Page 5 of The Undercover Billionaire's Baby

“There’s your spare room,” said Alice. “Couldn’t you take in a lodger?”

“A lodger? Upstairs?” I tried to picture how that would work, my tiny apartment, just my room and Mom’s. Her room was empty now, technically open — she’d moved in with Miss Rose when the stairs got too hard for her. I’d brought all her things over so it felt like home, and they were still there, as far as I knew. But even with the room free, it’d be a tight fit, my tiny kitchen, my one pokey bathroom. The hall closet so narrow it just fit my coat.

“The summer people’ll be showing up soon. You can ask for a lot if you rent to a tourist. They go nuts for that old-timey Haverford charm.”

“Old-timey… you mean, like my shower? How it takes twenty minutes to get halfway lukewarm?”

“Yeah, those guys love all that. Trust me. My old roommate’s mom had a place by the beach, with this actual shed out back she fixed up as a guest suite. She rented it out for, I want to say twenty-five hundred? You wouldn’t get that much, as you’re sharing a bathroom, but you could ask for a thousand. Maybe twelve hundred.”

“For Mom’s old room? It’s the size of a closet.”

“Yeah, but it’s pretty. And you’re really clean. People pay more for a non-messy roommate.”

“They do not.”

“I would. If I didn’t have one already.” Alice pulled out her phone and tapped at the screen, scrolling through Craigslist for our little island. “One room by the beach, eighteen hundred. Not even a good beach. That’s up by the rocks. Oh, and it says here, must be fine with large dogs.”

“Let me see that.” I took her phone from her and squinted at the screen. Summer rentals were popping up like mushrooms — one room, a suite. A huge, sprawling beach house. I bit my lip. “No harm in trying, I guess.”

“That’s the spirit,” said Alice, and snatched her phone back. “Okay, let’s sell it. Cozy room— no, cozy means small. Charming room downtown, central location, walking distance to shopping, food, and the beach. Above quiet bookshop. Non-smoker preferred. No pets, right?”

I thought of Wiener. “Yeah, say no pets.”

“No pets, no weirdos. Fourteen hundred.”

“Don’t put ‘no weirdos.’ And fourteen hundred?”

“Leaves room, if they haggle.”

“Or no one will call at all. That’s way too much.”

“Well, you’ll find out, because…” She tapped the screen. “Posted.”

I rolled my eyes and stood up, feeling better. The distraction had helped at least, if nothing else. I could get on with my day now, back to my routine. As long as I didn’t think too much, I would be fine. Then tomorrow, once Alice had started our order list?—

My phone chirped in my pocket. Alice bounced.

“Ooh! Already?”

I laughed. “No way that’s from the ad.” But when I pulled my phone out, a text popped straight up.

Saw your ad for the room. I’d love to come see it. Call me back any time, and we’ll set an appointment.

“Summer people,” crowed Alice. “What did I tell you?”

“We don’t know it’s a summer person.”

“So call and find out.” Alice grabbed my phone from me and tapped on the text. When she handed it back to me, it was already ringing.

“Seriously?”

“Hello?” A male voice, deep and warm. I jumped, almost dropped the phone, and giggled, embarrassed.

“Sorry. Uh, hi. I’m returning your text? About the cozy— I mean, the charming, the… uh, the room.” Heat flooded my face. I’d botched it already.

“I’m new in town.” Was this guy fighting laughter? Alice was bouncing, mouthing summer person. I turned my back on her and tried to stay calm.

“I’m Lana,” I said.

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