All of my neighbors and I woke up with a notice of construction eviction.
Aspergillus infestation.
It’s generally safe for people who are healthy, but can be dangerous for individuals with weakened immune systems. The mold is most likely infesting the HVAC systems, shutting down the entire building for a few weeks.
It’s honestly bittersweet.
I fucking hate my apartment complex. The only reason I ended up there, in a six month lease, is because of how short of a notice I got from Stanley. I moved at the endof May, which is the start of the tourist season in San Diego. All of the rentals were taken—hotels, Airbnbs, and apartments.
When Lucas said he had a place for me to stay, he was up front about how horrible the landlord is. Jeremy, who graduated a year after Lucas and Calypso, is a nice enough guy. He’s the stereotypical West Coast surfer from ’90s movies. In most circumstances, I’d think he was funny.
If he wasn’t such a fucking idiot.
I have three maintenance requests that have been open for weeks. If I wasn’t worried about being sued, I would have done most of it on my own by now. So, it’s no surprise that he overlookedsomethingand ended up with mold in the vents.
It should be a breath of fresh air—no pun intended—to be out of that lease.
Except there are a few more weeks of summer left and anything reasonable is booked. I took my dog Rosie to Lucas’s this morning, and I can stay there for a few nights. I love his family, but anything longer than that and I’ll start to go crazy.
Same with Mia—one of her girls is only two. And living with Stanley and Willa would feel like moving back in with my mom. Plus, it will be a hell of a lot harder to ward off Aunt Willa’s insistence to bring Calypso for dinner if I’m under her roof.
Right now, I’m trying to figure out which of my cousins would be the better choice.
Most likely Lucas and Knox, but it’s not ideal.
I’m running late since I had to drop Rosie off, but I haven’t skipped Brighter Daze once in the last month. A part of me feels like I should, not wanting Calypso to see me in such a foul mood.
Most of me feels certain she won’t mind—maybe she’ll even appreciate the openness to share this with her. I’d want her to come to me, if it were reversed.
Pushing through the door, my eyes immediately find her at the bakery counter. She doesn’t smile when she sees me, but her eyes brighten, warming with each step I take closer to her.
Just the sight of her with her arms crossed and hip popped to the side has me instantly relaxing.
“Sorry I’m late, honey,” I say and slide my forearms across the counter.
We haven’t kissed since the beach, so I don’t expect her to close the distance.
She draws away quicker than I like, avoiding eye contact. I knew she would give me a hard time for being late butthisis a little dramatic.
With a grin, I watch her pour me a black coffee and slide it across the counter.
“So, I’ve been demoted,” I pout.
She rolls her eyes and brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, waiting for an explanation. A gold heart catches the light, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her wear the earrings from our first farmer’s market together. Gotta admit, it makes this morning alittlebetter. I like seeing her in something I bought.
I take a sip. It’s cold. “Thought we weren’t going backward.”
“I would’ve agreed until you showed up—” she glances at the clock on her phone, “—an hour later than normal without a text or call.”
So she has expectations for me,I think smugly.
Some that sound suspiciously similar to what someone would expect from the person they’re dating.
Honestly, I don’t think Calypso or I have any idea what we’re doing anymore. Neither of us will question it. I’m afraid I’ll push her too far out of her comfort zone and have to watch her run for the hills; she’s great at deflecting and compartmentalizing, especially when it comes to being vulnerable.
Instead of making a joke, I choose to take the moment to prove to her that I am serious about her—whether she gives me four more months of her time, or forty years.
“I’m sorry, honey,” I repeat with more sincerity. “It’s been a shit morning, and ‘running behind’ is an understatement.”
