Love And Coffee: A Cup Of Grace Romance Series Book 1 (3 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

Bright and early the next day we were out apartment hunting.  I had nine different apartment complexes on our list, with appointments set for four.  The others were just drop-ins.  When we got to the first one, I realized why there were no appointments available. 

The landlord was still in bed when we got there. He came to the door with a stained t-shirt and pajama bottoms that looked like they hadn’t been washed in eons.  When he stood in front of us and burped loudly, I was suddenly thankful that he had bothered to put on any pants at all.  He showed us to a vacant apartment and the stench of cat urine and something pungent but not quite distinguishable assailed our nostrils.

“Oh, this is nice,” I lied.  Yes, I did.  I lied.  I repented afterwards, but I didn’t want to be rude to the man, even if he was rude to us. 

We made a hasty exit and found the next two apartments to be over-run with roaches.  You know it’s bad when they come out and scamper about in the daylight.

‘”I guess we should plan to spend a little more money,” I mused in the car on the way to the next apartment complex.

“Yeah, maybe a lot more,” Kathryn said as we walked down the sidewalk to our first real appointment.  The apartment complex was cute.  Bonus points for that.  They were all single levels with nicely kept landscaping out front.  The apartments themselves gave you a nice warm, homey feel, all painted white with wooden shutters and flowers in the planters outside of the doorways.

“I like this place, “ I whispered to Kathryn as the manger, who was fully dressed in clean clothes I might add, walked ahead of us.

Kathryn nodded her agreement.

We were thrilled to find that the inside of the apartment was just as nice as the outside.  It had been freshly painted and the carpets looked recently cleaned.  The manager showed us through the rooms and was friendly without being pushy.  More points for that.

“Oh, but there’s only two rooms,” I said, when I realized we had seen the entire apartment.

“And one bathroom,” Kathryn said, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Well, yes, that’s what I explained over the phone,” the manager said looking at us.

“You did?” I asked.

“Yes, I spoke with a-,” he said and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.  “A Jillian.”

“Ah, that explains it,” I said.  One bathroom wouldn’t work.  No way.  “Do you have a larger apartment that we could look at?”

“No, I’m sorry. I have this unit and a one bedroom,” he said.

“Well, thanks for your time,” I said and sighed.  “It’s a very nice apartment, but way too small.”

“Oh, but I like this one,” Jillian said as she stepped outside of the apartment.

I followed her out the front door but stopped short when I nearly ran into Matt.  “Oh, hello,” I said.

He smiled and looked into my eyes.  “Hello, how are you?”

“Great,” I said, and he put his key into the door of the apartment right next door to the one we had just looked at, without fully turning away from me. 

“You live here?”  I asked, suddenly thinking that sharing a bedroom and a bathroom might not be so bad.

“I do,” he said and he nodded at the apartment manager. 

“Oh, well we were just looking at this apartment.  Right next door,” I said.  “It seems like such a nice neighborhood.”  He was so good looking, that even if there had been gang members hanging out on the front lawn, the neighborhood would have looked great to me. 

“It is.  It really is nice here.  And, if you move in, I guess we’ll be neighbors,” he said.

I suddenly had the urge to turn around and shout at the manager that we would take it.  One bathroom or not.  Who cares?  Showers every day were totally overrated.  And besides, Jillian was the one who had suggested this place, so she could do without a shower every now and then.

“I think we are going to take it,” I said loudly, hoping I didn’t need to explain myself to Kathryn.  She would have to make the sacrifice for me.

Kathryn looked over at me wide eyed and questioning. 

I tilted my head toward Matt, and smiled at her.

“Oh, looks like we’ll take it,” I heard her say a moment later to the manager in less than enthusiastic tones.  She would get over it, I was sure of it.

“So, it looks like we’ll be neighbors,” I said, turning back to him. 

He smiled again.  “Yes, I guess so.  That’s great.” 

Oh, how could I have ever doubted that we should move in together, I thought.  It was like this was meant to be.  Better calm down, I told myself.  He’ll think I’m some kind of freak or something, and start trying to dodge me.  Like that would ever work.  I was going to have to figure out how to peek out the windows without being seen.

“When will you be moving in?” he asked.

“As soon as possible,” I said.  “You know, it’s because of the layoffs.  We decided we could save some money if we moved in together and shared the bills.”

