Read The Tenant Online

Authors: Sotia Lazu

Tags: #Contemporary Romance

The Tenant (5 page)

BOOK: The Tenant
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Amanda wasn’t fazed. “You didn’t ask? Is his furniture still there? Did he at least look contrite? Did you tell him you won’t buy his crap any longer?”

Her father seemed more flustered by the second, and her mom had to have noticed. “Amanda, let the man take a breath,” she said, always proper. “I’m sure he’ll tell us everything while we eat.”

So Amanda was staying for lunch after all.

Calling Mason and asking him to join them crossed Amanda’s mind, but she’d rather not have him there when her petulant, demanding side was so near the surface.

Alice showed up just as their mom finished setting the table. The girl had an uncanny ability to sniff out free lunch.

She now grinned at Amanda with what could only be considered childish glee. “Derek’s cute. You should totally move in with him Friday, see where that leads.”

Amanda glared at her sister, not missing the glance their mother and father exchanged. “You seem to forget I’m engaged. And he’s not that cute. But anyway, I’m not moving in with him. If I move in and he’s still there, I’ll make it my life’s mission to see him homeless. That’s all our sharing a roof will lead to.”

Her mother asked if anyone wanted a glass of wine, and her dad wiped one corner of his mouth with his napkin and covered his glass with his other hand. “Not me, dear. I had a beer with Derek.” Before Amanda could protest the absurdity of his drinking with the enemy, her dad turned to her. “So you’re considering sharing the apartment?”

She couldn’t believe he’s actually said that. “What? No! I’m about to get married. I want to start a family. I need the apartment well before the wedding. If he doesn’t leave, there’ll be trouble.”

“But you’ll both be staying there,
together
, during that trouble?” Her mom tucked a loose curl back inside the messy blonde bun atop her head and pushed a baked potato around with her fork, looking at her through lowered eyelashes. “It’s not like you can legally force him out. Not yet.”

Amanda dropped her own fork on her plate with a clang. “And you’re perfectly fine with that?”

Alice grinned again. “I am. He’s fun, and can be helpful. He’s fixed my wiring a couple times.”

“I don’t think your wiring is fixed, Brat.” Amanda made a face at her sister. “Besides, I don’t want his help. All I want is his stuff out of my home.”

“I’m sure that’ll happen soon enough.” Her father reached for the water bottle, filled his glass, and took a long sip “Meanwhile, maybe you should talk to Mason about putting the wedding off.”

“Will you stop saying that? I’ve booked everything. I can’t reschedule because of that pest.”

Her mother tutted. “Now, hon, there’s no reason for you to raise your voice. Your father’s trying to make you see the big picture. Some things we have no control over—”

“Yeah, like laws on justifiable homicide.”

“—and this is one of those things. Why not try to make the best of it? I’m sure everyone will understand if you push the date a month. I just don’t want you to be stressed beyond your limits.”

She already felt
at
her limits and was sure she’d cross them next time she saw Derek. The following couple of months were supposed to be spent redecorating and refurbishing the apartment and having her dream dress fitted to her liking.

“I do have a lot of stuff to take care of,” she muttered.

She could have done some of that earlier on but hadn’t wanted to be away from the dojo more than absolutely necessary since the engagement, so she could take two months off right before the wedding. These two upcoming months were supposed to be hers. They were to be her most concentrated effort at a wonderful future, and stupid Derek was forcing her to reschedule. There were very few things she hated more than that.

“It would be easier if I had the apartment to myself…”

Maybe it would be for the best if she waited until Derek was out of her way before she started redecorating. She was sure he’d do all he could to make a mess of things otherwise.
Should
she maybe tell Mason to give her another four weeks? The guest list was short enough it’d be easy for her to call and let them know the change in plans. Mason’s mother might pitch a fit, but Amanda knew for a fact her future mother-in-law hadn’t booked her plane tickets yet.

No. Her wedding. Her future. Her schedule.

“Pushing the wedding date is not an option,” she told her mom. “I’ll see if he’s out by Friday. If not, I’ll have to work around him.” And find a way to break the news to Mason another man shared their apartment with her before Mason did. Her sister’s snort brought Amanda’s head up with a snap. “What’s so funny?” she asked with a scowl.

Alice waved a dismissive hand. “Nothing.” A giggle escaped her. “I’d just like to be a fly on the wall when you tell Mason you’re moving in with another guy.”

•●•

It was a rare night when Mason accepted an invitation up to Amanda’s apartment. He usually avoided any location private enough to allude to the possibility of sex. Tonight she was thankful for whatever convinced him to pick up Chinese food and a bottle of wine, and come when she’d called. She’d been dealing with too much—and was starving, since the lunchtime conversation hadn’t been the most appetizing of things. Her mom had offered to pack some food for her to take home, but Amanda felt like spoiling herself a bit.

It was a lucky coincidence Mason seemed to feel the same way.

“I got all your favorites.” He sat on the couch and patted the seat next to him. “You seem like you’ve lost weight the last few days.” He started taking boxes out of the plastic bags he’d brought, and Amanda’s mouth watered at the heavenly scents.

“Being upset burns calories, didn’t you know?” She brought two glasses over, sank on the couch, and uncorked the wine. Before Mason could open half the cartons, she’d already downed a healthy swig or three.

He put his hand over hers as she was reaching for the won-tons. “I don’t like seeing you like this, Mandi. You’ve barely smiled once since we found out your tenant hasn’t left yet. I want my carefree fiancée back.”

