Page 36 of Flaunt
“Well, so do I, but I don’t call it my mailbox,” I say.
Jess snickers.
“Hey,” Dad says, draining the potatoes. “Can one of you set up one of those apps on my phone that lets me send and request money?”
“Yeah,” Maddox says. “Are you finally joining the rest of the world?”
“I finally have no choice. I needed to send some quick cash to a client today and I didn’t have any of the apps. I had to go to the ATM and get cash.”
“You know, Dad, that sounds a little suspicious,” I say.
He looks up. “Very funny.”
“Dammit,” Maddox says, looking at his phone. “Fucking hell.”
“What’s wrong?” Moss asks.
Maddox slams his phone on the table. “I just got a text that the guy occupying the house that Sara is supposed to rent on Wednesday won’t leave. The landlord is going to have to evict him and that can take weeks.”
My stomach falls to the floor.
This has nothing to do with me—not one little thing. I didn’t set up Sara to live with my brother. I didn’t help organize her new digs. Heck, I don’t even know the landlord in question.
Why do I feel like this is about to affect me?
“What are you going to do?” Moss asks. “That kind of puts you in a pickle.”
“Don’t I know it,” Maddox says. “I just got married. You can imagine what I want to be doing and what I can’t be doing when there are houseguests.”
Foxx shrugs. “Then why did you allow her to stay with you in the first place?”
“Because Sara is Ashley’s best friend,” Maddox says. “And a part of marriage is compromising and keeping your spouse happy.”
“If Ashley isn’t happier …” Jess looks around for Mom, making sure she’s nowhere within earshot. “…fucking you than having Sara sleeping over for a week, then you got yourself a problem, brother.”
Maddox holds his head in his hands. “I don’t know what to do. I have to get her out of my house, but there’s nothing available that she can afford. Trust me, I’ve scoured the market and called in favors from everyone I know. There’s nothing.”
Call me a soothsayer, but I can see the future. I know where this is going—where they’re going to want it to go.
My chest burns as I quickly try to craft why Sara can’t stay with me.Because I know they’re gonna ask.
“Hey,” Ashley says, coming into the room. Brooke and Pippa are on her heels. “Sorry that we’re late. I found a bookstore and you know how that goes.”
Maddox tips his head back. Ashley plants her hands on either side of his face and kisses him.
“I got bad news, babe,” Maddox says, twisting in his seat to see Ashley.
“What?”
“Sara’s rental fell through.”
Ashley’s face pales. “No, it did not.”
“Where is she now?” Maddox asks. “We need to get a plan together because I need you all to myself as soon as possible.”
Ashley sits on Maddox’s knee. “I just talked to her. She’s with Becca at the beach.”
A smile ghosts my lips.With Becca at the beach, huh? Interesting development.
