The Apartment: The Complete Affair (50 page)

The moment the words left his mouth, he felt his world shift, as if he’d been tilted off his axis for longer than he could remember, and telling her that he loved her had somehow set things right again. Now
she
was the center of his universe… but how could he make her believe it?

Sobering instantly at that thought, Ethan grabbed his phone and called one of his contacts. It was answered on the first ring.

“Foster, I wish you would stop checking up on me,” a gruff voice spoke in his ear.

“I will when you give me a set date,” he replied. “Any news?”

“I told you I would call you the second I heard anything, didn’t I? You’ve given me zero notice here. These things take time to organize—you should know that by now. Everyone has been booked up for months.”

“I can’t believe that’s the best you can do. What the fuck have I been paying you for all these years?”

“Well, with all due respect, you’ve never been on this side of it before. You were just the talent, and you were perfectly content to let Rachel handle all the gory details. She would have at least understood that what you are asking for now is damn near impossible.”

“Well Rachel’s not with me anymore, now is she, Greg? I guess that means you’re stuck with me. At least, if you still want my business, that is.”

A loud sigh could be heard on the other end. “Of course I still want your business. I’m not saying that it can’t be done, only that it might take longer than you want.”

“How long?”

“At least a good six to eight weeks.”

“Are you fucking
kidding
me?” Ethan shouted.

“That’s not unreasonable for the size of the venue you need, you have to understand that.”

“And you have to understand that I don’t have that kind of time. I need this done yesterday!”

“Would you please calm down? I’m doing the best I can, I promise you. I still have a few calls out, so nothing is final yet. I just wanted to prepare you for the worst.”

“Please just work your magic. I’m counting on you, Greg.”

“I know. Listen, Foster. All differences aside, I’m happy you’re working, and that you still thought of me for this.” His voice dropped to a whisper as he added, “I was very concerned that I wouldn’t hear from you again after the fiasco with Rachel.”

“Yes, well… I guess I should thank you for the concern.” He sighed loudly. “Last I heard, she was smearing my name everywhere to make room for her new protégé.”

“I wouldn’t be too concerned about that,” Greg replied. “The fucking kid is a joke. She can promote him all she wants, but he’ll never sell the way that you do.”

“I appreciate that. Hey, I’m sorry I’m being such a prick about this. I know Rachel usually handled this stuff for me, and she did a much better job at it. I just
really
need this, man.”

There was a beat before Greg spoke again, all business. “I think I have a few more contacts I can call. Somebody in Chicago owes me a favor.”

“Thanks, man,” Ethan said before ending the call.

Deciding that he needed something to lighten his mood, he opened his list of contacts again, glancing at the clock quickly as he pressed his favorite new number. It was already after 10 a.m. and he couldn’t help wondering what she’d been doing with her morning. Just thinking about hearing her voice again was putting a smile on his face and he hoped that she wouldn’t mind him calling her again so soon.

“Hello?” she practically purred when she answered. Well, perhaps she was speaking normally, but it sounded like a purr to him.

“Morning, beautiful,” he said, allowing his smile to stretch even wider across his face.

“Hi there,” she giggled, and he could practically see her blush. Just knowing that she was remembering their call from the night before was making him lightheaded—all of his blood flowing to a location farther south on his body.

“What have you been up to this morning?”

“Well, my dad just left. I make breakfast for us sometimes on Sunday mornings before he goes out hunting.”

“Still taking care of good old dad, huh?” he laughed.

“Not quite like before,” she chuckled. “Now it’s really just a way for us to stay in touch. Like I said, he misses me.”

“And your cats,” he smiled.

“And my cats, that’s right.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m calling again so soon.”

“Not really, should I?” After a moment of silence in which he didn’t quite know how to respond, Lily continued. “You don’t need a reason to call me, Ethan. I’m happy simply talking to you and hearing your voice.”

He took a deep breath before finally speaking. “That’s really nice to know, Lily. That would make me happy too. But I actually did have something to ask you.”

