The more he thought about it, the more intriguing the prospect became to take Charlotte up on the offer. “You’re sure?”
“Did I not offer? I know Ray won’t care. You’ll pay us when you start affording it. Lemme get you the keys, and I’ll call the management agent and tell them you’ll be moving in.” She jumped up to hug him. “I know you think I’m overprotective, but you’re my brother. I didn’t have you all these years, and I’m going to make damn sure you know I’m always going to be there for you.”
“I know. I know. And you’re saving my ass. So I have to thank you.”
“You’d do it for me if you had to. I love you, Sean. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”
“I love you too. And I know it will.”
* * *
“What do you mean, you replaced me? You knew I was gonna come back.”
Figuring he’d need to play nice with his boss, Sean had shown up an hour earlier for his shift, expecting Bruno to be happy and appreciative of his effort. Instead he discovered he’d been canned.
“I can’t wait around for you to get your life together. It’s busy season, and you left us short.”
“C’mon, Bruno. Please? I really need this job.”
“Should’ve thought about that before you left us hanging.” The malicious sneer under that black mustache sent a cold rush of fear down Sean’s spine.
“I didn’t. You know it was an emergency. I called as soon as I could.” Sean’s dry mouth made it hard to speak. “I have nothing left. Please…come on. Don’t make me beg, Bruno.”
“But I’d like that. If you want to stay, I want to hear you beg me.” The cunning glint in Bruno’s eyes left no doubt in Sean’s mind what Bruno demanded. His stomach churned.
“I don’t fuck for a job. Not you or anyone.”
He turned on his heel and left.
* * *
Five days had passed since Sean lost his job and moved into Ray and Charlotte’s place. Laden with milk and a few other necessities, he entered the apartment. Kicking the door shut behind him, he set the bags on the kitchen island and grunted. “Damn, I need a beer.”
Determined not to get in too deep a hole, Sean had made sure to set aside some money for maintenance and utilities to send Charlotte for the month. He might not be able to afford the entire month’s fees, but he wanted her to know he was making an effort. He’d gone over his savings, and meager as they were, with Charlotte’s help and sticking to a tight budget, he could stay for five or six months before he’d run out of money. If he didn’t get a job, that was. He’d applied to a bunch of places but hadn’t heard anything yet. But as it was the end of the week, and wanting a little pick-me-up, he’d decided to treat himself to a few beers.
He put away the perishables, then took out an IPA, enjoying a long, beautiful swallow as he removed his sneakers and set them on the mat by the front door. He tried to keep everything in its place and not be a slob because he didn’t want to fuck anything up—most of all, his relationship with his sister. As much as she insisted she loved him and would always be there for him, Sean couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still alone. Too many foster families in too many years had given him a hard shell, and when people threw around the word “love,” he let it roll off his back. He finished the rest of his beer, figuring he deserved one last hurrah before the reality of the job search reasserted itself.
The money from his renter’s insurance would be a long time in coming and wouldn’t make that much of a difference. Like most New Yorkers, he’d carried the barest minimum allowed. Not that he was about to replace his flea-market couch and bed anytime soon, but at least he’d get some cash for the television he’d lost.
He called a florist and ordered Charlotte a thank-you bouquet. It wasn’t much, but it was the thought. Thank God for his sister and brother-in-law. Without them he’d be joblessandhomeless, and having been both, Sean had no desire to ever return to that world. He peeled off his sweaty clothes and headed to the shower.
The hot water revived him, and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, he scrolled through the television listings to see what he could put on as white noise while he job-hunted. He was about to settle in for aLaw and Ordermarathon, when the lock clicked and the front door opened. He froze with his second beer at his lips. A tall man in a suit stepped inside, wheeling two suitcases behind him.
“Who the fuck are you?” Sean jumped up, sputtering and brandishing the beer bottle in one hand and the remote in the other.
“I should be asking you the same thing.” Dark brows rose above a pair of cool but weary green eyes. “What’re you doing in my apartment?”
Chapter Two
All Tristan wanted was sleep. His flight from London had been first delayed, then canceled, and after spending a frustrating night at Heathrow, he’d been forced to land in Miami, then wait another six hours for a flight home.
Ray’s offer to stay as long as he needed in his apartment couldn’t have come at a better time. The real estate market was tighter than a violin string, and he’d had zero luck finding a place. Living in London for the past eighteen months hadn’t helped either. He figured he could hang out at Ray’s co-op for the month before his new job started, and apartment-hunt in the meantime. Put down roots even, though considering his upbringing, he wasn’t sure what that truly meant.
Maybe he had the wrong apartment? He dismissed the thought immediately—he’d opened the door with the key Ray had given him. He continued to stare at the wide-eyed man with wet hair, holding a beer bottle and a remote like he couldn’t choose which one to smack him over the head with.
“Yourapartment?” the man screeched, and Tristan winced. He already had a headache from a baby screaming nonstop in the seat across from his. “This is my place. My sister owns it.”
Tristan pulled his two suitcases in front of him. “Unless your sister is named Ray, I highly doubt that.” He shut the door behind him, and the man lowered his arms, confusion welling in his large eyes.
