Page 5 of Landlord Daddy's Girl

“Wow,” she says. “You’ve mastered the microwave, have you?”

I laugh. “It’s funny. I don’t remember you being such a little smartass.”

“It’s like you said, things change.”

“I suppose so.”

We stand in the middle of the living room, staring at each other in silence for a minute, the air between us thick and awkward. I’m not sure if she’s just here to give me shit or what, so I flash her a grin and raise my eyebrows. She returns the gesture, making me laugh.

“So, is this payback or something?” I ask.

“What are you talking about?”

“For bursting into the bathroom on you,” I say. “Did you need me to get naked in front of you to even the score?”

My hands move down to my belt, and her face turns a neon shade of red as she laughs nervously. She can’t quite stop her gaze from drifting to my crotch, though, and I can see the curiosity in her eyes. Or maybe I just want to see that.

“Oh my God, stop. No,” she says with a girlish giggle. “Stop being a perv.”

“You sure? I can?—”

Still giggling, she covers her eyes with a hand. “Don’t you dare pull your pants down.”

“I kind of think you want me to.”

“I don’t,” she says.

We both laugh with each other, breaking that awkward tension between us. “So, what’s up?” I ask. “Did you just stop by to make fun of how I keep my place?”

She laughs. “No. That’s just an added bonus.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad I can amuse you.”

“Me too,” she replies. “Anyway, what were you doing in Derek’s place?”

“I told your brother I’d do some work on the bathroom while he was abroad.”

“Why would you need to work on his bathroom?”

“This is my building. I’m your brother’s landlord,” I tell her. “It’s my job to fix things.”

“You what?”

“This was my dad’s building, and he left it to me when he passed. He left me a few of his buildings,” I tell her. “So, I maintain the buildings and do guest bartending spots around town. So, yeah, fixing your brother’s bathroom is my job.”

She frowns. “Derek told me he’d passed, and I never got to send my condolences. I’m really sorry, Slater. I know you two were close.”

“Thank you.”

“But now I understand how my brother can afford this place.”

“Do you really think I give him a break on the rent?”

“Actually, yeah. I do. You’ve always been good to him,” she says with a smile that does terrible things to me.

The corner of my mouth quirks upward. “It’s not that he needs it, being the big-time college professor that he is. But he’s family, and I wouldn’t feel right charging him the full rate. I wouldn’t charge him anything, but he insisted.” I reply with a laugh.

“Yeah, that tracks.”

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