Page 4 of Jake

“Catherine,” she began, “you know I can’t do that.”

“I know nothing of the sort. You’re being ridiculous, and continuing to deal with that roommate situation is nothing short of toxic to yourself,” she scolded Lauren.

“I’m about to pull up. I’ll see you in a moment.”

Lauren ended the call and stuck the phone in her purse. She pulled out cash from her wallet and paid the cab driver as she slid out. Cash was important when you were in a hurry, and she overtipped the driver with money she didn’t have to waste but didn’t have time to wait for change.

She was assistant to the CEO, Cade, and he had an early appointment, and she wasn’t going to make it upstairs before it started. Not so patiently, she waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

“You’re a saint,” she breathed as the doors opened and Catherine was waiting with a cup of coffee for her.

“And you wouldn’t be late if you’d move,” she reminded her.

“Not now, Cade’s appointment—”

“Is already underway,” Catherine cut her off.

“Shit.” She was going to lose her job if this kept up.

Catherine stepped out with her when they reached their floor. “Tell me again why you won’t just take my offer?”

“I don’t know. Surely it’s some kind of conflict of interest?” Not to mention that Lauren could barely afford the rent where she was with a roommate. There was no way she could afford to live in the nice building that Catherine did. She’d probably need ten roommates just to cover rent.

“Cade wouldn’t think so.” Catherine’s manicured red nails tapped on the chair she’d sat in when Lauren took her own at her desk. Her smooth, brown bobbed hair moved as she tilted her head to study Lauren. “Reasonable rent, and we can carpool. That’s good for the environment.”

Lauren couldn’t help but wonder what reasonable meant to Catherine, someone who had never had to struggle for money. Oh, she was good at her job, but she’d grown up wealthy, which left an enormous chasm in their friendship.

“Thank you for your time.” Cade shook a man’s hand as he opened his office door. He looked at Lauren and Catherine but kept his thoughts to himself until the other man left.

“When’s his next appointment?” Catherine asked Lauren.

“Umm . . .” She studied his schedule. “Not for another hour.”

“Join us.” Catherine followed Cade into his office, leaving Lauren no choice but to follow.

“What is it?” Cade asked, sounding annoyed as Catherine sat in his black leather chair across from Cade’s desk. He held out a hand for Lauren to sit.

“Would you please tell Lauren that it would not be a conflict of interest to move in with me?” Catherine dove right in.

Internally, Lauren screamed and then died of embarrassment. On the outside, she only shook her head and picked imaginary lint off her white blouse.

“What?” Cade stopped typing and looked up, turning his head between them.

“Her roommate is crap and not letting her get ready in the morning,” Catherine spilled for him.

“I’m really fine,” Lauren weakly defended herself.

“Is that true? That’s why you’re so stressed and running late more and more?” Cade stood, buttoning his tailored navy-blue suit jacket as he did. “You have to know I have no issue with you being friends with my sister, other than she now spends entirely too much time in my office. I don’t care if y’all live together, especially if it helps you.”

He didn’t take his eyes off her, and she couldn’t help but shift in her seat under his gaze. “I don’t know.” She was going to have to come up with something soon regardless. Maybe this was the best idea.

“We both like you a lot. You’re my friend and I just want you to be somewhere better.” Catherine placed her hand over Lauren’s on the arm of her chair. “I’m a much better roommate.”

“While I have lived with her, I won’t sign off on her roommate resume, but I have no issue with it if that’s your concern. Hell, if it’s the lease that’s a problem, I’ll pay the penalty to get you out of it,” Cade offered.

Her mouth fell open before she could stop it. He would do it, too. Cade never said anything he didn’t mean.

“It’s not that.” How did she even begin to explain her reservations? Did they even matter? She’d rather feel like an impostor in the rich side of town than continue where she was. “Okay, I’ll do it. Thank you, Catherine.”

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