“You’re right, so thank me for the free rent and charming men, then get on with it.”
I groan and shove the heels of my palms into the sides of my temples. “We’re done. I need to go figure out which bedroom is mine. Just see yourself out or something.”
I make my way back into the front room, stroll past the women, and take the wooden stairs up to the top, finding the Krocket sisters rooms are already decorated. At least I assume these are their bedrooms because the third room appears more vacant with just the essentials. Although, the room does have a beautiful view of the beach, which also comes with four half-naked men playing volleyball.
In memory of Gracie, who I’m dearly missing, my thoughts fall to:Hello. Is it you I’m looking for?
Chapter 4
I flippedBradley off and then said goodbye to him and his precious feline fiancée. Now, I’m waiting for one of the devil twins to turn into the exorcist. They’re probably part of this social study too. I wouldn’t put anything past Bradley at this point. I can’t believe he’d do this to me. At least he could have told me to read the fine print more carefully.
Still, I should have questioned his sincerity in wanting to help my living situation.
In any case, this house and the area look like paradise. I can’t exactly lie to myself and say this isn’t almost the perfect situation, but I would have liked to make this decision based on facts.
I guess he tried to tell me a few times.
He should have tried harder.
It’s my fault.
I’m still staring out the window, watching the men play volleyball. I can’t quite make out any of them from here, but they all have a nice tan and perfect bodies from what I can tell.
I don’t plan on spending my free time with these whack-job girls here, so I might as well make nice.
Almost as soon as I decide to head out to the beach, the men gather together in what looks like a pow wow.
Then, they look up toward my window.
Like directly at my window.
I hold my hand up, wondering if they’ll wave back, or if they’re just randomly talking about what’s currently going on in this house.
They don’t wave. All the men just continue staring.
With soft steps, I pad down the stairs, hearing very little around me. I can only imagine what the twins are up to amid their silence. They’re probably both sitting on the edge of their beds staring through the wall.
I didn’t meander into the kitchen when I first came in, but I see a sliding glass door off a breakfast nook, nestled in the back corner, hidden from the front door. The porch Bradley mentioned sprawls out beyond the slider.
The kitchen has all modern updates with newer looking appliances, which is nice.
While reaching for the handle of the back-porch slider, the doorbell rings. I pause, wondering who would be ringing the doorbell already.
No one upstairs seems to be moving an inch, so I jog across the kitchen and through the living area, toward the front door. I see a shadow moving around on the front step through the side window. When I peek out, I find a man in jeans and a gray T-shirt. He’s holding a wicker basket.
I open the door, feeling a bit frazzled. “Hi,” I greet the grossly attractive man.
“Hey, Ashley. I wanted to come over to introduce myself and welcome you to the neighborhood.” The man hands me the basket. “I made some muffins earlier. I thought you might like some since you probably don’t have much food stocked up yet.”
“You bake?” That was rude of me. Just because he’s a gorgeous man with beautiful turquoise eyes, dark wavy hair, and a chiseled jaw to match his toned physique, shouldn’t be a reason to wonder if he bakes. Are people this perfect? I didn’t think so. I thought only smoke and mirrors could make a person look the way he does. I’m surprised there isn’t fog surrounding him.
“Yeah, why not?”
“Just wondering. Standard question, you know.” I sound like an idiot.
“I’m Theo Conner.” Theo holds his hand out to me, and I instinctually put mine out to him. My gaze drops to our intertwined hands, noticing the different shades of color between our skin tones. He looks like he’s been baking in the sun for a few months. Meanwhile, I look like I just climbed out of a northern hole. On top of that, his hand engulfs mine.
“You have big hands,” I tell him, laughing coyly.
