“All right, I’ll leave you to your work.”Nan stops at the door, turning to face me.“Don’t forget about the dinner next Friday night.”
“I haven’t.”It’s my turn to adjust my clothes, pulling at the ends of my Zegna bespoke suit sleeves.“I’ll be there.”
“Are you bringing a date?”
I’m deliberate about not discussing my personal life—women—with Nan.She usually learns about who I’m seeing from others or after a relationship has ended.Otherwise, she has the woman investigated and if she approves, starts talking marriage.
“Yeah,” I lie and her brows arch with interest.
“Someone special?”
“Maybe.”
I don’t have anyone lined up for my plan, but I will before next Friday.I have to.Gary is committed to the task at hand and I want to be able to make a deal when he finds the next suitable property.I’m not willing to pass up another opportunity.
“Ah, who is she?”The corners of her mouth twitch up in a barely perceptible smile.“Anyone I might know?”
“You’ll have to wait to meet her next Friday.”I’m playing the part of a sly devil, dangling the carrot I know she so desperately wants, but it’s all a lie.
“At least tell me if it’s serious.”
“I’d like it to be.”My stomach muscles tighten with the filthy lie spilling from my mouth.
3
Paige
Standing in my bedroom after a long day, I’m ready to crawl into bed when the lousy patch job on the wall grabs my attention.The plaster is bumpy around the edges of a two-foot-wide misshapen circle.
When I left for work this morning, a hole had been there.A hole hidden by a mirror when I’d toured the place before renting.Like many other things, I added it to the list of things for the landlord to fix.
My heart jumps into my throat.My landlord has been in my home.Again.It’s been a day less than a week since the last incident when I found him in my place.Afterward, I’d warned him in writing of his inappropriate behavior and that I’d take action if he did it again.There was no response, but I figured he had gotten the message.Boy, was I wrong.
I grab my phone, ready to dial Tom, the police, or even my parents, as I rewind my steps since coming home, trying to recall if anything else was out of place or magically fixed.Shit, what if he’s still here like last time?
With my phone in hand, I methodically search for signs of an intruder and check all the windows and doors to make sure they are locked.Nothing else is out of place.
Nerves frayed, I text Tom to come over—being alone right now gives me the heebie-jeebies—and while waiting for his reply, I call my big brother.
Drew answers on the third ring.“Hey, how’s it going?”
“My landlord was in my house again without my permission.”My words are a jumble, fighting for release.
“Put him on the phone.”
“He isn’t here.”I recount every detail right up until I called him.“What do I do?He’s obviously not going to stick to our agreement.”
“This is harassment.We could call the cops and they’ll take note of the incidents, but there isn’t much else they can do right now.You didn’t see him tonight, did you?”
“No, but I know it was him.There are no signs of a break-in and no burglar is going to fix a hole in the wall.”
“Yeah, but he can say he fixed the hole a while ago or you made it up.”
“So basically, I’m shit out of luck?”
“No.We have to go at him through the right channels.Make note of the dates and times he’s been in violation, take down all the details.There’s a government agency that advocates for tenants.You should report this and they’ll take action.At least we’ll have it on record.”
“Does this mean I have to move?”
