Page 66 of Landlord Wars
I made my way to my sister, who’d joined Todd in the living room. “Elise, what happened?”
“Your roommate is being an ass.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “It’s his house. I’m the one who’s subletting, remember?”
Her lips parted. “Whose side are you on?”
Taking a page from Max’s book, I grabbed my sister and hauled her into my bedroom. I shut the door and pinned her with a stare. “Elise, I’ve never seen you get upset over a guy, let alone combative with one. Do you—” I shook my head, unsure how this would come across. “Do you still have that crush on Jack? Because you’re acting kind of crazy.”
Elise winced and started pacing. “Maybe. I don’t know. But I didn’t know he’d freak out if I brought a study partner over.”
I gave a disbelieving look. “Seriously? You slept with Jack, then refused to talk to him afterward. You didn’t think bringing another man—”
“Study partner!”
I pressed my lips together in frustration. “If Jack likes you too, even if he’s not ready to acknowledge it, he would not be happy to see you with another person.”
Elise crossed her arms and looked away.
“I mean, seriously, what did you think Jack would do when you brought a cute guy over?” I asked.
She shook her head and started pacing again. “I’ve regressed, Soph. Ever since I met your roommate, and after that night, I don’t recognize myself.”
I put my hands on her arms and forced her to stop. “What do you want to do?”
Her eyes grew watery. “I’ve been stressed out, and I wasn’t expecting things to go down the way they did with Jack. I need a break.” She looked me straight in the eye. “I haven’t told you this yet, but I applied for an exchange student position. Nothing major, just three months in Europe. I thought it would be a good resumé builder. Now I think it’s the best way to recalibrate and get my head on straight.”
“It sounds like a great opportunity, if you really want to do it.” My mind raced with dollar signs. “I’m very close to taking over Green Aesthetic, so I think I could swing the cost.”
She smiled gently. “It’s a paid internship.”
The sense of relief was immense. “Oh, well, in that case, go for it!”
Elise laughed and glanced at the door. “I guess I should rescue Todd.”
“What about Jack?”
“I’ll apologize,” she said. “I shouldn’t have shown up without texting first.”
I gave her a tight squeeze. “I think apologizing is a good start. When do you leave for the exchange program?”
“In two weeks.”
My eyes bugged. “Two weeks!”
She pulled her hair into a ponytail. “I wasn’t planning on taking it. Mom’s been worse lately, and I didn’t want to leave you alone to care for her while you work a gazillion hours.”
Sometimes I forgot Elise carried a heavy burden too. “Mom will be fine. Do your exchange program, and I’ll handle the home front.”
ChapterTwenty-Five
Max
Sophiaand I returned to her room, and I stretched out on her mattress with my head near the top.
She lay on her belly across the bottom of her bed, chin in one hand, her face scrunched in consternation. “My sister isn’t herself right now.”
I rested my head on my hand. “Neither is Jack. He never gets upset over women.”