“That’s a smart move,” he said.  “I probably should have thought about that.  Ken from work got laid off too.”

Oh no.  I did not need him to move.  “Well, maybe he could move in with you?  I mean, that would be easier for you, after all.”

“Yeah, but he has a bigger house.  With a pool.  That’s a great idea, Tara.  I’ll have to give him a call and talk to him about it,” he said thoughtfully.

Great.  No, great is what that idea wasn’t.  “Oh, but you know, you probably don’t really want to move in with him.  I mean, I heard he sleepwalks in the nude and has bed bugs.  Yeah, bed bugs,” I said.

“Bed bugs?” he asked.  “Seriously?”

“Yes, and once you get those, they are almost impossible to get rid of.  Nasty little things, those bed bugs.”  Great.  Now I was lying about poor Ken.

“Weird,” he said, his eyebrows furrowed.  Poor Ken was going to have a ruined reputation because of me, but I was going to keep Matt here if I could.

I glanced over my shoulder and Kathryn and Jillian were discussing financials with the manager.  Good.  At least they wouldn’t know I was a liar.  So far my pants hadn’t caught on fire, and I whispered a repentant prayer before they could.

“Well, maybe it’s not true,” I said, deciding I better come clean.  “It was probably just a great big lie, perpetrated by someone that doesn’t like him.  You know how those office gossips are,” I said, trying to make things right.  Poor Ken.  If he only knew that the office gossip was now me and I didn’t even have an office any more.

“Oh, yeah, probably so,” he said, his eyebrows still furrowed.  Now he was probably thinking I was some kind of freak.

“But you know, if he has a swimming pool, his house rent is probably outrageously expensive.  And who needs that?  That’s why we’re moving in together.  We need to save everything we can.  Every penny.  We are going to just pitch in together and save money.”  Now I was a rambling fool.

“That’s probably true,” he said thoughtfully.  “Maybe it would be a better idea if he moved in with me.  I’ll have to give him a call and see if he’s even interested.”

“Exactly.  Just give him a call and see if he’s interested.  I’ll bet he is.  He seemed like an interested kind of guy.”  I was sounding crazier by the minute.  Yep, Matt, you are about to get a crazy neighbor.  Certifiable.  And one who is possibly a stalker.

“Thanks Tara.  I think I’ll give him a call.  Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around,” he said and pulled his front door open.  He stopped and looked back at me.  “Hey, if you girls need any help moving, let me know.  I’d be glad to help out.  After all, I’ve got plenty of time with no job to go to.”

I smiled so big my face felt like it would crack in two.  “Thanks Matt, we would appreciate that.  I mean, really, really appreciate it!”

He nodded at me and disappeared inside his apartment.  I was nearly giddy with excitement.  What had come over me?  We were both unemployed.  That was no way to begin a relationship.  If he wanted a relationship, that is.  I still had no idea if his girlfriend was still around.  But maybe, just maybe…

I turned around and found I had an audience of three.  The apartment manager and Kathryn and Jillian were all staring at me.  Oh dear.  I had probably sounded so desperate.  Oh well.  No shame here.   Or at least not much.  

Kathryn smiled at me.  “We are going to go to the manager’s office and fill out paperwork,” she said, speaking slowly as if to someone that wasn’t terribly bright. 

Jillian grinned at me.

“Sounds good,” I said.  It sounded very good to me.

CHAPTER FIVE

So we did it.  We rented the apartment next to tall, dark, and gorgeous.  Okay, here’s the thing.  I’m not usually the girl that gets terribly goo-goo-eyed about a guy.  I mean, sure, I like them.  A lot.  Just like any other red-blooded American girl.  But there was something about Matt.  I don’t know.  I was trying not to read too much into it, but I had a feeling that there was something special there.  Now if I could only convince him of it.  So far, he didn’t seem to be terribly interested.  But maybe living next door, I could change all that.

A few days later, there was a pounding on my door.  I have to admit that with no work waiting for me in the mornings, I had begun to stay up later. And I was sleeping in later.  I forced my eyes open and made myself get out of bed, pulled on my pink fuzzy robe and white fuzzy bunny slippers, and stumbled to the door.  Don’t judge.  I love fuzzy bunny slippers.

