Silence.
I knock again, this time I put my wrist into it.
No answer. What the hell?! I know he’s in there.
After the door rattles with my third knock, an irritated “Yes?” does nothing to bring my blood pressure down.
I try to control my voice. “Can I talk to you?”
“Is it urgent?”
Having this conversation through the door is embarrassing, but I grit my teeth. “I’ll need to clean your room and change the sheets.”
Carter doesn’t say anything, but the light tap of bare feet on the hardwood floor is getting closer. He yanks the door open and scowls down at me, stone-faced.
“Do you have to do it right now?” he asks, annoyance glazing his every word.
Keep it together, Eliza. Just play nice. “No. I wanted to know whether I can do it tomorrow, if you plan to go out,” I say, making a colossal effort to keep my face as neutral as possible.
Carter’s jaw ticks. “There’s no need for you to rummage through my room.”
Rummage?! This asshole.
I answer him with a clenched smile. “It’s my job, isn’t it? I like to keep the house in good shape.”
An uninterest grunt is all I get from him.
“So, what time? I need to schedule another appointment, so I’ll work around you.” My least favorite part of the last week was going to interviews for jobs I’m overqualified for. But beggars can’t be choosers, and I have to keep on doing it until I land a job.
“Eleven is fine.”
“O—” I don’t get the chance to reply before the door slams in my face, leaving me to stare unblinking at the patterns in the wood until my vision goes blurry.
The fact that Carter ignores me completely when we’re at the house doesn’t stop him from texting his demands.
CARTER: The light bulb in the bathroom might be busted.
Answering back that he’s a spoiled man-child is not an option. I don’t want to be sucked into the usual back-and-forth he enjoyed too much.
ELIZA: Hallway closet. Fourth shelf.
CARTER: You should come and check it out. For liability reasons.
CARTER: I think I saw a bear behind the bushes in the back.
ELIZA: Don’t pet it.
CARTER: My mother would be terribly unhappy if I got mauled.
ELIZA: Stay indoors.
CARTER: Your advice lacks the degree of worry required by the situation.
ELIZA: I’m sure the bear will survive a Carter sighting. I’ll leave some berries out to make it up to him.
CARTER: Cold-blooded. Is this how you deal with your tenants’ problems?
The three dots appear and disappear a few times.
