Page 13 of A Roommate for Christmas
Five o’clock rolled around and Carter was nowhere in sight.Paige checked her watch every five minutes, becoming increasingly annoyed at his tardiness and lack of response to her "Hey, I’m here" message.Luckily, she had a book stashed in her work bag to occupy the time while she waited for him at Starbucks.
Forty minutes passed and still nothing.Paige had tried making up excuses for him for the first twenty minutes, but by the time thirty minutes, then forty came around she was starting to feel steam come out of her ears.Sure, his profile picture was hot, but standing up a potential landlord for a roommate interview with no communication was downright rude.
Just as she was packing up to leave, Carter finally waltzed in the front door with a stony look on his face.He was wearing an expensive-looking gray overcoat with a white Oxford shirt and tailored navy-blue pants.His dark-brown hair was longer on the top but held in place perfectly by product.He looked like he had walked out of a J.Crew catalog, but that didn’t erase the annoyance Paige felt.
“Hey!I’ve been waiting for you,” Paige said with a sour tone.
“Yeah, my bad,” he replied without an ounce of regret or apology.He even had the gall to look down at his watch as if he had somewhere else to be.
Carter looked like a Greek god, chiseled by Michelangelo himself, but all Paige was feeling in that moment was rage.
How could he be so inconsiderate?Doesn’theneed something fromme?
“I already have a drink, are you going to grab something?”Paige gestured to her now lukewarm hot chocolate.
“Nah, I’m good,” he said coolly with a look on his face that said he’d rather be anywhere else.“So, let me get down to it,” Carter started.“I’m in a situation where I need to move out quickly, and I just need somewhere on a month-to-month basis while I find new arrangements.Ideally, l’m looking for somewhere in the Lincoln Park neighborhood that looks nice, and where I feel comfortable crashing at night.I don’t plan on spending much free time at the apartment with work and social events.And oh,” he added, “if there are other offers, I’m willing to pay more.”
This got Paige’s attention.And given the fact that Carter was already on her nerves, she decided to take advantage of his last statement.Let’s squeeze this guy for all he’s worth.
“Actually, I did meet with a few people yesterday and today, and two of them are serious about the room and ready to sign a lease.But if you’re willing to pay five hundred more each month I’ll send you a lease tonight, and you can start moving things in as soon as tomorrow.”
She stared him down, using all of her power to look confident and unwavering in her negotiation.
“That’s fine,” said Carter.His tone was the same as when he first walked in, like the thought of being in this Starbucks meeting was a waste of his time.
“Great, then it’s a deal.”Paige stretched out her hand to him to shake on it, but Carter reached for his phone and started texting someone instead of acknowledging her.
The nerve of this guy!I should have asked for more than five hundred extra.
“I’ll send over my phone number, email, and other details in a message.I gotta go.”
And with that, Carter got up and left the café.Paige was stunned.A few hours ago she was dreaming up fantasies about falling in love with her handsome roommate.Now she could barely stand knowing they’d be sleeping under the same roof.But at least she’d be raking in more money at his expense.Plus, he was good with a month-to-month lease, which gave her more flexibility to kick him out once she saved up enough.
On her way home she called Nadia to debrief on the second day of interviews.
“Wait, wait, wait, she is moving out because her roommates talk about reality dating shows in the morning before work?”
It sounded even crazier when Nadia repeated it back to Paige.
“I know, Nads, it took everything in my power to keep my jaw off the floor.”
“I mean, I don’t even think we could count how many mornings we’ve had that exact conversation.”Nadia could barely get the sentence out without laughing.She added, “It’s definitely in your best interest to tell her no!That is borderline psychotic to be that irritated by something so normal.”
Then Paige started on Carter, sparing no details about his rude behavior.
“Nooooooo,” said Nadia.“Paige, you are not telling me that the hottest man in Chicago wants to live in your place formoremoney than you listed it for.”Paige had texted Nadia a screenshot of Carter’s profile photo, which Paige had to admit didn’t do him justice.
“He is such a prick, Nadia!He was rude and not even sorry for being forty minutes late without a single message.And then he dissed my handshake!”
“Not the handshake!”Nadia repeated.
“I tried to do some sleuthing and I guess there is a chance he is fresh out of a breakup, which could explain his moodiness, but I’m not sure I can let that slide as an excuse.”
“I mean, newly single or not, the guy is clearly not boyfriend material, and it sounds like he will just keep to himself and not engage with you.So, it will essentially be like living alone ...just with some nice eye candy every now and then.”
“I can’t argue with the logic, but he was a total jerk!”Paige griped.
“I say you suck it up and then eventually hate-bang him.”
