Page 16 of Fall for Him

“I’ll be bringing up your rudeness at the next HOA meeting.”

“Cool. Maybe I’ll come and bring up the whole illegally entering my home thing.”

The artificial waterworks seemed to stop. “Mr. Chang, if I catch that dog living with you, I’ll have no choice but to have the board fine you the maximum amount. That sister of yours was always pushing the rules too.”

Derek’s teeth clenched. “Since you were just in my apartment and didn’t see a dog, I think I’ll be okay.”

“There was food and a water bowl by the door.”

“As you said, as long as he doesn’t stay longer than twenty-four hours in my apartment, you can’t fine me.”

“If you’re doing unlicensed or unpermitted renovations, I will find out.”

Derek stiffened. He hadn’t thought about permits. Honestly, all he’d thought about last night was getting back to sleep and getting away from Dylan Gallagher. The illegal breed fine was intentionally exorbitant. If Carol figured out a way to make his financial life more miserable, he wouldn’t be able to pay his mortgage. He’d have to go to his mom. It would take her CPA brain about five seconds to figure out he was broke because he paid off Michelle’s credit card bills without asking her permission.

God, his life was a mess.

Movement caught his attention. Olive stood at the other end of the hallway, reading something in his expression that had nothing to do with Dylan.

“Is everything okay?” Olive mouthed.

Nodding, he turned down the phone volume so Olive couldn’t hear Carol’s bleating about obscure ordinances and HOA bylaws.

Olive hadn’t moved past that hypervigilant anxiety of always waiting for the next catastrophe. After her brother’s accident and everything else that happened with Jake, he couldn’t blame her.

He muted his side of the line. “It’s just the usual bureaucratic bullshit from Carol.” He channeled all of his remaining energy into a normal eye roll with an entertained grin that would be the typical response to Carol’s antics.

Olive’s worry lines relaxed into a smirk. “Ask Parakeet Karen where she got those yellow Croc heels. They’re amazing.” She stifled giggles.

Derek’s spluttered response was the kind of laugh hiding something sadder. Olive could always make him laugh. He had been so focused on figuring out the logistics of keeping Gus, he hadn’t processed the idea of her being gone for months.

Olive turned to answer a question from a passing radiology tech, thankfully distracting her from the phone call and the fact that the emotional impact of her leaving for a while was hitting him all at once.

He couldn’t think about this now. Olive deserved to fly off into the sunset with her gorgeous girlfriend without worrying about anything, including Gus. How bad could things get in eight weeks? Gus had been Jake’s dog, and Derek was the only person Olive truly trusted with him.

Derek was the one who could handle things. He could handle this.

Goddamn it.

“Carol.”

Carol paused her rant. The furious cheeping, squeaking, and clicking in the background meant Carol was surrounded by her Hitchcockian collection of feathered creatures.

“If I choose to do any work on my home, it’s my business.”

Carol ended the call with a disgruntled harumph.

DEREK

Coast should be clear.

DYLAN

Yeah. She’s gone. My ass is grateful.

DEREK

Can you just stop updating me on the state of your ass?

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