Cantrell would’ve had enough time to cool off and they could calmly discuss the reasons why he should leave the management of the building to the people who knew what they were doing.
He knocked on the door, and he waited impatiently as Cantrell unbolted the three separate locks he’d had installed. After all that, Cantrell still only opened the door as far as the security chain would allow, but even in those few inches, Leo could see the consternation filling Cantrell’s wide green eyes.
“What do you want? Did you come here to keep yelling at me? I already said I was sorry.”
“Actually, you didn’t.”
“I’m pretty sure I did. And even if I didn’t, you had no right to call me names.”
Cantrell’s stubbornness began to grate on Leo’s nerves. That was why he didn’t waste time with people. Inevitably, they pissed him off, like this guy.
“I call them as I see them. And are you going to stand there and say to my face you were right in fumbling around with the electrical system of this entire building that I’m responsible for?”
“If you came to berate me, I’m going to close the door. I have better things to do than listen to you.” True to his snooty words, he started to close the door, but Leo quickly stuck his foot in the narrow opening.
“I thought we could have an intelligent discussion, but obviously, that’s not happening. So here.” He held up the grocery bag. “I got the stuff you left behind when you ran away from me in the supermarket. I knocked on your door yesterday, but when no one answered, I didn’t want to leave it and have the meat spoil. You’re welcome.”
Without waiting for Cantrell’s reply, he set the grocery bag on the floor and turned on his heel. At the top of the stairs he heard a door slam shut, then open, and Cantrell call out.
“Wait. Please?”
Leo closed his eyes. He really should walk away and leave that mouthy little fucker alone. “What is it?”
“Th-that was nice of you. You didn’t have to do it.”
“I know.” Leo crossed his arms and waited.
“Thank you. And…” Cantrell bit his lip. “I’m sorry. I-I guess I shouldn’t have tried to fix the problem myself. You’re right.”
The guy was pretty damn cute.
Oh hell no. Don’t even go there.
Leo nodded. “Okay. Like I said, next time you have an issue with something in the building, come to me. I’ll take care of it. That’s what I’m here for.”
“I will. And thanks for getting my groceries.” Cheeks pink, Cantrell ducked his head, and Leo had to harden his heart against the unaccustomed and unexpected prickle of pleasure. The guy was too nice. And sweet.
Too damn nice and sweet for you.
“It was nothing. Now that I’ve wasted enough time, I’ll see you.”
“But wait. I owe you money. Let me get my wallet—”
“No. I already said it’s not a big deal. I have to go.”
