“Yeah, but it’s totally doable. I have a plan to get it together soon.”
“Okay…”
“But what wouldreallyhelp me with that plan is having a roommate. Someone there while I’m trying to get used to managing this bar, eventually owning it,anddealing with the construction company I’ll need to hire when I can’t be there to do work.”
I nod eagerly. “I think I could swing that. I teach at the elementary school, but other than that I work here at the bar one or two times a week. What would I need to do?”
“Let the construction crew in. Monitor them so they don’t steal anything. There might be a few minor projects I could use your help with like painting and cleaning.”
“Cleaning?” I shudder dramatically.
“Aly, do you really haveanyother options?” She folds her arms across her chest, pinning me with a look that feels way too smug for my taste.
Wow. Okay. When did this flip around to her demanding that I move in? “Okay, no, but ouch. Thanks forreminding me.”
She smirks. “So, you’re in?”
“Let me think about that…” I joke. “Is there a lake view?”
She rolls her eyes. “Even if there wasn’t, we both know you’d still do it. But yes, there is a lake view. The dock isn’t in the best shape, but we’ll just add it to the list of things that need fixed.”
Add it to the list!
Like we’re both not working at a bar right now and existing on very tight budgets with limited free time.
“What’s the rent?”
“I don’t know. I just came up with this idea five seconds ago. You tell me what you can afford.”
“Okay, I’ll look at all my thousands of dollars’ worth of bills and get back to you,” I respond.
Her grin spreads wider. “I haven’t moved myself in yet, but I’m closing on Friday. I’ll have my realtor give you a tour beforehand. Looks like we’re gonna be roomies.”
“And cousin fuckers!”
“Neversay that again,” she snaps before heading to the back of the bar.
Chapter 6: Alessia
“So over here is your formal dining room,” Natasha’s realtor chirps, leading my cousin Memphis and I through the house that Natasha’s set to close on tomorrow and my new home.?
I flick the single light switch on the wall. The chandelier in the center of the room sputters to life, popping loudly and crackling before the whole thing goes dark.
The realtor jumps, her hand flying to her chest, before letting out a nervous giggle. “Heavens! That scared me! Well, that’s an easy fix, I’m certain.”
Uh-huh.Sure, it is. I don’t know anything about electricity, but something tells me that this home has some serious problems that aren’t easy fixes. I rub my temples, feeling the start of a migraine come on.
“So, I’m guessing there are electrical issues with the house?”
“It’s possible,” she concedes, smoothing her skirt. “These older homes often have outdated wiring. The seller did disclose that it needs work, but for a house this size to be listed at this price with the lake view? It’s a steal. Natasha’s gotten an incredible deal. Just needs a little love,”
Or she got a total money pit.I hope she knows someone who’s handy.
This place doesn’t just“need a little work.” It needs a full teardown and rebuild. The dining room alone is way too large for what we’ll use, which is likely nothing unless Natasha’s into hosting. I don’t have friends in Brookhaven so I won’t be throwing any fancy dinner parties and with Natasha’s work schedule, I doubt she will be either. From what she’s shared, she’s hardly going to be around.
Still, the price that she gave me on rent is the only thing I can afford right now unless I want to crawl back to New York City—which I definitely can’t afford nor want to do now that my new teaching gig is here.
Living here, in this rundown house, is a pit stop in my mind. One I’m willing to take while I rebuild my life. And I actuallylovethis kind of stuff. The old architecture has a kind of magic to it, like the house is quietly holding on to stories that no one’s told in years. From the little the relator shared, the previous owners were big history buffs so there might be some cool finds hidden in the attic.