I looked through the peephole and saw Kathryn and Jillian.  “You guys better be bearing coffee to be waking me up at this hour,” I said loudly through the door as I unlocked it.

I swung the door open, and honest to goodness, they WERE bearing coffee.  What were friends for?

“What do you mean at this hour?  It’s 9:30!” Kathryn said as she handed me a cup and pushed past me.             

“Oh thank you!” I said as I inhaled the beautiful aroma of a caramel latte.

“You are getting kind of lazy in your unemployment, Tara,” Jillian said. 

I had to agree.  But right then I was inhaling the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee and could care less what anyone thought of my laziness.

“Well I guess you better come on in,” I said to their backs as they headed toward the sofa.

“Whatcha got to eat?” Jillian said, making a stop in the kitchen first. 

“I dunno, take a look.  Don’t take this the wrong way, Jillian, but I swear you eat more than anyone I know and it’s beyond me how you manage to stay so skinny.”

“I could take that the wrong way.” Jillian found a box of cheese nips and shoved a handful into her mouth.  “But I know you’re just jealous,” she said around the crackers in her mouth.

“You got that right,” I said.  “And if you were really my friend, you’d bring me some scones or muffins with this coffee.”

She stuck her orange crumb coated tongue at me.

“So, I’ve been researching coffee shops in the area,” Kathryn said, grabbing my laptop off the table.  “And we need an angle.  Something different.  Most of the shops around here are just plain old coffee shops.  Blah.  Boring.”

“Nothing wrong with that, “ I said, sinking into an arm chair.  “Coffee shops do a booming business.  Or at least it looks that way to me.  There’s always a line.  Doesn’t matter which one you go to.  There’s a line.”

“True.  But we need an angle.  Something to draw a portion of that crowd to us.  Why should people change their habits and start doing business with us?”

She had a point.

Jillian set her cup on the coffee table and headed outside, leaving my front door open.  Great, I didn’t need the neighbors seeing me in my pink robe and fuzzy bunny slippers.   Not that it mattered, I guess, since I would be moving.  “Where’s she going?” 

Kathryn shrugged her shoulders and kept Googling.  “Nice slippers, by the way,” she said, glancing at my feet as I put them up on the coffee table.

“Thanks.  It’s about time I got some credit for my choice in quality footwear.”

Jillian came back in, lugging flattened cardboard boxes.  “Here, we brought you some boxes to get started.  You have too much stuff, though.  You’ll have to get rid of most of it.”

“Gee, thanks,” I said, eyeing the flattened boxes and wondering how much I could stuff into each one before it exploded.

“You’re welcome.  I spoke to Matt and he’s going to get some of his friends to help us move.  Today,” she said excitedly.  “Guy friends!”

“Wait, what?  What do you mean
today
?” I said, choking on my latte.  “I didn’t think we were moving today!”

“Yup, it will take us a couple of weeks to get all of our stuff out.  We need to figure out what we are getting rid of and what we are going to put into storage.  We gotta cut back. We are moving into a much smaller apartment.”

“Oh boy,” I said.  Moving was my least favorite thing to do.  Getting rid of all my lovely little trinkets that I had collected over the years was my second.

“You better get up and get moving,” Jillian said. 

I picked up my latte and headed toward my bedroom.  It looked like this was about to get complicated. 

***

Later in the day I found myself squeezed between two cute guys in the front of a U-Haul truck.  Not a bad place to be, but it wasn’t Matt that I was squeezed up against, so it wasn’t a perfect scenario.

The truck pulled up into the apartment complex and the driver, some guy named Billy, backed the massive truck up as close as he could get to the apartment door and then stopped.  The truck contained most of my furniture.  Jillian had borrowed furniture in her current apartment, so she was going to give that back, and Jillian had some thrown together, inexpensive stuff.  I was the only one with furniture that matched and was of a quality that would hold up, so mine was what we decided on using in the living room.

I jumped out of the truck after Billy and met Matt at the front door.  “Hey,” I said and pushed my glasses up on my nose.

“Hey,” he said.  “Kathryn has already been here cleaning.  I told her a cleaning crew had come in after the Smith’s had moved out, but she said something about prior renter’s dust needing to be cleaned up.”

