Owen dropped the knife into the bag, leaning back through the doorway and setting it on the hall table. “What does that mean?” he asked, his tone casual, his eyes sharp.
“He accused me of sleeping with Theo.” My face heated, the embarrassment still fresh in my mind.
“What?” He swallowed a laugh. “You don’t even speak to him.”
“I do now,” I said. “Dustin was trying to humiliate Theo over his late rent, so I paid it on the sly. I guess Dustin came to his own conclusions about why I’d do something like that.”
His brows lifted, and he crossed his arms, pulling his charcoal shirt tighter at the shoulders. “Because you can’t be nice to someone unless there’s a chance of it leading to sex.”
“Not in Dustin’s world, apparently.” The reminder of his sudden shift in attitude turned the lingering warmth in my cheeks ice cold. “He called me a whore, too,” I said, rubbing the chill from my arms. “So, there’s that.”
Owen’s expression darkened. A muscle flexed in his jaw, and he gave me a once over. “Did he touch you?”
“No.” But I hadn’t imagined the tension vibrating from him. “I think he wanted to, but it never got that far.”
“Maybe I’ll give Laura that knife after all,” he said. “She’s been getting bored lately. Am I the first person you’ve told?”
Footsteps came from somewhere inside his apartment. I wanted to move on from the topic fast in case one of Owen’s daughters appeared. “Theo showed up before the whore part.”
“And what did he do?”
I drew a deep breath and released it quickly. “Threatened to get physical, but he said it so calmly, I think it scared Dustin.”
“Good.” Owen moved aside as his eighteen-year-old daughter Ellie came to the door. “Tell him to go with the urge next time. He won’t get any pushback from the rest of us.”
I’d spent no time considering what came after with Dustin. I checked the stairs again, thankful he lived on the ground floor—and even more thankful I wasn’t alone on my level.
Ellie’s blue eyes were bright with curiosity, her long blonde hair bunching in the curve of her neck as she rested her hand on her dad’s shoulder. “Hey,” she said, nodding at my mask. “Where have you been?”
I gave her a wave with my fingertips. “Out buying supplies with Theo.”
“What?” she asked, her face lighting up. “When did you start hanging out with him—and why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did. Just now.”
“Oh. It’sthatnew?”
I nodded. Why couldn’t I keep my big mouth shut? Ellie would tell Willow, Willow would tell Laura, and Laura would bring it up with Theo the second she got the chance. Before long, we’d be the talk of the building, and all for no good reason.
“All we did was go on an errand. No big deal.” I didn’t even need to downplay our time together. We went out, bought some supplies, and came home again. Sure, there were a few times when we locked eyes and something warm passed between us, but those were just innocent exchanges marking the beginning of a friendship.
The sparkle in Ellie’s eyes told me she didn’t believe a word of it. “If you say so.”
“Back to the original topic.” Owen patted the hand she’d rested on his shoulder. “Make sure you stay away from Dustin, please.”
She tilted her head and gave him a sweet, placating look. “I already do, Papa Bear.”
He sighed with the patience of a man who was used to her antics. “And keep an eye on your sister. If she isn’t with your mum or me, she’s with you.”
Ellie’s teasing expression disappeared, and she pushed off him. “Something happened,” she said. “What’s wrong?”
I didn’t have the energy to go through this again. Dustin had taken up way more of my time than he deserved. “Your dad can fill you in on the details,” I said. “I’m going home to decontaminate.”
“We’ll talk inside as a family and make sure we’re on the same page,” Owen said, then he smiled at me. “Thanks for the info—and the gifts. Laura’s going to love them.”
With a laugh, I stepped back from the doorway. “I hope so. I’ll catch up with you when I can take my mask off again. See you on the rooftop tomorrow, Ellie?”
She paused, then straightened as if an idea had suddenly occurred to her. “How about Willow and I come over for a pamper session instead?” she suggested. “You do the best facials, and it’s been ages.”
