AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"No, but I've heard JD mention her before. I wasn't sure about her name. I think she was the one I talked to when I first moved into the apartment."
It was a baited statement, and I watched Jim to see how he would react. But he didn't skip a beat. "Probably," he said, with a nod and a shrug.
My blood began to actually boil. I turned hot, and I knew that my face would be red within seconds. I pretended to dig in my purse for something.
"Well, I'm out of here," I said, trying to sound like I was in a chipper mood.
I hugged Jim because that was what I would normally do. It felt weird, though. It was as if I was telling him goodbye—like it was the last time I would ever hug him.
"Are you okay?" Jim asked.
And I told him I was tired just like I had told a few others.
I was tired. I had been stewing all afternoon. I thought of the long conversations I had with JD. He had hours and hours of opportunity to tell me the truth. I thought of all the clues, and I knew I should have figured it out. I knew in my heart that my apartment was too good to be true, and it turned out that it was.
I called Rachel on my way home. "Hey," I said when I heard her pick up the phone.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah. I was wondering about your apartment. Your lease. Did you sign with a lady named Ruth?"
"No. I bought mine, remember?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Why? Is everything all right with your apartment?"
"Yeah."
"Are you looking to move?"
"No, no, I was just wondering. I know I get a good deal on my rent, and I was just wondering what you pay, but I guess it's not the same if it's a mortgage."
"Yeah, I have it financed for fifteen years, so my note's pretty high. But I know Ross next door. He rents. I don't know if his landlord is the same lady you're talking about, but he's got the same layout as you."
"You don't know what he pays?"
"No, but he's cool. You can ask him. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I'm just… tired."
"You're tired and it's making you ask about Ross's rent?" she said, laughing.
"No, I thought you were asking if something was wrong with me. Just tiredness or whatever. No, I was just curious about the rent. I was thinking about my lease and how long I was going to stay in Seattle and all that."
"Well, probably forever now since you're in loooove."
"Yeah," I agreed, pretending to smile so that she could hear it in my voice. "Okay, well, thanks. I was just curious. I'll probably see you later."
Chapter 18
I held my tears inside the whole time I walked home, but as soon as I crossed the threshold to the apartment, I cried. Tears poured down my cheeks.
I was so embarrassed.
I thought I loved JD.
I thought I knew everything about him and had told him everything about me. He knew he had left out a huge piece of information, and I felt betrayed because of it. I had been so confident and secure in my own ability to make it in this city, and I was humiliated that it had all been a lie. There was nothing quite so embarrassing as being proud of yourself for something only to find out that you didn't do it.
