It turned out that a long hot shower landed at the top of the list on things to do once Lucas got home. He didn’t realize how luxurious pulsating hot jets of water could be, and exactly what he needed to work out the kinks in his back from the narrow bed on the tour bus. He towel-dried his hair, which suddenly seemed much longer than it had been a month ago, and stepped from the steamy bathroom. Sindy was sprawled on the pillow-top mattress, fast asleep. He curled up next to her, draped his arm around her waist, and let out a contented sigh. For the last thirty-two days they’d been together nonstop, and he worried that they would get on each other’s nerves. It turned out to be a needless worry, as it only brought them closer together. He let out another sigh. He could really get used to this.
After 40 minutes on the Parkway with Sindy straddled behind him, Lucas headed home. He lifted his face to the sun and let the breeze of the salt water invade his nostrils and bathe his pores. Up ahead he spotted the new condominiums that had been under construction for the last three years. He hadn’t been down this way in a while, and he noticed that they were finally completed. As he neared, a sign invited passers-by to come in to inspect model apartments for sale. Without thinking, he swerved into the parking lot and dismounted his Harley.
“What are we doing?” Sindy looked up at the complex. “Are you going to buy one of these apartments?”
He hadn’t seriously considered it and only pulled into the complex on a whim, but the idea began to fester in his head. “I don’t know. Let’s take a look.”
A doorman in a blue suit and cap welcomed them into the lobby, where they were immediately greeted by an older woman in a cream-colored business suit.
She smiled politely, but Lucas could tell she regarded him as a waste of her time. He really couldn’t blame her. She had no way of knowing that he wasn’t just a random long-haired dude on a motorcycle with a hot chick on his arm.
“I’m interested in seeing the model apartments.”
“Would you like to see a studio? The one-bedrooms are rather pricey considering this is oceanfront property,” she stated dryly.
“Actually, I’m looking for a two-bedroom, possibly a three.” He really only needed two bedrooms and didn’t need to go overboard, but he enjoyed the shocked expression it caused to spread across her face.
The woman squinted, as if trying to figure out if he was sincere or just making a wisecrack. “All right. Please follow me.”
The first apartment they stepped into had an unblemished view of the ocean from the entire front of the apartment with a balcony just as wide. The second one the woman showed them had three bedrooms, which Lucas really didn’t need, and the balcony was smaller, but the top-floor apartment offered rooftop access and no upstairs neighbors. He fell in love with it.
“You’re not really considering this, are you?” Sindy whispered. “Why do you need something this big?”
“One bedroom for me. One bedroom as a music room, and, maybe, the other could be my office.”
Her raised brows questioned the extravagance of the place.
“I know it’s a lot of money,” he explained. “But, I can use my trust fund when I turn 25. Until then, I can get a mortgage. I’ve been waiting a long time to get my own place. I think it’s the right time.”
Tessa’s face dropped as soon as Lucas told her about the apartment. “You’re moving out?”
“Wasn’t that the plan?” He felt like he was abandoning his little sister, but they were adults, and they were moving on to the next phase of their lives. “Most people don’t live with their parents at our age, especially if they can afford to buy something.”
“I know, but first Sindy left. Now you. I’m going to be all by myself on this side of the house.”
“It’s in Lido Beach, Tess. Ten minutes away.”
“It’s gorgeous.” Sindy pointed her thumb at Lucas. “Mr. Moneybags picked the penthouse apartment. We can have parties on the rooftop and then go for a swim in the ocean.”
“The penthouse?” Tessa’s inquisitive gaze shifted to Lucas. “How big is it?”
“Huge.” Sindy spread her arms out to her sides. “It has three bedrooms. Lucas said he’s going to use one as a music study, the other as an office. And there’s a gorgeous balcony that overlooks the ocean.”
Lucas smiled at her, knowing she was playing up the amenities of the apartment in order to peak Tessa’s interest and raise her excitement about it. And it was working.
“What about the kitchen?” Tessa asked.
“You’re going to love it,” Sindy exclaimed. “It’s state of the art. Not as fancy as what you have downstairs, but I think your papi would approve.”
“Really? What kind of appliances?”
“Viking. Right, Lucas?”
Lucas nodded as he listened to his sister and Sindy talk about the apartment as if they were the ones moving into it. He thought it was adorable, especially since Tessa’s excitement level rose a thousand degrees and her feelings of abandonment seemed to have disappeared. “Do you want to see it?” he asked his sister.
“Yeah! Can we go right now?”
Telling Tessa about moving out, although met with remorse at first, went over better than expected. Showing her the apartment was genius. She had fawned over every detail with exaggerated excitement. The real hard part would happen in about two minutes, when Lucas told his parents. He started to question whether telling them at dinner was such a great idea. They’d only been home for one day and this was their first dinner together. Everyone was in such a good mood. He’d hate to spoil it by telling them he was moving out. Maybe they’d be excited for him. Plus, now he had added help to brag about the place. Not just Sindy, but also Tessa, who seemed like she wanted to move into it, as well.
