I reached the living room and opened the door. “Hello, Nina! It’s early for a house call.”
Her eyebrows jumped as she looked me up and down. Right, clothes. Probably should have thrown some on. It was too damn hot to sleep in more than boxer briefs with only my window unit straining to cool this hot tin can.
“Don’t be a smartass,” she said, eyes still locked on the inkswirling over my shoulder and down my right arm. I’d gotten that one while still in the Serpents and it featured a whole set of snakes winding together to form a chain. As soon as I could afford it, I was asking my boss, Cyrus, to cover it with something else.
“Sorry,” I said. “How can I help you?”
“You know why I’m here.”
Nina had a beautiful smile when you were in her good graces. Usually when handing her cash. She’d take checks, but shelovedcash because she could keep it under the table. There was nothing Nina hated more than giving her money to the “good-for-nothing” government.
Today, I was not in her good graces. She scowled impressively.
“My roommate bailed on me, Nina, okay? But I’m working on getting the rent together.”
“Your roommate is not my problem. I can’t feel sorry for every guy with a sob story or I won’t paymybills. You think this park runs itself?”
I glanced around. Overgrown weeds, unwieldy trees, falling-down fences, and enough stray cats to start a feline revolution.
“Yeah, kinda?”
She huffed. “Well, it doesn’t! I have expenses. I rely on rent to keep this place going. If you’re not going to pay, then you’ve got to go.”
“I’m going to pay. I’ve got someone lined up to move in.” A tiny lie wouldn’t hurt anyone, right? “I just need a little more time to settle the details.”
She crossed her arms, looking unconvinced. “Uh-huh, and what about the back rent and late fees? I’d be a silly woman to believe you can catch up on all of that. Maybe you have a bridge you want to sell me.”
“Please, Nina, I’m trying.” I searched for a way to appease her and seized on the only idea I had. “You mentioned the park had expenses, right? It must take a lot of upkeep.”
“Yes,” she said, giving me a wary look.
“So, how about I do some maintenance work? I could work off some of those late fees?”
“I don’t know…”
I gestured toward the overgrown sidewalks. “I could take care of the weeds. Mow lots. Even repair the fence where it’s in the worst shape.”
She dropped her arms. “I can’t let you live here rent-free.”
“No, of course not. I’ll pay the rent. I’ll work at the park, and in exchange, you give me three weeks to catch up?”
She scoffed. “One week, and if I don’t have the overdue rent by then, you’re out.”
Shit. One week. That wasn’t a lot of time to work with. I really should have played nice with Aiden last night. Maybe he would have considered moving in, even if it was just until he found a better place.
“Okay, one week,” I said. “I’ll get it figured out.”
She turned and gestured. “I’ll show you to the garden shed. You can find tools there.”
“I’ve got work soon.”
She scowled. “Fine. Come by after work. But don’t forget or I’ll have an eviction notice on your door by morning.”
“Got it. I won’t forget.”
I closed the door and leaned back against it with a groan. I really didn’t have a choice, did I? I had to ask Aiden to move in. It’d serve me right if he said no after my jackassery last night.
But if I didn’t find someone, I was going to be homeless. And that was even worse than living with the torture of being close to Aiden and unable to touch him.
