I drive to Evie’s old apartment. I already know the unit number from the HR file, which I read back when I was trying to lear
n everything I could about her.
As I walk through the hall, a black cat trots over and mewls. I look down at the little thing, wondering whose cat it is or if I’m supposed to alert somebody in case it’s lost. Do they do Amber Alerts for lost felines?
The door to Kim’s unit opens, and a guy comes out, jaw set and looking upset. I nod to him, sharing a bit of sympathy for his obvious frustration. On the other hand, I’m not going to get in the middle of it in case Kim’s having an issue with her boyfriend. Nothing ever good comes of that.
I grab the door before it closes. The man glares at me with open hostility and the outright territorial instinct of a guy ready to defend what he deems his.
“She’s not interested,” he says.
“Great. I’m not interested either.”
“Who are you?”
Despite my current crappy situation, I can’t help myself. “Her potential roommate,” I say, and walk in, shutting the door in the other guy’s stunned face.
“What were you two talking about?” Kim asks from her dining room, arms crossed.
“He wanted to make sure I knew you weren’t interested.”
She shakes her head. “Ugh.”
“I told him I was your potential roommate.”
Her eyes widen, then she laughs. “Good. For that, I’ll spare you some time.”
“Great. Because I really need to talk to you.”
She gestures me toward a chair. “Want something to drink?”
“No, thanks. Actually…yes. Some water.”
She brings me a glass of ice water and settles in the seat to my left with a glass of wine. “So. Tell me what happened.” Her tone says, Tell me what you did.
So I do, leaving nothing out, because if I do she won’t be able to give me the advice I need. Besides, Yuna’s rather dire comment keeps circling in my head. Only second chances, no thirds.
I can’t fuck this up.
Kim leans back in her seat, half her wine finished. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
Everyone around me thinks that. And I wish I’d listened Court earlier. “Yeah. I know that now.”
“Do you know Evie was attracted to you before, too? But she was never going to give you a chance.”
“Really?” I would’ve never noticed from her behavior back then, although a small part of me is happy that my topless act and drinking all that green goo weren’t in vain. “Why not? Because I’m her boss?”
“No. Because you have everything; she has nothing. Comparatively speaking, I mean. She was afraid—probably still is—that you were going to use your power against her.”
“She has my heart in her hands!” I protest, stunned and outraged. I don’t come across that badly, do I? “That means she has everything of mine.”
“Does she? Did you tell her?”
That makes me stop. I look down at my hands. “I…can’t remember.”
She sighs. “Nate, there’s this thing called timing. If you tell her now, how will she know it’s real?”
I shake my head. She won’t.