“Alright, what is it?”

“I was wondering what you have planned for the rest of the day.”

“Laundry,” she said with a groan. “I was just about to head out to the laundromat.”

“Oh really?” he said excitedly, sitting up straighter on his bed. “Why don’t you do it over here?”

“I don’t know. I’d hate to impose.”

“Impose? I’m inviting you. I was hoping to spend some more time with you today anyway, so why not take advantage of our laundry room?”

“Really?” Lily said, biting her bottom lip in contemplation.

“Definitely. How about I come pick you up? You can throw your clothes in the wash and we can grab some lunch here while you wait. I know my mother would love to see you again.”

“Barbara will be there?”

“Yeah… is that alright? Oh man, I sound totally lame now, don’t I?” He laughed and began speaking in a higher voice to mimic a little boy. “Gee, Lily, wanna come play at my house? My mommy’s gonna make us lunch!”

“Don’t be silly,” she laughed. “I enjoy spending time there, and I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“I keep forgetting how well you know them all.”

“Does that still bother you?” she asked, remembering how angry he’d been when he first discovered their connection.

“No, not really. Although, I’ll admit that it’s a bit… disconcerting sometimes when I think about how much our lives seem to be intertwined.”

“I know what you mean,” she sighed. “It has a huge feeling of inevitability, doesn’t it?”

“Exactly!” he laughed. “But it also saves me a lot of time worrying and hoping that you’ll get along with my family.”

“You know, now that you mention it, I think this has all been a bit too easy for you,” Lily teased. “It’s like the universe just decided that you needed a new girlfriend and literally dropped one in your lap.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too. Once I finally pulled my head out of my ass, that is. But at least now I can appreciate it.” Lily was about to make another joke about him being the universe’s bitch when he suddenly spoke again in a near whisper. “You know, I like hearing you say that word.”

“What word?” she asked quietly, wondering quickly why she was also whispering.

“
Girlfriend
.”

“Oh, that,” she replied, instantly feeling her face go up in flames.

“Yeah, that. Girlfriend. I like the sound of it. ‘
My
girlfriend’ sounds even better.”

Ethan had the sudden urge to drag her all over town on the off chance he might run into someone he knew, just so that he could introduce them to “my girlfriend, Lily.” He briefly considered letting her follow through with her original plans to go to the laundromat just so that very thing might happen, but thought better of it when he remembered how much more comfortable it was at his parents’ house. And how much more privacy they would have.

“I think you’re right,” she smiled, thrilled that he hadn’t wigged out on her for dropping the g-word. “That does sound even better.”

“So, how about it? Laundry day at my place?”

“Oh, I suppose I could be forced to spend some time with you in your gorgeous house with your adorably sweet mother.”

“Great! I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Ethan was already jumping up and running to the stairs before Lily realized that the call had ended, and by the time she had loaded everything into her laundry basket he was knocking on her door.

“Wow, eager much?” she teased as she opened it to let him in.

“For you? Always.”

Lily tried to ignore how much the simplest compliment made her heart beat erratically. Ducking her head to hide her telltale blush, she motioned him inside while she grabbed her purse from the kitchen.

“I just can’t believe what you’ve done with the place,” he called out to her as he stood in the center of the room and slowly turned around, looking at every detail more closely in the light of day. When his gaze landed on the vase of flowers sitting in the middle of the tiny dining table he couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride. She had kept his flowers.

“Thanks,” she said as she re-entered the room, slinging her purse over her shoulder. When she was right in front of him, she stopped and looked up into his eyes. With a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth, she added, “I always knew it had amazing potential.”

Ethan wasn’t convinced they were still talking about the apartment.

In an effort to lighten the mood, and to keep from tackling her to the ground and covering her entire body with kisses, he quickly changed the subject. “I’m surprised there are no Conchords posters, though,” he joked.

“They were vetoed,” she sighed.

“I was only kidding!” he laughed. “You were seriously going to put some up?”

