Page 76 of We Can't Be Friends

Obviously, not that. A week? Two? Maybe a month, tops. How long does it really take to fix a bathroom? Where’s this information in home ec classes?

My face falls at the confirmation that my apartment is practically ruined.

At minimum, it’s going to take three months to dry out and redo the floors, baseboards, and the ceiling. Not to mention that they need to locate the pipe at fault in my upstairs neighbor’s apartment.

Jonathan went on to explain the remaining months will be for the bathroom renovation and any plumbing updates he will need to make. He uses big words I don’t understand, that go in one ear and right out the other, my brain filtering through the damage of my personal items.

Thank goodness Callum is here. He’s asking all the right questions, dumbing down the parts I pull confused faces on, and keeps a supportive hand on my back.

According to Jonathan, I’m lucky I caught it when I did.

Yeah, okay.

Tell that to the legs of my couch, soaked completely through. Or my brother’s piano. Or the laundry I was doing before taking Tucker on a walk. My clothes in a pile on the floor outside the stacked laundry smell worse than Tucker does when he’s gone swimming in Lake Michigan.

Lucky me.

“You do have the option to live here after the place is dried out and we can confirm there are no signs of mold. The shower won’t be functional, but the toilet and sink will.”

I close my eyes, rolling my shoulders back.Inhale and exhale, Chloe. It could be worse.

Have you ever seen that movie Inside Out? You know Anxiety and when she’s running in a circle too fast and uncontrolled. Thatis what happens when my anxiety decides to take the wheel. My entire emotional control room shoots off sirens, overwhelmed, and then I don’t know how to do anything but try to feel everything at once.

And it doesn’t end well.

Callum must sense my tenseness, probably observing the way my shoulder blades pinch, jaw tightening. He returns to my side and places a hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it twice. My muscles unfurl, feet flattening.

“I can’t stay here without a shower.”

“Sponge bath! Don’t knock it till you try it,” Jonathan suggests.

My head moves from side to side, eyes wide and brow furrowing.

Jonathan says something else, but I don’t catch it, as he wanders out of the apartment with barely a goodbye.

Somehow, I don’t believe it’ll be six months.

I think I’m going to need to find a new apartment. Add it to my list of goodbyes.

“Do you think Liam would put me up too?” I ask Cal as we slip on our coats.

Even though it’s comforting to not be in this situation alone, my neighbor is also needing to relocate, I hate that they’re going through this too. I already asked—more like forced Cal. I wouldn’t take no for an answer—if there is a way Hayes Hotels can put them up in a room for the time being. Their unit didn’t have as much damage.

“It’s my hoteltoo,” Cal says with an underlying bite. “Andwewouldn’t mind, but you’re staying with me.”

“I can’t intrude on you.”

“You aren’t if I’m offering, and I believe I did. I told you last night, I want you there.” He raises a brow at me, flashing a smile that screams,come on, Henry, let’s be roomies.

The smug grin doesn’t disappear while he watches me chew on the offer.

“Okay.” I don’t want to fight with him on this.

“No rebuttal?”

“Nope, but don’t push it, or I’m fake dumping you.”

22

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