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Chapter Two
Peyton
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“Please tell me youhave my shoes.” My roommate, Henna, bursts into my room, completely unannounced. Her slender body is clad in a fluffy white robe and her long black hair is hidden underneath a towel twisted on top of her head.
“You’ll need to be more specific,” I tell her, buttoning the last two buttons of my cream-colored blouse.
“You know, the red strappy ones with the black heels.” She purses her lips.
“You’re planning on wearingthoseto work?” I give her a questioning look. “I can’t imagine old Mrs. Jenkins would approve,” I say, referring to the uptight marketing executive she works for.
“No, to Sam’s bachelorette party tonight. I need to buy a new dress, but I want to wear those shoes. I need to take them shopping with me on my lunch break to make sure whatever I buy matches.”
“I’m going to go ahead and keep what I’m thinking to myself.” I bite my bottom lip to contain my smile.
“Oh screw you, Peyton.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “Have you seen my shoes or not?”
“I’m pretty sure they’re in the hall closet,” I tell her, pointing in that vicinity.
“Of course they would be in the one place I haven’t looked.” She sighs dramatically.
“You know, you wouldn’t have this problem if you kept all your shoes in the same place.”
“Have you seen how many shoes I have?” She gives me a knowing look.
“Good point.” I laugh.
“Don’t forget, we’re meeting at Rain’s at six for pregame drinks.”
“I might be a little late. I don’t get off work until five.”
“So tell John to let you leave early.”
“That’s not how it works. I can’t just tell my boss what to do.”
“Oh please.” She waves her hand at me. “You have the most laid-back job in the world, with quite possibly the coolest boss ever. You can do whatever you want.”
She’s not wrong there. I really do have the best job with the best boss, who also happens to own the company. At just thirty-three years old, he operates one of the largest video game testing firms in the country. Not that I actually get to play video games for a living. I handle the scheduling and working with the developers, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.
“Not to mention, he totally thinks you’re hot. That never hurts.”
“He does not,” I disagree.
“Yeah, okay.” She snorts sarcastically.
“Speaking of work, you’re going to make me late,” I tell her, stepping into my nude pumps.
“Fine. But your ass better be at Rain’s by six.”
“I’ll do my best,” I tell her, garnering myself a pointed look before she spins around and quickly exits my room.
As much as I love living with Henna, I’m starting to think I would have been better off getting my own place. At least then I would be able to get dressed for work without her barging in anytime she wants. Privacy is not something she respects. I guess you could say she doesn’t have a very good grasp on how boundaries work.
Then again, I’d never be able to afford this apartment on my own. The rent alone would take half of my monthly pay and that doesn’t count utilities or any of the other expenses I have.
I honestly don’t know how people afford to live on their own, especially in a city like Chicago. Even at twenty-six, with a good paying job, I don’t think I could manage. Hence why when Henna, whom I’ve known since middle school, suggested we get a place together, I jumped at the opportunity. I was dying to get out of my father’s house, not to mention living downtown is extremely convenient. Now, instead of driving forty-five minutes to the city every day, I’m less than ten minutes from the office.
