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As she straightens and turns toward me, her dark brown eyes are filled with hesitation. “Do you mind holding the elevator? I’m just moving in, and it’s been a pain going up and down with just one box at a time.”
“Oh, let me help. Where’re your boxes at?”
She places a hand on her chest as she looks over her shoulder before returning her gaze to me. “You don’t need to do that. In fact.” She bends, and picks up the box she’d just put down, continuing, “You take this one and I’ll wait for another one.”
Taking the box that she’s holding, I place it back on the floor to keep the doors open. Turning to her expectantly, I reply, “My mama’d kill me if she knew I took this elevator and left you to move in on your own. Many hands make the load lighter and all that.”
When she doesn’t move or say anything, I hold my hand out, a grin on my face as I say, “I’m Savannah. It’s nice to meet you.”
She looks a little taken aback by my willingness to help. Maybe even a little scared.
“As you can probably tell, I’m not from New York. But where I’m from, it’s totally normal to offer some help. You don’t need to be afraid.”
My statement elicits a reaction out of her and she laughs, taking my hand and shaking it with a firm grip. “I’m Alex. It’s nice to meet you too, Savannah. I’ve actually only got a couple of boxes as the movers brought most of the stuff in. This is just the last few bits.”
We walk across the lobby to the front desk. Neatly stacked next to the desk is a pile of six boxes that I’d missed when I walked in. My sleep deprived brain too focused on getting to my bed.
“You know, Billy could help you with these, right?”
Alex shrugs a shoulder before replying, “I know, but this is my first building with a concierge and doorman and it just didn’t feel right having them carry my stuff like I don’t have arms.”
I offer up an understanding smile. “That makes sense. It takes some time gettin’ used to, that’s for sure.”
It doesn’t take us long to get the boxes loaded into the elevator, and when I press the button for the thirtieth floor, I turn to ask Alex for her floor number. She lets out a huff of a laugh, her eyes on the panel of floor numbers.
In need of something to laugh about, I ask, “What’s funny?”
A smirk pulls at her mouth as she says, “It’s… well, you won’t believe this, but it looks like we live on the same floor.”
I turn to the control panel as if needing to check before replying. “No way. Well, that’s it, we’re meant to be friends.”
“You know what, Savannah? I couldn’t agree with you more.” We share a laugh, before Alex asks, “What are you doing now?”
Sleeping. “I was going to take a shower and head to bed,” I chuckle.
Alex pouts. “Just one drink? A ‘thank you’ drink?”
I don’t take much convincing because it might actually help me to have a sleep that isn’t plagued with memories of a girl I used to be. If the drink’s strong enough, I might even be lucky enough to pass out completely. “Sure, that actually sounds good.”
When the elevator arrives on our floor, Alex carries a box to her front door as I start moving them out of the car. It doesn’t take us long to carry the boxes from the elevator and into her apartment.
As we carry in the last two boxes, Alex turns to me. “Which apartment do you live in?”
“I live at the end of the hall. But only temporarily.”
“Oh, are you…” Alex waves her hand in the air as if trying to think of the right word. “Housesitting?”
If only.
“I’m actually stayin’ with my brother’s best friend and his girlfriend. It’s convenient since I don’t pay rent, so most of what I earn can go toward a deposit and first month’s rent for my own apartment.”
“That’s smart. And, if you ever need to not be around them when they’re having all that hot sex all over the place, then you can come over here. I, for one, am having zero hot sex.”
At Alex’s mention of hot sex, my brow pulls together. I haven’t heard any signs of sex going on in the apartment, which is unusual for a couple. Right? In fact, most nights when I come home, Noah either isn’t there, or he’s working in his office with the door shut.
I shake my head to clear the thoughts.
Just because I haven’t walked in on them having sex doesn’t mean that they aren’t having it. They could just be super quiet, or maybe he’s boring in bed. The thought has a smirk creeping onto my lips.
