“Yes, that wasmycrappy apartment, you were at.”
He has the grace to blush. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right.” I sigh. “But this ismystuff! Why on earth would he have you bring it here?”
“Don’t know anything ‘bout that.” He scratches his beard. “People pay me to move things, I move ‘em. Not my job to ask a lot of questions.”
I sigh again. “Well, there’s been a mix-up. Can you please bring all this back to my apartment? I’ll make sure you’re paid for your time.”
He starts to shift from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable. “Don’t think that’ll be possible.”
“Why not?” My eyes narrow. “I assure you, this is my stuff.”
“I’m sure it is, ma’am.” He eyes the elevator, as though he’d like nothing better than to make a quick exit. “It’s just…”
“What?”
“Well, the landlord was there, when we were clearing out your place, and he was real insistent we had to be finished by the end of the day. Said the lease was ending, and he had to get the renovators in ASAP, seeing as he has a new tenant moving in, and all.”
“He saidwhat?!”
“Look, I have to be going.” He starts to edge toward the elevator. “I’m real sorry for any inconvenience, but I hope you’ll find everything in order. And next time you’re moving, please think of us.”
“Wait!” I call, as he crosses to the elevator and pushes the call button. “Don’t I have to sign anything?”
The doors slide open and he steps inside. “That Knox fella signed on delivery, ma’am. Have a nice day, now!”
And then, he’s gone, leaving me in the middle of Chase’s apartment, surrounded by six cardboard boxes that contain the sum total of my earthly belongings.
What.
The.
Hell.
***
“I’m going to kill him.”
“Babe.”
“Seriously.” I pull a candlestick out of the box closest to me and sneer at it. “He’s dead.”
“Babe.”
“Don’tbabeme, Knox.”
“You’re freaking out.”
I whirl to face him, candlestick still in hand, and point it at him like a sword. “Yes, I’m freaking out. My boyfriend — who, frankly, only became my boyfriend about thirty seconds ago —gave up the lease to my apartment. Oh, and then he moved me intohis apartmentwithout even asking me! If anyone has cause to freak out, it’sme, Knox! The girl with the domineering, devious, downrightdiabolicalboyfriend!”
“That’s a lot ofd’s, babe.” Knox’s eyes do that crinkle-smile thing, and the sight makes me forget my anger. Only for a second, though.
He arrived about twenty minutes ago and found me freshly showered, with my hair and makeup done, wearing one of my new Shelby-purchased outfits. After the movers left, I spent ten minutes staring from box to box in disbelief before deciding I needed coffee, followed by a long, hot shower. I ticked both of those off my list, before I began searching the boxes — one of which, fortuitously, contained my hair dryer.
Post-blow-out, I grabbed all my clothing from Chase’s closet, carried it out into the main room, and dumped it on top of the stack of boxes. I was in the process of calling my landlord — who blithely informed me there was nothing he could do to fix this mess — when Knox walked in. He made the mistake of thinking, since Ilookedput together, that I wasn’t coming apart at the emotional seams.
Wrong.