“Yeah,” is all I manage as I enter the final digit, handing the phone back to Emmett.
I hold my arms out, ready to take Blake back.
He shakes his head and begins pacing the apartment, my daughter’s eyelids drooping closed when he puts the phone to his ear.
It must be ten seconds before Emmett speaks in a voice I’ve never heard before, a clipped edge to a professional tone.
“My name is Emmett Richards, and I’m a close friend of yournew tenant, Billie Quinn.” He wraps his arm tighter around Blake, taking a couple of steps into my kitchen and heading straight for one of the broken cupboards. “As I’m sure you are aware, Billie has tried, on numerous occasions, to bring a number of issues with her apartment to your attention.” He clears his throat, warm gaze landing on Blake. “Tell me, do you make a habit of ignoring all your tenants’ phone calls, or is it just the ones where some effort is required on your part? For example, if Billie were to pull all rental payments until such time that you address the state of disrepair in her property, I’m willing to bet that we would hear from you in a more than timely fashion.”
I look on, biting down on my bottom lip.
“I’m not sure if you’re a fan of hockey or even care who I am, but let me make one thing clear: Billie Quinn and her newborn baby are your top priority, as is the hot water issue that’s currently preventing her from bathing Blake and cleaning dishes and baby equipment.” Emmett’s eyes flick to mine as he confirms, “Now, it just so happens that you’re in luck with the kitchen cabinets since I’m currently visiting and have a toolbox in the trunk of my car. But the flooring by her couch needs immediate attention—by tomorrow at the very latest.”
Speaking of the floor, I fully melt into it when Emmett switches the call to speaker so Blake can wrap her tiny palm around his pointer finger, something I thought she only loved to do with me.
“To clarify,” he begins, rounding up the message, “I don’t need you to call back on this number to make arrangements. I need you to simply start paying attention to two very important people in my life.” His eyes find mine again, and I swallow thickly. “The kind of people who would make me take serious action really fast if anyone screwed them over.” He leaves his sentence there, satisfied that its meaning cannot be misinterpreted. “Billie looks forward to hearing from you in the very near future.”
“My landlord’sstopping by tomorrow night when he gets back into town,” I confirm to Emmett, setting my phone down on the counter while I watch him tighten the final hinge on a kitchen cupboard.
Blake went down for a nap a half hour ago, and all I’ve done in that time is drink coffee and observe the show playing out in front of me.
He finishes up and checks the alignment.
I felt sure Emmett would look more pleased at the outcome. It took less than ten minutes for me to receive a call I’d been waiting on for several days.
“What’s the matter?” I ask, noticing the pinch between his brows as he rests his forearms on the opposite end of the small island where I’m sitting.
“It just pisses me off,” he replies, deeper lines creasing into his forehead. “How long was he going to leave you and Blake in this mess?”
I drop my eyes to the butcher’s block countertop. “It’s pointless, thinking about that; the important thing is that he’s going to make the repairs.”
When I cast my eyes up, Emmett’s no longer standing in front of me, but right by my side, his familiar cologne causing my thighs to pinch.
A growl emanates from his chest, and he reaches up, tugging at a few strands of his hair. “He knew what he was doing and was testing the limits of how much he could get away with. Assholes like that piss me off. I hate even more that he did it to a woman and her newborn.”
I open my mouth to speak, but Emmett gets there first.
“What about tonight? How will you bathe Blake?”
My eyes settle on the empty pan sitting on top of my stove.
“No. Absolutely fucking not,” he practically spits. “You can’t stay here tonight if that’s what you’re using to heat water.”
I shrug, having done that exact thing for several nights onrepeat. “It’s fine. It doesn’t take me all that long to heat the water to the correct temperature for Blake.”
Like he forgets himself completely, Emmett’s hand lands on the arm of my barstool, turning me to face him straight on. “No, Billie. I can’t leave you tonight, knowing that’s how you plan to spend your evening.”
I gaze around at the apartment. “Well, if you have any other bright ideas, then let’s hear them. I’m all ears.”
There’s a hint of challenge in Emmett’s eyes. “You could stay over at my place. I have a huge tub and several spare bedrooms.”
My eyes grow wider. “Are you being serious?”
He returns my earlier shrug. “Deadly. You can’t stay here until your landlord fixes the fundamentals.”
“Emmett,” I blow out, hands twisting nervously in my lap. “Don’t you think that’s a little dangerous? What if someone sees me entering your apartment?” I pause, taking a second to choose my next words carefully. “I mean, we both know that there’s nothing going on between us, but it could look a little weird to other people.”
Silence descends, Emmett’s hand gripping the arm on my stool even tighter.
