Page 27 of Love Without Demands

And before my emotions could get the best of me, I picked up the box and walked from the restaurant.

Chapter 8

I. Am. So. Stressed.

My landlord just informed me that she wasn’t renewing my lease because her niece “needs” my apartment. I have to move out by the end of October, which is in exactly twenty-eight days.

Shit.

She did offer to let me move into the apartment her niece currently resides in, which is in the same building, so I headed up to the fifth floor to take a look.

“Here it is,” Clara said, opening the door with a flair.

I was immediately struck by the darkness. Reaching for the light switch, I found that it was already on, and yet blackness stretched as far as the eye could see. Which wasn’t very far because this was literally the smallest apartment I’d ever seen.

The reason for the darkness became apparent. Everything in the entire room was painted black. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, the furniture. Hell, even the refrigerator.

And… I squinted, attempting to decipher the shapes in the corner. Was that the toilet and shower? Also painted a dark ebony? Yep, it sure as hell was.

“W-why is it like… this?” I asked, waving my arm around.

“Genesis went through a goth phase, but she’s tired of it now.”

“So you’re giving her my apartment? Are you at least going to re-paint?”

“No,” Clara said flatly. “It will be leased as-is. You can paint if you want to though.”

“It will cost me a fortune to re-do everything in here. Are you going to pay for it?”

“Sorry, I can’t. Take it or leave it.”

Leave it!my mind screamed. I’d be depressed as hell within a day of living here. It was a single room unit with only one small window, and it was little more than a closet. If my tiny apartment was a shoebox, this was a bar of soap. I’d be living in a black bar of soap.

“I’m assuming there’s a cut in rent since it’s much smaller than my place?”

“Actually, it will be the same,” she informed me without an ounce of apology.

“What? That’s ridiculous, Clara.”

“Take it or leave it,” she repeated, “but I need to know by the end of the week so I can lease it to someone else.”

“Oh, I’m sure people will be lining up down the block to live in the room of gloom,” I retorted, a heavy bite of sarcasm in my tone. Then I puffed out a tired sigh. “I’ll let you know.”

Looking at the apartment had thrown my morning routine off, and I dashed into theBouvierbuilding ten minutes late. “Shit, sorry,” I rushed out to Anita. “I’ve got housing woes.”

She winced. “That sucks.” Her eyes darted to the switchboard, and she lowered her voice. “Tony called a few minutes ago and wants to see you immediately in his office.”

Panic surged through me. “Crap, do you think I’m getting fired for being late?”

Anita shook her head. “I covered for you. Told him you were in the bathroom.”

Awesome. He probably thinks I have the poops.

“Thanks,” I breathed, stashing my purse in the closet and brushing my hands down the front of my black pantsuit. “Do I look okay?”

“You look great. Go,” she replied, pointing a finger toward the gold elevators.

I was nervous. Tony was a sweetheart, but I’d never been called up to the fiftieth floor before. Was I in some kind of trouble? Inserting my key card into the slot, I pushed the button for the top floor.

---