Page 10 of At Your Door

Since she came banging on my door that Saturday morning, all I could think about was our interaction. She seemed frazzled but exhausted, which immediately made me feel bad. She didn’t seem like the type to stand up and call people out, so I’m guessing I was a really shitty neighbor that night.

But in all fairness, I had no idea she was even there. I hadn’t seen her my entire first week—up until that morning. By then, I’d already had multiple conversations with Mary and even got Alex’s phone number.

But all of that flew out the window when I looked past her chocolate-brown hair and big round eyes to see a package I’d been waiting for, sprawled out on her floor. Just seeing it there sent chills down my spine. The way her doe eyes turned into saucers as if she’d been caught red-handed, made my entire head spin. I couldn’t even get a word in before she disappeared, leaving me with nothing but the vision of her holding the toy.

I couldn’t even really be mad about the package.

Not when the image of her using it kept me up all night. And now that I know she’s just next door, it’s almost like I can feel her through the walls. But the silence from her was killing me. Even though I knew I was pushing it by showing up at her job, I was just returning the favor—she was the one who kept me up this time. The look on her face when she saw me was priceless.

I know she’ll never use the toy, but I couldn’t stop myself from bringing it up. Maybe it’s the way her cheeks turn pink so fast, or maybe I hoped it would spark something in her. I don’t know what it is, but the idea of her being scared of me excites me.

“I mean, honestly, Griffin, at some point, you’re going to have to settle down and not be seen as the crazy whore next door,” Monica’s stern voice snaps me back to reality.

My eyes shift between the two of them, confused. “I’m sorry, but when did this become an intervention?” I must’ve missed a lot while my mind drifted.

“It didn’t, but as your best friends, we just want to make sure you aren’t out here screwing up this opportunity,” Lauren adds. One eyebrow is raised, and I know that look all too well.

As much as I’d love to argue with them, I nod because I know they’re right. I’ve always been handy, and when I started working in maintenance, I knew I wanted to live where I worked. Then, one night, while I was up late, I found this beautiful two-bedroom apartment with an insane view of the water. It felt like the opportunity just fell out of the sky.

However, when I contacted Ben, the owner, he said the unit hadn’t been available for years due to plumbing and construction issues. It was like someone handed me this opportunity on a silver platter. After some convincing, he offered me a position where I could live in another unit of the buildingfor 'half-off' and work as maintenance while fixing up the two-bedroom apartment I had my eyes set on.

To say I’m the luckiest girl alive would be an understatement. The building itself is a hidden gem that just needs some buffing to reveal its shine. And as they said, the last thing I need is to screw it up.

But even after I booked Lauren and Monica’s Uber back to the hotel they were staying at for the week, Mia was the only thing on my mind. She looked like she’d seen a ghost when I walked in, and something about that makes me want to keep pushing as if I need to see what her limits are.

To distract myself before bed, I open my phone to check the work I’ll be starting tomorrow. Ben mentioned there’s a long list of pending maintenance requests, so I know I’ve got a lot on my plate.

But when the list loads, I can’t help but scoff when I see the name at the top:

Mia Baron

CHAPTER 6

MIA

When I wake up Tuesday morning, I can feel every muscle in my body aching with regret from sleeping on the couch with El. After trying to focus on the movie last night, I kept finding myself listening out for Griffon. When I finally heard her door close, I fell asleep with my knees to my chest while El sprawled out completely. I figured I had no place to complain, considering I was the one who begged her to come over in the first place.

But when I finally crack open my eyes and see the other half of the couch empty, my body instantly relaxes. I stretch out my legs until I feel my toes crack. Glancing at the bathroom, I see the light shining from under the door, telling me exactly where El went.

She’s probably already getting ready for the day. It’s not uncommon for her to sleep over on Monday nights. Mondays are always the worst day at the shop, and we usually come upstairs, order pizza, and put on our favorite show to cope. But we never got pizza last night—thanks to my fear of running into Griffon again—instead, we filled ourselves up with popcorn. Even after El fell asleep, I kept stress-snacking, trying to stop my mind from roaming all over the place.

Now, sitting up and looking around my living room, I have a headache. When my feet touch the floor, I can feel the popcorn I dropped last night crumbling beneath me. I groaned in disgust, but I still couldn’t bring myself to get off the couch. Instead, I sink back into the cushions, trying to calm the dull pounding behind my eyes.

After a while, my head starts to drift again, and I feel myself starting to doze off when I hear a soft knock on the door. At first, I thought it was coming from my dream, so I snuggled deeper into the couch.

But then I hear it again, this time much louder.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

“It’s maintenance!”

I’m jolted awake. El must’ve heard it too because the sudden screeching sound of the toilet flushing rips through the apartment, and I physically wince.

Without wasting a second, I peel myself off the couch, standing so fast I have to steady myself by holding my head, trying to control the dizziness.

I’m almost at the front door when I realize I didn’t have a chance to fix myself. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the round mirror hanging on the wall beside me and almost gasp at the sight of my red-rimmed brown eyes and my dark hair twisted up like a bird's nest. But the annoyance from the persistent knocking pushes me to whip the door open before they can knock again.

I should’ve already registered that it would be Griffon on the other side, but I’m still left speechless when I’m met with her striking blue eyes and bright smile.

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