“Hey, this is the first place I’ve ever lived by myself. I was anxious to display all the things I love.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“Emma and Maggie both thought they would make it look like a dumpy dorm room,” she frowned. “I see their point, but still.”

“Well, I suppose they do lose their charm once you grow out of your twenties,” he chuckled. “At least for a living room. But you could always frame one and hang it in your bedroom or something.”

“True, but I’m not so sure that having a poster of Jemaine Clement near my bed is the best idea. I mean I’d probably never leave.”

“Fair enough. I’d hate to be jealous of a poster.” He smirked playfully and winked at her, and Lily thought she might actually faint.

“Um… let’s get going,” she said awkwardly, suddenly too aware that they were only three feet from the bedroom in question. She went to pick up her laundry basket but he beat her to it, refusing to let her carry it to the car.

“I’m not a weakling, you know,” she grumbled behind him as they walked down the stairs.

“Oh, stop pouting and let me enjoy this,” he called back to her.

“What exactly is there to enjoy about carrying my dirty clothes? I
despise
laundry day.” They stopped at the side of his car while he opened up the back door and tossed the basket into the back seat.

“Well, think of it this way,” he said, turning to look at her as he shut the car door. “I never got to carry anybody’s books in high school. This is the next best thing.”

“Wow,” Lily sighed.

“What?”

“I can’t decide if that’s really sweet or really lame.” It was actually one of the sweetest things she’d ever heard.

“Oh really?” he smiled. “Are you leaning in either direction?”

Lily cocked her head to the side and looked at him, holding her chin with her thumb and forefinger as if in deep thought. “Hmm… I’d probably vote sweet, but only because you’re so cute.” She stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, only to squeal when he reached behind her and swatted her bottom.

“Brat,” he growled with laughter in his eyes.

“You know it.”

Ethan leaned down and captured her lips in a chaste kiss, pulling away before either of them could respond more passionately. “Delicious brat.”

“You know that too.” She did that purring thing again with her voice and it was beginning to make him feel dizzy. They stood there for a moment doing nothing more than staring into each other’s eyes, both of them feeling the electricity grow between their bodies.

He was the first to break away that time, blinking rapidly as if waking up from a dream. Opening the passenger door for her, he smiled and bowed deeply with his arm extended as if she were royalty. “Your chariot awaits, milady.”

“Why thank you, kind sir.” She grabbed his hand as she lowered herself into the seat, biting back a moan when he kissed the back of her hand. She watched him through the windows as he walked around to the driver’s side and got in. “So… this is the new rental, huh?” They both looked around at the interior of the Nissan Maxima.

“Yep,” he answered as he turned the key in the ignition.

“It’s nice. I miss the Audi though.”

He hit the brake hard, turning to look her in the eye. “Believe me, I do too. There were some…
fond
memories in that car.” The rest of the drive to the Fosters’ was spent in near silence, both of their minds flickering over rainstorms and parking lots.

* * *

When they arrived, Barbara was just finishing the soup and sandwiches she’d happily started making when Ethan announced he would be bringing Lily over for the afternoon. He had been a little hesitant at first, worrying that she might smother them with attention and make Lily feel awkward, but as soon as he saw the loving hug between them, he knew he had done the right thing by including his mother in his life for a change. Spreading the love was a new concept to him, and he was finding it to be quite rewarding.

They sat at the small, informal table in the kitchen, talking easily as they ate. Ethan was amazed by how comfortable the two women seemed to be together, laughing and sharing more in thirty minutes than Rachel had with his mother in ten years. Watching them like that only served to drive home a fact he’d recently learned to accept: Lily belonged there, in every aspect of his life.

When they were finished with lunch, Barbara didn’t linger. She thanked Lily again for visiting and made her promise to return soon, then excused herself, claiming that she had some errands to run in the Cities for the day and that she would be back later. He hadn’t even asked her to leave, but when she hugged Lily one more time, she looked at him over her shoulder and winked.