She sneaked a tidbit with her left hand. “I’ll smile all you want as soon as I’m full of these.” At his concerned frown, she added, “I’m okay, Mase. Honestly. I just hate it when my plans are all scr—messed up, but I’m dealing. Now tell me about your day while I regain the weight I’ve lost.”

He did tell her about his day. Told her so much about it, and in such detail, she wished she could use the chopsticks as earplugs. By the time he was done, her stomach felt tight as a drum, and her eyelids were heavy.

She covered a yawn with her palm. “Wow. That was a long day. You must be tired. Do you wanna spend the night?” She had to try. Sleepy though she was, her body hummed with unspent energy.

Mason gave her a rueful smile. “We’ve talked about it. I don’t want anything taken away from our first night together as a married couple. I thought you saw things the same way.”

Of course he did. Because she’d made him believe so. Because she’d been too much a wuss to say otherwise from the start, and hoped to change his mind at some point along the way. Well, that had been stupid.

“I meant I could make up the couch for you. We wouldn’t even be in the same bed.” She batted her eyelashes at him and forced her lips to tilt upward. “See? The thought alone makes me smile again.”

She wasn’t ready for him to squish her to his side the way he did.

“I love your smile,” he said. “Okay. I’ll stay. I’ll be here all night, protecting my lady from whatever evil lurks at night.”

She rolled her eyes against his meaty shoulder. It wasn’t
protecting
she needed. His spending the night would give her more time to seduce him, though. Or he’d hear her vibrator about to catch on fire and rush to rescue her from having to masturbate.

Or he’d do neither, which—as it turned out—was the case.

Amanda tossed and turned, while sleep eluded her for what felt like hours. Staying home from work at a time like this might not have been the best idea she’d ever had. A round or two at the dojo would do wonders, making her forget she needed to get laid.

Her efforts at satisfying herself ended up to no avail, since some guilt-ridden part of her mind kept insisting Mason would be upset rather than turned on if he heard the noise coming from her bedroom. When she finally dozed off, her dreams were plagued with images of runaway grooms and laughing blue-eyed blonds with attitude problems.

She woke up a little after seven to find Mason next to her. He was—of course—fully dressed and on top of the covers.

“Good morning,” he said. “I got breakfast, but you seemed so peaceful, I didn’t want to disturb you.” His sandy hair was messy with sleep, and he was oozing boyish charm. Amanda remembered finding that adorable. These days
adorable
didn’t always do it for her.

She smelled coffee and looked around. Sure enough, a tray filled with baked goods and two steaming cups sat atop her dresser. “Thanks,” she said, then frowned. “I don’t remember having that tray.”

Mason laughed. “Maybe you should try spending a little more time in the kitchen. God knows you could use some practice.”

She punched him playfully on the shoulder. “Meanie.” But he wasn’t. He was perfectly nice and thoughtful, if a little conservative, and she should focus on that instead of trying to get him to sleep with her when he wasn’t ready to.

He brought the tray to her and downed a croissant in two bites. “I have to run. I’m meeting the guys at the gym before going to the office.”

“But it’s so early.” She pouted, eyelids still heavy.

“Only for you, sleepy head. Enjoy your breakfast.” He sipped a little of his coffee, then gave her a peck on the lips. “We’ll talk later.”

“You free for lunch?”

Mason pulled out his smart phone and tapped the screen a few times. “Can we make it at around two? Should be free for about an hour.”

“Sure. I’ll come by your office, and we’ll have something nearby.” Being upset he had to fit her into his schedule was stupid.

He gave her another peck—this one on the crown of her head—and left, promising to call if something changed.

Nice and thoughtful. That was what mattered. She always knew where she stood with Mason, and that all but guaranteed a solid relationship.

She went to her dojo and kicked the snot out of the wooden dummy, all the while playing in her head possible scenarios of her next meeting with Derek.

He ended up dead in most of them, maimed in the rest.

 

 

 

Chapter Six

Friday, May 2nd 2014

Derek was dozing off on the couch, in front of whatever drivel daytime TV served the unsuspecting crowds, when he heard the distinct sound of a key turning in the lock. He automatically reached for his bat, but he wasn’t in bed, so his hand closed around thin air.

Holding the remote as a club, he jumped up and ran to the door, just in time for it to swing open in his face—his currently slack-jawed, wide-eyed face.

He hadn’t expected her to do it.

Sure, she’d threatened to, and her sister had certainly found stupid reasons to come by his place and mention the possibility more than a dozen times over the past five days, but he’d thought it had all been empty talk.

It hadn’t, judging from the very
not
empty boxes the Murphy girls were currently dragging, pulling, and shoving into his apartment.

Mandi Murphy was moving in, and he knew his life would never be the same again.

“What…?” It was a bit late for questions, really. He should be blocking the entryway. He should tell her she’d only be entering over his dead body. He didn’t. Maybe because those shorts both girls were wearing were so…short, and their tank tops so curve-hugging, and he really hadn’t gotten laid in such a long while.

But now he focused on the matter at hand. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Mandi shouldered past him and emptied an armful of teddy bears on his couch. “My lease is over, like I said it would be. Can’t go anywhere else, so you now have a roomie. Unless you leave today, in which case—good riddance, remember not to write.”

BOOK: The Tenant
11.99Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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