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“I’ll take the main bedroom,” he said. “Five hundred a month is fair. How much is the damage deposit?”
She blinked as if she’d never even thought of that. This woman was too soft to live in the real world. It made him want to protect her from those who’d take advantage.
“Is that…?” Seeming to think better of whatever she was about to ask, she stopped and changed directions. “Could you manage $250?”
“No problem,” he said. “If you give me your email, I can pay you online.”
“That’s perfect.” She asked for his number and texted him her email. Eli saved her information in his contacts right away.
“Anything else?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’ll have the rental agreement ready to sign next time we meet. You can move in whenever you like—just give me a heads-up first. The rooms are furnished but not fancy. I hope you like living with me.” Then she bit her lip, eyes wide. “I meant rooming, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine. I know.”
With a casual wave, he got the coffee he’d come in for and headed out to his truck as an elderly man sat down at the table. Eli leaned his head on the steering wheel.What the hell have I done?Then he straightened. It wasn’t like he had any pressing reason to rush off. Maybe things happened for a reason; this could be his chance to finally get to know her.
Eli got out his phone, stared at her number for a moment, then quietly changed Iris’s contact info to “Dream Come True.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Henry dale macabee,” the olderman said, offering his hand with a pugnacious tilt of his unshaven chin.
“Iris Collins. Have a seat.”
He wore a short-sleeved, button-up plaid shirt, carefully tucked into worn jeans. The man shook her hand firmly and took a seat, hot coffee in hand. Iris was a little surprised he’d bought any, but it seemed to be plain and black. No frills for this senior citizen.
“I’m on a fixed income,” he said without waiting for her to begin. “And I won’t tolerate a lot of nonsense. No smoking indoors. No loud parties.”
She was torn between the desire to laugh and the urge to set him straight. The former would likely offend him, so she tried for the latter, tactfully. “I’m the homeowner, soI’msetting the conditions. But smoking and loud parties are deal breakers for me as well, so you’ll have to host your ragers somewhere else.”
The old man’s eyes snapped up, and for a moment, he glared at her, eyes narrowed, then eventually, a reluctant smile tugged at the edge of his thin mouth. “You’re sassy. I don’t…entirely mind a bit of pertness.”
“That’s good.” From there, she described the four available rooms and showed him pictures on her phone. Then she added, “The house is really clean, but it’s old and—”
“Well, I’m old too,” he cut in, “so you can put a pin in whatever you were about to say. There aren’t many options for my budget, so if you’re willing, let’s do this.”
She hesitated. Maybe renting to an old grouch wasn’t the best idea, but she couldn’t bring herself to say no. “Which room did you want?”
“I’ll take the one off the kitchen. It’s away from everyone else.”
Yeah, she’d read him right. He was a curmudgeon who didn’twantto live with other people. Iris quoted him the total: one month up front, half a month for a damage deposit. She was grateful to Eli Reese for bringing that up, as she hadn’t even thought of it. She hoped nobody would wreck the place, but inviting five strangers to live with her? Anything could happen. It was tough not to be nervous about that, but she planned to run criminal checks on everyone using an online service that promised a complete national report for a reasonable price.
It’ll be fine. Probably.
“I don’t have my checkbook with me, but I can pay right away.”
“I’ll be here for a couple more hours, talking to people. If—”
“I’ll go right now,” the old man interrupted. “I don’t intend to let someone else snatch the room I want out from under me. Don’t give the kitchen room to anyone else, understand? I’ll be back soon.”
He was gone before Iris could say another word. She blinked and tried to decide if Henry Dale Macabee’s eagerness was a goodthing. He seemed a little desperate, and that made her feel bad for him, but maybe she shouldn’t do this first come, first served. It might be better to take applications and—
The next candidate arrived, a buff guy in his thirties who kept winking for no reason. “Clint McMahon. I had no idea you’d be so cute. I would’ve worn better underwear.”
“Uh, what?”
“Just kidding! I don’t sleep with people I’m rooming with. Too bad for you! I know, it’s very sad. So let’s see, I manage Big Fitness. That’s a gym, if you didn’t know. And honestly, you could be really hot if you just put in the time. I hate seeing people not living up to their potential, you know?”
