"Ugh." Harper shuddered at the mere idea of someone spotting her in fox form through a window. The last thing she needed was Animal Control showing up at her door.
"So, what now?" Becca asked, leaning forward with an eager gleam in her storm-colored eyes.
"Now, we go to the complex's office," Harper pointed at the open doorway at the end of one walkway, where sunlight spilled across the concrete. Her heart fluttered with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "We'll get to go see the apartments, and if I like one, I'll put in an application."
"Let's do this," Katerina declared. "And if you don't like it, we'll go on to the next on your list."
Fifteen minutes later, they were standing inside an empty apartment. "Oh, I like this," Harper said, standing at the bay window at one side of the living room, overlooking the wooded area out back. "This will be perfect. Reyna can hang out here, or I can curl up and read."
"Oh! The tub is so large!" Becca called out from the bathroom. "And there are two sinks in here."
Wandering into the bedroom, Harper approved of the walk-in closet and master bathroom, also with a large tub, and a fancy showerhead mounted on the ceiling which sparkled with chrome accents and looked like it had a gazillion settings. The space would give her plenty of room to spread out, something she'd dreamed of since sharing cramped quarters with her sister growing up.
"I hope that comes with an instruction manual," she commented, staring up at it.
Becca giggled, but Katerina shrugged. "If not, just Google it. Everyone has instruction manuals online these days."
"True." Harper ran her fingers along the smooth marble counter, already picturing where she'd place her toiletries and makeup.
Harper crossed the room, opening the door and stepping out onto the balcony. The late afternoon breeze ruffled her hair as she inhaled the fresh woodland scent. "This has a view of the woods, too. Nice!" Reyna stirred, her perked ears indicating her interest.Good smells, Reyna approved.Good for exploring.
"Wow, this is really nice," Katerina said, joining her at the railing. "If I didn't already live with Troy, I would totally want to live here." Her golden eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she scanned the treeline.
Becca nodded vigorously, her thick fall of hair tumbling over her shoulders. "I like this so much." She traced her fingers along the wrought iron railing, admiring the intricate scrollwork.
"It's quiet, too," Harper pointed out, savoring the peaceful atmosphere. "Not that apartment living isn't always a mixed bag, but at least there are no traffic sounds." The only noises drifting up were birdsong and rustling leaves - perfect for someone who valued their solitude as much as she did.
"What is this mixed bag?" Becca asked, looking puzzled.
"It means, you don't quite know what you'll get," Harper explained. "For instance, a neighbor might have a new baby that cries all night, or someone might throw loud parties late at night. There's not much you can really do if that happens, but that's the chance you take, living in apartments."
"But you also don't have lawn upkeep, like you'd have if you rented a house," Katerina said. "Or any upkeep, really."
Harper nodded fervently. "Unlike Becca, I have ablackthumb," she stressed. "The less I have to do with a yard, the better, for the sake of the yard. And anyway, most homes are going to be too big, and too expensive, for just one person. I don't need a ton of space. I did look through the papers for a mother-in-law cottage kind of deal, or even a restored carriage house, but there wasn't anything like that."
"I like the southern exposure for your living room," Katerina said, wandering out of the bedroom with Becca. "You'll get lots of sunlight in the daytime. Perfect for curling up with a book on weekend afternoons."
"Yes, and the bedroom will be darker," Harper agreed, following them into the spacious living room. The warm afternoon light streamed through the large windows, creating inviting pools of sunshine on the hardwood floors. She imagined her favorite reading chair positioned near the window, her harp in the corner where the acoustics would be best. The spacesang with possibility. She looked around in satisfaction, already picturing where her furniture would fit.
"I really, really like this. Let's go down to the office, and I'll fill out the application and put a deposit on it." Her heart fluttered with excitement - this apartment could become her sanctuary, her own private den.
Good place for us,Reyna approved.
Harper followed Katerina and Becca down the stairs, her steps light with excitement. The rental office welcomed them with a blast of cool air conditioning and the scent of coffee brewing.
"I'd like to put in an application," Harper announced to the manager, a petite woman with close-cropped silver hair. "For unit 22B."
"Already? Don't you want to see the other units?" The manager's eyebrows rose, her silver bangs shifting with the movement. "We have several available apartments with similar layouts."
"This one's perfect. It's upstairs, and has a lovely view of the woods," Harper explained, unable to suppress her smile, picturing the sun-filled rooms and imagining cozy evenings curled up by those big windows. Reyna would be just as happy there as she, Harper, would be.
While Harper filled out paperwork, Katerina scrolled through her phone. "There's a Ford dealership over by the mall, they're having a beginning of summer sale."
"Perfect." Harper signed the last form with a flourish. "I don't suppose you're good at haggling? I hate negotiating prices."
"I'm great at it," Becca offered, making Harper grin.
"Oh, right. I bet you are!"