He looked a little puzzled, but he would soon learn that Kathryn was a clean freak.  Her super powers were that she could see invisible germs and dust that no one else was capable of seeing.  According to her, anyway.  He would get used to it. 

“That’s my Kathryn,” I said and then went in to see what progress had been made.

“Okay, so, who is getting the bedroom to themselves?” I asked.  Jillian was sitting on the kitchen counter with a box of cookies in hand.  “Why are you on the counter?”

“No chairs,” she said before stuffing another cookie into her mouth. 

Good point. 

“I get the bedroom to myself,” Kathryn said, coming in from the bathroom with yellow rubber gloves and goggles on.

“Why? And are you doing some kind of excavation in there that you need eye protection?” I asked.

“Cleaning in a bathroom without proper protection is dangerous,” she said. “And you know I have a thing about germs.  Not that I’m trying to say anything negative about either of you, but if I have to sleep in the same room with one of you, I would be exposed to germs.  Lots of them.”

If I hadn’t known Kathryn for years, I would have been offended by that.  But I knew she had a thing about germs, and why argue about someone’s craziness?  It wouldn’t get me anywhere.  But darn it, I wanted that single room to myself, even if it was really tiny.  I was a light sleeper.  And Jillian snored.

“Maybe we should toss a coin,” I said brightly. 

“That would be fair,” Jillian said, upending the now empty box into her mouth in order to get the last crumbs. 

“Well, it would be I guess, but here’s the thing.  Which one of you wants to sleep in the same room with me with my air purifiers?  We would have to have strict cleaning rules, you both know that.  No more eating in bed,” she said looking pointedly at Jillian.

She was right.  We would spend the night cleaning before being allowed to go to bed.

“Okay, you win the small bedroom,” I said.

“Thanks,” she said and smiled.

Anything to make your day, I thought.

“Coming through,” Matt said, holding the end of my sofa with Billy on the other end.  “Where do you want it?

To be honest, the new living room was rather small and there weren’t many choices.

“Let’s see, let’s try it here in the center with one end right here,” Kathryn said, making a motion with her hand.

The guys brought the sofa over, angled it like she wanted, and set it down.

“Oh, you know, on second thought, how about over here next to the wall?” she said.

The guys picked up the sofa and moved it.

“Oh, I don’t like that at all.  The armchair would have to be off at an angle.  How about move it over here at the other end of the room?” she said, marching over to where she wanted it.

The guys picked up the couch, moved it to the other end of the room, and set it down.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, her brows furrowed in thought.

This could go on all day.  “How about we just leave it there for now and we can rearrange things later?” I suggested.

“Yes, but we have all this muscle right now.  I’d hate to see it go to waste,” she said with a smile.

“We have a lot more to unload. Why don’t we leave it here and I will be right next door if you need help rearranging it later,” Matt offered. He really sounded much nicer than I would have if I were expected to move a rather large, heavy sofa from place to place. 

***

It took nearly three hours to get the truck unloaded and unfortunately that wasn’t everything out of my apartment.  We sat out on the front steps drinking a soda and enjoying the afternoon.  Summer would be here soon and it was nice to just sit and enjoy the cooler breeze while it lasted.

“So have you had any leads on jobs?” I asked Matt just to make conversation.

“I’ve applied to a couple of different places.  Nothing solid though,” he said before taking a swallow of his root beer.

I had placed myself strategically right next to him on the step. “Well, I’m sure something will come up soon.  I wonder if the Tribune is hiring?”

“I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it,” he said as he studied the can of soda in his hand.

“Is everything okay?” I asked after he was quiet for a minute.

“Oh sure,” he said, looking up at me and smiling.  “You know, just kind of feeling lost.  I really hadn’t expected the layoff.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I said softly.  The layoff was a huge blow.  I had thought I would work at the paper for, well, forever.  Oh yeah, people always say that there aren’t any forever jobs anymore, but somehow I had thought that I was well liked and a good worker and that I would have a position there for as long as I wanted.  Silly me, I guess.

“But cheer up buttercup, we’ll make out okay.  You’ll see,” he said, brightening.

I smiled.  “I’m sure we will,” I said and smiled back. 

If the girls and I could make that coffee shop work, then things would turn out very well.  But we had no business experience.  None of us did.  And it would have been nice to have had some experience.  At least one of us.  I sighed, determined to pray this thing out before jumping in head first.