Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Charlotte looks pale as she looks up and grimaces at her friend. “308,” she chokes out. She grips Tessa’s arm even tighter with white knuckles. “This man lives in unit 3-0-8.”
“Correct. So you can stop accusing me of stalking you and move along to bothering someone else.”
“Thank you for showing this to us,” Tessa says, handing me back the documents. As I slide my license into my wallet, she adds, “Listen, Auggie, despite what you’ve seen of her, I assure you Charlotte McDougal is actually the sweetest, funniest, and most loyal person you’ll ever meet. The best friend anyone could ever ask for. Everyone who meets Charlotte falls instantly in love with her.” Tessa flinches. “Well, under normal circumstances, anyway.”
“I think you’ll understand why I’m finding all that very hard to believe.”
Tessa forces a smile. “What I think is you’re two good people who got off on the wrong foot. But it’s nothing that can’t be undone if you both agree to put the past behind you and start over, right?”
Why does Tessa care if I think her best friend is a stalker-madwoman, albeit a hot one, when I’m never going to see the fiery redhead, ever again, once she walks her hot little ass back out that lobby door? What am I missing here? “Why are you playing peacemaker, Tessa?” I ask. “Why do you care?”
Tessa presses her lips together briefly, shifts her weight, and sighs, before finally replying, “I care because Charlotte’s your new next-door neighbor, Auggie—the proud new owner of unit 307.”
7
CHARLOTTE
The three of us—Tessa, my nemesis, and me—don’t make a sound as our elevator ascends toward the third floor. Even the scruffy little dog in the dickhead’s arms is being as quiet a mouse, even as he shakes and trembles with obvious anxiety. Poor thing. I guess he’s not a fan of elevators.
When the doors open, the dickhead who most definitely called that tow truck on me this morning motions politely for Tessa and me to exit first. When we do, he puts down his scruffy bundle and follows along behind Tessa and me. A few steps into our journey down the hallway, Tessa glances down at Lucky and says, “He’s so cute. I love the way he hops along on his three legs.”
“He’s surprisingly mobile. He can chase a ball like a champ.”
“Oh, I’d love to see that.”
I glare at Tessa, chastising her for fraternizing with the enemy again, and she rolls her eyes in reply. I don’t care if my best friend thinks I’m being mean to the nice man. After twelve years of dealing with all manner of people on long flights, I’m exceptionally good at reading people; and my flight-attendant instincts tell me Augustus Vaughn one-hundred-percent called that tow truck. He might also have crashed into me on purpose, too, in order to spill the hot coffee in my hand, but I’m admittedly not positive about that part. Either way, I’m not inclined to forgive and forget, no matter what Tessa wants me to do.
I do concede, however, that my sworn enemy’s three-legged rescue pup is awfully cute. Also, the fact that Auggie took on his grandma’s fur baby is a teeny-tiny point in his favor. I also admit, begrudgingly, that Auggie has some physical appeal, despite him not being my usual type. If I didn’t loathe him, I might be inclined to say yes to a date, if he asked, simply out of curiosity. But since I do loathe the man, it’s a moot point.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Auggie says, jerking me from my wandering thoughts. He’s addressing me. Leveling me with those stunning blue eyes of his. “I didn’t get my dream internship today, thanks to our run-in. As it turns out, being twenty minutes late for an interview isn’t a selling point.”
I snicker. “That’s karma for you, baby.”
“Karma? I did nothing wrong.”
“You called the tow truck.”
He scoffs. “I didn’t. But if I had, it wouldn’t have been wrong of me. You chose to leave your car parked with its ass hanging out, baby. Nobody, including me, put a gun to your head.”
He’s not wrong. But I’d never admit that to him.
“Anyone could have called that tow truck,” Tessa interjects, as we come to a stop in front of my door. “You were blocking traffic in front of a bunch of stores and businesses, Charlotte.”
She’s also not wrong. But still, I’m not willing to let the boy bander off the hook that easily. I frown at Auggie. “Why did you stop here? You’re not coming inside, for fuck’s sake.”
Auggie shrugs. “I just want to peek through the door. I’m curious.” When I look annoyed, he adds, “I’ve heard some rumors from the building manager about this unit.”
My stomach flip-flops. “Rumors?”
“About it being in less than stellar condition. Was the former owner your family member? If so, I’m sorry for you loss.”