Page 58 of Claimed By my Frenemy

“Hey, Mia. It’s been a bit of a mess, actually. One of my rentals got pretty banged up by the last group of guests.”

“Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. What did they do?”

“It looks like one of them was smoking in the bed and decided to snub the cigarettes on the headboard. Who does that?”

I can hear Mia trying to hold back her laughter. Even though I’ve spent two hours inspecting and calling contractors to fix things, I can’t help it. Hearing Mia happy does something to turn my mood around, even if it’s just a little. “Go ahead. Laugh if you want.”

Mia stops holding her laughter back, and I find myself smiling along with her.

“Why don’t you just make your property no smoking? Then you won’t have to deal with–”

“That’s the funny part of this whole not-funny story. Itisnon-smoking. And besides that, there’s something blue in the shower that won’t come up and a hole in the wall. I have another set of renters coming in two days, so I need contractors who can deal with the issues right now. I need to either buy a new bed frame or somehow cover it up. I don’t want people seeing the marks and assuming they can smoke too.”

“But don’t they have to pay for it?”

“They do. It’s not about the money. It’s about my time and frustration. But you can bet this group is going to get anamazingreview on their profile. They’ll never be able to rent anywhere again.”

Mia continues laughing on the other side of the phone. “Okay, you can stop enjoying my misery now.”

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about how they’ll probably just make a new profile.”

My mouth drops open. I hadn’t even thought of that option, that my review might not even do anything.

“Theo, just let it go. People are going to be assholes, and it’s our job to let them go. I just hope none of my guests treat the place like that.”

“Speaking of, the whole reason I called you was not to complain about the asshole renters. It was actually because I’ve got a couple of properties that might give you some inspiration for your place. You were saying something about not knowing how to do the interior decorations. How about we check them out together? Maybe you’ll see something you like.”

There’s a pause on the other end of the line, and I can almost hear her considering it. “That sounds great, actually. I could use the ideas. Plus, I’m just nosy.”

“I don’t mind nosiness. How about I pick you up in an hour? I’ve got two properties that aren’t occupied right now.”

“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”

After I finish settling things with some contractors so the place will be ready by the end of tomorrow, I drive to Mia’s house.

When I pull up, she’s already waiting outside. She’s wearing a green sundress, and looks beautiful, as always. I can’t help but smile as she climbs into the car. Perfume, something fruity, hits me, and I glance at her again, taking in the way the sundress rides up her leg so that I can see most of her thigh.

I think about places I like to press her thigh and how close it is to another part of her body that I like very much. But I try to keep those thoughts out of my mind. I want to enjoy this time with Mia, though if we did want to be together, we would definitely bealonein the rental houses.

“Hey,” I say, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. “Ready for our little tour?”

“Absolutely,” she replies, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “But I thought all your places would be rented out for the rest of the summer.”

“It’s Saturday. I have a lot of turnover today and tomorrow. People leave by mid-morning, and the new renters can’t come in until 4:00.”

“So, we have to hurry?” Mia asks.

“Well, they probably wouldn’t appreciate being greeted by us, so yes, we should be out by four.”

Our first stop is a beachfront property I renovated a few years ago. The house itself isn’t huge, but it has a lot of character—exposed beams, large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

As we walk through the house, Mia’s eyes are wide with admiration. “Theo, this place is amazing. I love the way you’ve used the space. It feels so open and airy.”

“Thanks. I wanted it to feel like a retreat, somewhere people could come to relax and unwind.”

“You’ve definitely gotten that. It’s like someone took a cabin from the mountains and transported it to the beach. You get the best of both worlds for your guests.”

She walks over to the kitchen and is about to run her hand along the counter when I stop her. “Sorry, but we can’t actually touch anything. I have strict cleaning standards, and if there’s an oily handprint on the counter, my listing’s rating could go down.”

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