Luke grimaces before raising an eyebrow. “Ah. Sure. That will be good. I’ve missed it.”
“Dammit, Luke.”He never stopped.“What happened to ‘it might be good for me to take some time off sex.’”
“I was clearly joking,” he says, gobsmacked that I’d ever believe that.
“One day you are going to find ‘the one’ and it’s going to be so much fun for me to watch.”
“I don’t have one. I have many.”
“Yeah. Okay…good luck with that.”
After that conversation, I’d called Dylan and accepted the position, even smiling when I heard the utter relief in his voice…and then it was on. I went to the house to see my space, and discovered it was less like a pool house and more like an oversized apartment.What world do I live in?Then I officially met Josh, when he was awake, and instantly fell in love with him. He may only be five months old, but that boy is a charmer, and I know I’m going to have a lot of fun.
Finally, I took the step I was planning and met up with Shauna after negotiating some regular nights off.
I went from being lost and jobless to having two jobs, a place to live, and contemplating dancing again, all in the space of seven days. But while it’s a lot to take on, I feel good about it. There’s only one thing—one person—that could bring it all down.
And I need to prepare for it.
Because seeing Thomas may have been a possibility before, but now, I have a feeling it’s inevitable. It’s just a matter of time.
Chapter Forty-Three
Thomas
Istare at the empty, sterile apartment as the realtor fills me in on all the “other” famous people living in the building. As though I should be excited to be around my own kind.
Yay.Cue the eye roll.
This is the second place she’s shown me today, and it’s obvious that I wasn’t clear on my wish list. The one I specifically typed out and emailed to her weeks ago.
“Do you have something farther out? I don’t need to be in the city. I’ll be spending a lot of my time at Storm’s stadium and—”
“Yes, of course,” she cuts me off. “Say no more. I just find most of my clients prefer to be here.”
“How many football players do you have as clients?” I ask, a small albeit fake smile in place.
“Only one. Well, I guesstwonow.” She smiles proudly, and a little part of me wants to fire her so she can no longer claim that personal accolade.
I bet the other’s Luke. He said he moved recently, but I haven’t seen the new place. He’s definitely the type to live in the middle of celebrityville. “How many pop stars or actresses have you had as clients?” I ask, curious if they’re the “famous people” she’s referring to.
“Oh,” she gushes, her bright white smile widening. “I can’t tell you who, but I have many,” she whispers conspiratorially.Of course you do.
“I’d love to look at something farther out,” I remind her, enjoying the slight drop of her lips.
“I can do that. Let’s grab a coffee while I see what I can arrange. I’m conscious of the fact that you’re only here for the weekend.”
We grab a coffee at a trendy cafe in town, frequented by the pop stars she was mentioning, before she takes me out to see a house near the beach.
And I’m surprised to say, I love it. I can’t even say what it is that I specifically like. It’s more about a feeling… That and the fact that the upstairs window in the master bedroom opens out onto the roof, making it seem like it’s meant to be.
Not bothering to look at anything else, I sign the lease and let the wave of relief take over me. It’s all coming together. My new life. The start of something. What, I don’t know…but it feels life-changing.
Luke calls as I’m walking back to my rental, and I swear he has a sixth sense.
“I found it,” I say as I answer. “I have a house.”
“Bullshit,” he huffs out as I hear his truck engine whirring to life. “It took me months.”