Page 18 of Rebooting Conor Flynn

I was going to make sure it was mostly off. If Ashley was gonna fly between venues, so could I.

***

The banging on the front door caused me to drop my lipstick in the sink, leaving a smear of red on the porcelain that looked like a murder scene clean-up attempt. It just might be once I confronted the jerk at the door.

I strode across the living room and yanked the front door open. I narrowed my eyes at my neighbor, his bare chest already sporting beads of sweat from his workout in the courtyard.

“Can you knock like a normal person, Matt?”

“Sorry.” He rolled his pumped-up shoulders. “I was lifting, and I guess I got carried away.”

“Is that what you came over to tell me, that you’re lifting?” My gaze wandered over his left shoulder and landed on the dumbbells next to the planter. Matt Russo had decided the planters in the courtyard of our apartment complex were a good substitute for a weight bench.

“It’s Jane.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “She got into my apartment again. I need to shower. I tried to get her out, but she’s hiding under the bed. Don’t you feed that cat?”

“I just fed her.” I wrinkled my nose. “Maybe she’s after the rats in your place.”

“Hey, that rat was a one-time deal. Hasn’t been back since Jane scared the shit out of him.”

“She’s making sure he doesn’t come back and infiltrate the rest of the units.” I dropped my lipstick on the table next to my front door. “I’ll get her.”

Matt and I had an understanding. I wanted to stay on his good side because he owned and managed the building. How a guy who didn’t seem to work managed to purchase a whole-ass apartment complex, I had no idea. I was afraid to ask. And Jane liked him.

I followed him to his place, stepping around the weights surrounding the planter. I poked my head inside first and called out to Jane. If she came when called, she’d save me a trip into Matt’s apartment where the skunky smell of weed clung to every piece of furniture.

Maybe Jane was over here getting a second-hand high.

She mewed in response but didn’t show one whisker. I stepped into the living room, glancing at the walls plastered with band posters. Was Matt 32 going on 13? I nearly tripped over a stack of albums on the floor when I spotted a Five2Go poster in the corner. Matt didn’t seem like the fangirl type.

Matt came at me dangling a piece of bacon from his fingers. “I tried to lure her out with this, but maybe she’ll take it from you.”

“Jane doesn’t eat bacon.”

“She does here.”

I snatched the bacon from his fingers and tip-toed into his bedroom. A figure on the bed stirred, and a woman rolled onto her back, exposing a set of impressive tits.

Jumping back, I whispered, “What the fuck, Matt?”

He shrugged. “That’s Destiny. She’s sleeping.”

Avoiding Destiny, I dropped to the floor and flicked back the duvet brushing the carpet. A pair of glowing eyes met mine, and I jiggled the bacon at Jane. “Kitty, kitty. C’mon, Jane.”

She darted past me, ignoring the bacon and dashed out the front door. I peeked outside, and Jane stared back at me, flicking her tail from the edge of the planter box in front of my door.

“Maybe she just wanted to cuddle with Destiny.” I thrust the bacon out to Matt. “You want this back?”

He held out his hand, and I dropped the bacon in his palm. He stuffed it in his mouth and crunched.

I jerked my head away from the sight, and my gaze landed on the Five2 poster again. I pointed at it. “Didn’t figure you for a boyband fan.”

“Yeah, I thought I should add it to my collection since Ian Pope...” he waved his hands around the room.

“Ian Pope, what?” I raised my eyebrows in expectation of...I didn’t know what.

“My sister’s engaged to him, and he kind of helps me out.”

“Your sister is Ivy Chase, the author?”