“Do you stream your classes for memberships?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I want to look into that, though. It’s in my three-year plan. I’m just really not technically savvy.”
“Luckily for you, your boyfriend’s twin is a technical genius.”
“Oh, yeah, AJ. Please don’t bother AJ, I’m sure he’s?—”
“Bored. Yes, he is. He is very bored. He can’t take on any contracts until after the new year, when he’s officially out of the Air Force, so he’s basically just biding his time. That’s one of the reasons he’s had time to work on Poppy’s house. I went to see Lauren today to find out if there were any properties for us to flip.”
“To flip?” she repeated.
“In college we flipped houses.”
“You did?” For some reason, she could not see the twins doing that work. Not because they weren’t physically capable. Both had bodies that rivaled Michael B. Jordan inCreed. Itwas just that AJ was a cybersecurity specialist who she’d heard worked in the military for the CIA, and Niko didn’t seem like the hard labor type. But then again, she barely knew the man.
“It was my backup plan if baseball didn’t pan out.”
“Did you…are you going to flip a house while you’re here?” Tiana wasn’t sure why that thought made her happy. Maybe it was because part of her thought that at any minute he was going to leave. That despite him saying he was going to stick around, she felt like he was going to get a better offer and be gone.
Can you sayabandonment issues?
“Lauren showed me a commercial property that was interesting.”
“Commercial?” Tiana repeated. When he said flipping, she’d assumed he meant residential.
Niko patted his hand against the wall. “This building actually.”
“Thisbuilding?”
“Apparently the owner is having some financial issues.”
Was he? That would explain the rent hike.
“Who is the owner?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve only ever communicated through Lauren, who is acting as the property manager.”
Was Niko going to buy her building? If he did, would he flip it? Would he kick out the tenants? Her mind was racing with a million questions when her phone buzzed and she pulled it out. It was a message from Jenna.
Jenna:Where are you?!
“Oh shit!” Tiana cursed.
She quickly texted her friend back.
Tiana:Coming
“What?” Niko asked. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s, um, I have to go.” Tiana rushed around the counter and grabbed her coat, scarf, gloves, and tote. She couldn’t believe she’d totally blanked on her commitment.
“Okay. Where are we going?”
“Oh, you don’t…I have…” She headed to the door. “I’m part of a team for Quiz Night at JT’s bar.”
“Great, let’s go.”
“Youwant to go to Quiz Night at JT’s Bar?”
