AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Uh-huh.” I bobble-head. “Not dogs or ferrets, horses—which is really fortunate given your mom’s specialty—sheep, snakes…”
“You like snakes?”
“They’re nothing to sneeze at.”
My comment makes him laugh, and not at my expense, which is a huge relief.
“I’d think sneezing would startle them. You might get bitten.”
I agree. “Good thing it’s cat dander and not snake skins.”
“Venom?” he taunts.
“Everyone reacts to poisonous snake bites. Except possums. They have a protein in their blood since snakes are part of their diet.”
“My mom mention that? She’s rescued a few.”
I fidget with my top again, letting Mateo believe it’s true.
I love animals. I’ve always had a soft spot for them, especially the ones whose place in the ecosystem are misunderstood. People think opossums are ugly with their hairless rat-like tails, but they are mistaken. Their little pink noses are adorable and the way they care for their babies, carrying them around in pouches and then on their back, is endearing.
He holds out a shiny object with a tag. “Here’s your key.”
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. It won’t be for long. I’ll bring over what I owe you once my insurance finally pays the claim.”
Mateo hasn’t mentioned how much the rent will be each month. I’m a little behind. Not much, but boy does it help having someone willing to cut you a little slack.
I’m hoping a hefty security deposit will make this situation seem a lot less like he has a squatter. It would settle my mind too and invoke a sense of trustworthiness after I accidentally set fire to my last place.
“I’m in no hurry. Besides, I know where you work.”
It’s a joke, but for me it has an overbearing feeling. Though I was the sole resident facing eviction, a lot of my previous neighbors are still pissed because of the water damage to their apartments when the sprinkler system went off.
All I can do is shrug and answer with a breathless, “Yeah.”
My insides cringe. Did that sound suggestive? My hand slaps my forehead and a dust cloud of cat hair surrounds me.
“Whenever you have a check it is fine.” Mateo remarks after my second sneezing fit subsides.
“You don’t know how much this means. I’ve had a ton of bills—” I almost start rambling about the motel I’ve been living in, and storage fees, eating fast food—which makes dining out tonight and letting his mother pick up the tab seem irresponsible.
“I get it.” He cuts me off. “If you need anything, text. My number is on the key tag.”
“I will.” I grin like a goof.
I have his number. Totally normal since he’s my landlord/neighbor, but Mateo’s also hot. Attractive men aren’t exactly beating my door down to give me their contact information. Score one for Pepper, finally. I mean, I won’t use it in some creepy, stalker way. However, there are probably a lot of women who want Mateo’s number and I have it to give to someone who wants it. Not that I’d willy-nilly give out anyone’s private information. But yeah, there’s a point to my internal babbling.
Men make me stupid. And stupid’s easy to disregard.
I figure that out all over again when I realize I’m standing alone in the lobby and see Mateo’s truck pull out of the parking space. Between the clumsiness of starting a grease fire, staring at Mateo’s crotch like a perv, and getting just as wrapped up in my head, it doesn’t take much to recognize why I’m unattached.
“Did Mateo scoot?” Gracyn sidles up from behind.
“Yes.” I catch myself before my dreamy sigh is audible.
“Bummer. Aunt D wanted to see him. She’d probably have offered him dinner. But, oh well, his loss.” Gracyn links her arm through mine. “Come on. We’ll meet the rest of the staff at The Grille after they set the rest of the kitties free. Do you mind driving?”
“No, but I should…” I point to my office and the pile of paperwork.
