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“It’s not the amount of time. It’s the amount of opportunity. I was a chubby little creature in school. You’ve always been gorgeous.”
“I have not. I was a genderless scarecrow.” April sat by her mirror and pulled her hair down so she could brush it. She licked her lips. “I didn’t tell you because you know him.”
“Intrigue!” Lana held up a finger and breezed toward the door. “I’ll get you something to wear. Oh! A letter came for you. It’s on the bed.”
April hadn’t noticed it. She grabbed the letter and opened it. As she began to read, her face was
consumed in flames.
“Now this will- Oh, God, April. You’re a beet.” Lana put the new dress down and went to April’s side. “What happened?”
“My old apartment complex is demanding thousands of dollars in repairs and rent for the apartment.” April slumped in her chair.
“They can’t do that. You don’t even live there.”
“They’re blaming me for the broken door. And for ‘skipping out’ on my lease.”
“They evicted you. Do they get to demand money for you after they kick you out?”
“I don’t know! I’m not a lawyer! I still can’t even afford to get a lawyer!” April curled over and covered her eyes. She was going to cry. And get blotchy. And look like a complete wreck when she showed up on her date.
“Just stay calm, hon!” Lana knelt by her and touched her arms lightly. “Daddy’s a lawyer. I’ll ask him what to do. Just breathe.”
April did as she was told. There was nothing else she could do, and the management of that place knew it. She had no resources beyond her monthly paycheck that was still mostly paying off her student loans, and no understanding of how this business worked.
Lana’s father did, though, and Samson would. April wasn’t sure she wanted to go to Samson for help, but it was definitely an option. He would understand what the laws in Texas were regarding real estate, ownership, and renters’ rights, and if he didn’t know the details, he had teams of employees who would be able to answer their questions. Even if she didn’t plan on asking him, the knowledge that he could help her, that help existed, made April calmer.
She folded her hands together and looked up at Lana. “I um, I need to tell you who I’m going out with tonight.”
“Are you okay, though? I don’t care about the gossip if you’re going to have a nervous breakdown over this stupid apartment.”
“No, I’ll be okay. I have a place to live, and a job, and that isn’t always a given. Ask your dad, and I’ll put out some feelers. I don’t have to pay this tomorrow, so I have time to make a plan, and maybe talk them down a little on the amount.” April drew in another deep breath as she prepared to explain the situation with Samson to Lana.
That conversation went so well that when the doorbell rang, Lana darted to the door in front of April, opened it, and shouted, “What the hell is wrong with you?!”
April sighed and tried to hurry getting dressed and fixing her makeup. She could hear the two of them arguing. They bickered just as though they were still a teenage boy and his six-year-old sister.
“This is what you got yourself into,” April muttered. She took one last look at the letter before heading into the den to break things up.
“If it isn’t my two favorite people in the world!” she announced.
Lana crossed her arms and pouted. Samson didn’t look far from pouting either. Neither spoke for a long, awkward moment while April checked the contents of her purse.
“If you break her heart, Sammy, I’m gonna break your balls,” Lana said finally.
Samson began argue, but April took his arm. “Don’t break his balls, Lana. I like them.” April reached over and took Lana’s hand. “Please, try to be okay with this?”
“There are millions of women you could date, Samson,” Lana said. “Why are you dating my best friend?”
Samson clenched his jaw. April looked up at him. Not so intimidating, oddly, when cowed by his baby sister.
Finally, he said, “I’m dating her because I can’t just spend time with her. I can’t just fool around. I need more.”
April felt heat creeping up her neck.
“What, are you addicted to her vagina?” Lana pressed.
“What?” Samson screwed his brows together.
