Page 5 of The Explorer
Rafael met my gaze. “I made a call, and you’re simply jumping to the head of the line. Someone else was supposed to move into this apartment tomorrow, but they’ll have to wait until something else becomes available. If you don’t like the idea of line-jumping, you could always move into Belle’s room. With her leaving, that’s now available.”
“We’ll take the apartment,” Indiana said before I could speak.
I nodded in agreement.
Victor spoke in French to Rafael, who shrugged.
“What did you ask him?”
Victor answered Indiana in a level tone. “I asked if I should have Belle’s personal belongings stored for her.”
I took a step forward. “Yes. We’ll bring it all back home when we visit this summer.”
“Very well.” Victor gave a curt nod and turned his attention back to Rafael. “If we’re done here, I’d like to get going.”
“Oui. Show our new residents to their apartment.”
When Victor, Indiana, and I left Rafael’s office, Victor was quiet. Leading us through the streets, he ignored the people shouting greetings and questions at us.
“Why are you being so rude?” I asked him.
“I’m just tired.”
“But that woman back there was smiling at you and you didn’t spare her a glance.”
Victor kept walking. “Half of them are curious about you two and want to know who you are. The other half want to connect with me because I’m famous. I’m not in the mood, Aubri.”
“No, I know your default mode is being an asshole.”
Victor walked on and once we got to the right building, we took an elevator to the twenty-third floor and walked down a long corridor to room number 417.
“This is your place. I’ll make sure some groceries and hygiene products are delivered to you.”
Indiana and I walked inside the small apartment. He stopped in the hallway and looked into a tiny restroom. “My legs won’t fit in front of that toilet.”
“Then you’ll have to sit sideways. We don’t build things for giants here,” Victor said matter-of-factly.
From the cramped entry area, we walked into an open living room and kitchen.
“Damn, it’s small,” Indiana breathed.
Walking to the kitchen, I opened the cabinets. “Where’s the home-bot?”
“We don’t use them here. Preparing food and cleaning your home is considered good to relieve stress so we teach all children to cook and clean.”
I looked to Indiana. “I’ve never cooked or cleaned in my life. Have you?”
“My mom cooks and she’s taught us the basics.”
Victor stood leaning against the doorway. “With all the times you Northlanders have bragged that you can survive in the wilderness, I’m sure you can survive in an apartment without a home-bot too.”
Indiana nodded and then frowned. “Wait a minute. Why is there only one door?” Walking across the small living room, he looked into a room before turning to Victor.
“Where’s the other bedroom?”
“There isn’t one. You’ll be roommates and you’ll share a bedroom.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Indiana argued. “Magni would kill me if he knew I slept in the same bed as his daughter.”
