Nicole’s mouth drops open, her eyes wide and bright, the Swiffer drops to the floor, and for the first time since I’ve known her, she is absolutely speechless.
It’s hard to say who’s more surprised.
Um…
I try to think of something to say, but all I can do is stare at her, my mind desperately cycling through every possible reaction.
Cocoa jumps on the couch, overturning a stack of throw pillows and sending them to the floor.
Nicole blinks, something finally coming from her mouth. “What are you… How did you? My apartment?” She gestures at the door, then at me, then at herself, still tangled up with the Swiffer.
“Uh. Your dog.” My hoarse voice sounds ridiculous. “He … unlocked the door?”
Nicole turns, glares at Cocoa, and then back at me as she stops the music. “That’s not… He doesn’t even have thumbs… He couldn’t…”
“To be honest, he’s a genius,” I say, glancing over to him, and then frowning as I realize he’s now chewing on the fringe of her throw pillows.Kind of a genius, anyway.
Nicole brushes her hair behind one ear and squares up, her face red and her arms folded across her chest. “So, I assume you were at least knocking before Cocoa opened the door, right?”
“I was,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant and not at all like someone who just witnessed his neighbor’s one-woman Broadway debut. “Were you, um… Were you practicing for American Idol or something?”
She looks away for a second, but then back at me. “I’m … definitelynot.”
“It’s fine—whatever you were doing,” I say quickly, waving a hand and then using it to rub the back of my neck. “It’s really fine. I just … um, needed to talk to you about something. About the music.”
Nicole’s cheeks go from red to scarlet. “Oh my gosh … I bet you want me to turn it down.” She looks mortified. “I hadnoidea it was so loud.”
“Yeah.” I frown. “Probably a good indication was the walls shaking.”
She cringes and then lets out a sigh. “I hope I don’t get a noise complaint. I totally got lost in it, and I think I kept turning it up, because, you know, it’s just so easy to blow off steam that way.”
I fight the urge to smile as she rambles. “It’s really not a big deal. I mean, it’s just kind of late, and I don’t want someone to turn you in.”
“Oh.” Her eyebrows pinch. “That’s… That’s really thoughtful of you. I didn’t think you’d do that.”
“I’m not a total jerk,” I huff, my shoulders slumping.
“Just when a dog pees on your shoes.” Nicole laughs, her tone a little nervous as she carefully leans the Swiffer back in its place and closes the front door. She looks back at me, meeting my gaze in a way that causes my heart to thump awkwardly. “I’m still really sorry about that, by the way.”
“It’s okay.” I shrug. “The cookies made up for it, even if they made me pre-diabetic afterward.”
Her eyes widen. “I seriously barely putanysugar in them. I’m so sorry.”
I burst into laughter. “It was just a joke, Nicole. They were amazing, and I don’t hold Cocoa’s mishap against you. Anymore, anyway.”
She flashes me a smile as she takes the throw pillow from Cocoa, putting it back in its place. “Good, that’s a relief. It’s nice to know someone outside of my family doesn’t think I’m the worst.”
I furrow my brow, having no clue what she’s talking about. The moment of silence seems to carry weight, too, as she looks away, petting Cocoa for a few beats.
I clear my throat, wiping my clammy palms on my sweatpants. “If it makes you feel better, I’m pretty sure no one in Los Angeles knows I exist at all.”
Her eyes jump back to me, a hint of a smile on her face. “Yeah, well, I know you exist.”
I give her a grin. “And that’s a pretty big deal, if you ask me.”
Chapter Eight
Nicole
