I giggled to myself.
Oh, and as for the apartment situation, I got that under control too.
A knock at the front door made me jump. I quietly rushed to it and opened the door to see Aiden on the other side. “Aiden?” I looked around, half expecting to see Haze. “What’re you doing here?”
He smiled and made a face. “I’m here as a favor. Get dressed, we’re going to be late.”
“For what?” I blinked. “It’s early in the morning?”
He grinned and rocked on his toes. “Apartment shopping. Haze took care of everything, and I’m here to escort you.”
The phone vibrated again as a fourth text came through.
Surprise.
***PAGE BREAK***
“Wow.” I stepped into the apartment, admiring the open space inside. “This place is beautiful!” I gazed at the lifted ceilings and modern, open-concept design. Aiden, myself, and the realtor walked into the large open kitchen. It was enormous, bigger than my room at Mary-Jane’s. It had brand new cabinets that wrapped around the entire area with black marble counters and accents.
Perfect for a professional baker.
Out of all the apartments we toured, this one had by far been my favorite.
The realtor stepped past us both and pointed to the appliances. “Everything you see is brand new, as the whole building was only just completed. You’ve got ergonomic designs with a wraparound island, more than enough counter space, and high-performance appliances. It’s really the best kitchen money can buy, giving you the perfect space for family meals and hosting.”
I smiled, thinking about Haze. “It’s beautiful. I could see so much baking happening in this room.”
The man grinned. “Oh, are you a baker?” he asked with a bit of enthusiasm.
Aiden shot him a glance as I shook my head. “No, no. The most I can bake is a boxed cake, and even those I screw it up.” I laughed softly. “No, my brother is a professional baker.”
The realtor looked past me at Aiden. “Forgive me, I assumed you two were a couple.”
Aiden and I shot each other a look and nearly busted out laughing. “Oh no, he’s just a friend. Well, more like family. My brother—well, he couldn’t make it. But the kitchen is where he shines.”
Next to the bedroom.
The realtor flicked his eyebrow. “I see. So you’ll be living herealone?”
I stopped, not really knowing how to answer the man’s question. I mean, sure I’d technically be living alone, but what about Haze? I never really considered if he’d even be allowed to stay here with me.
“Um, what about the fireplace?” I switched the topic. “Gas or wood?”
The man followed my direction, focusing on the large fireplace. “Gas. It’s perfect for days like today. You can light it up and keep warm without worrying about that smoky smell you get with traditional wood-burning fireplaces. And if you look here, you can see the entire exterior of the apartment is all glass. Same as the bedroom.”
A full glass wall in the bedroom? Really defeats the purpose of privacy, doesn’t it.
“Is it only one room?” I asked.
The realtor nodded. “Would you like to see it?” He motioned me towards the modern stairs when I heard a camera. I turnedaround to see Aiden standing in the kitchen, taking a selfie in front of the exquisite stove. “Aiden, what are you doing?”
He looked over at me and smiled. “Sending your brother updates. I figured he’d want to see everything.” He posed with a silly face and took a second selfie. “Oh, cool fireplace!” Aiden ran over and snapped another photo in front of it. He looked over at the glass wall and whistled. “You can see the whole countryside from here.”
The countryside was one of the reasons I liked this place so much. The building was brand new, with no existing tenants, leaving me to have my pick of apartments. While the place was completely modernized, it was located quite a ways from town, and completely isolated.
Maybe that’s why they made the exterior pure glass?
“Wait, if you can see out, does that mean animals can see in?” He looked at me. “Better close your blinds at night, who knows what a squirrel might see. Imagine locking eyes with one in the middle of—” He stopped. “Well, you know.”
