Worth the Fall (5 page)

Hopefully nothing fell on her while we were working so close together. She seemed like the type of person something like that would happen to.
 

And my luck didn’t need any help getting worse.

FIVE

“I should have known you guys would find each other.” John’s voice cut through the music I’d plugged in to drown out my thoughts. There was nothing like a little Jason Aldean to get you rocking out when you didn’t want to think about life. I was ignoring that his name was
Jason
and focusing on the
Country Rock God
part of the equation.

I pulled my earbuds out and looked up at him resting on the edge of the arm of Jenna’s chair.

“Who?”

If this was another attempt at telling me how to meet men, I was going to have to rethink this whole place, mocha thing or not.

“You and Jenna. Jenna’s the one we need to ask about the apartment.”

I turned toward the adorable elf half-hidden behind the seventeen inch screen of her laptop.

“You’re moving?”

Her cheerfulness seemed a little droopy as she shook her head.
 

“Not me. Ben is going to London for a year and was thinking about subletting his apartment.”

Wow. In some ways that was worse than being dumped. At least I could get over my ex-idiot. I felt like I was most-of-the-way there already. But, if someone I really loved was going away for twelve months…Yeah, that kind of stunk. A lot.

“So, he’s just looking to sublet it?”

Jenna nodded. “Maybe. He wasn’t sure. The company is paying for his place in London, so it’s not like he’s losing out. But it makes sense to have someone in there.”

I thought about the overly-charming neighborhood we were currently in and my lack of charming-level money.

“Is it near here? I probably can’t afford anything in this neighborhood.” I was getting tired of my own tale of woe at this point. “I lost my job and was supposed to be moving in with my boyfriend—now
ex
-boyfriend—this weekend so, rent is going to be tight as it is. I have five weeks’ payout and some savings, but I don’t want to get into a bad situation money-wise.”

“Well, he’s coming in this afternoon. We can ask him what he’s looking for when he gets here. How much furniture do you have?”
 

“As of tomorrow?” I couldn’t believe the spot I’d gotten myself into. That I’d allowed Jason to paint me into it. “Basically nothing.”

Jenna and John looked at me as if I’d just told them I was forced to put down my dog…You know, the one I don’t have who peed on my rug I no longer own.

“It’s a long story,” I explained, hoping I wouldn’t have to explain. “Filled with woe and much Craigslist-ing.”

“Okay.” Jenna had pulled out her phone and was texting before she’d even answered.

“So, Kasey. What’s the plan?” John settled himself into the chair next to Jenna and took a sip of whatever the great smelling thing was in his cup.

“The plan?”
 

“The get-life-back-on-track plan.”

Oh. That.
 

I considered dodging the question, but since today was my first official day of being self-employed, I should probably share that.

“I’m starting my own business.”

“Really?” He sounded a little worried. Which, since he was a business owner, I found ironic. And worrisome.

“Yup. I’m a graphic designer. I’ve done a ton of marketing campaigns. I thought I’d rather do it on my own and work with a smaller clientele base than run big, corporate projects anymore.” Plus that whole,
lost my job
thing.

Jenna glanced up, studying me. For the first time I saw someone who wasn’t flaky. Someone who knew what she was doing.

“Do you have any samples of your work?”

Darn it. Samples. I hadn’t gotten that far.

“I’m doing some market analysis first to see what smaller groups and individuals would most likely be interested in and are able to afford. But, if you’re curious…” I scribbled down five of the last websites I’d done in conjunction with a marketing plan. “I did the pitch and saw all of these projects through.”

Jenna took the paper and typed the first one in. I watched her—nose scrunched up, eyes focused—as she paged through the first site.

“How much direction did they give you?”

“It depends on the client. Sometimes they have no idea what they want. Sometimes they have
a vision
.” I grinned, thinking of my last job with a lawyer who thought he was a closet artist. “Occasionally the vision is actually doable. I have a questionnaire for them either way that helps get things clear on both sides.”

I scribbled down
questionnaire
on my to do list. I better have those ready to go. And business cards. And my own website. And a brand. You know, nothing too time consuming.
 

I mentally did the how-much-money-is-in-my-bank-account math, glad I could do the work on my own.

Jenna nodded again. “Let me look at these. I may have some more questions.”

I glanced toward John, unsure what was going on, but pretty stoked. If I was reading the situation right, I might have my first client.

“You ladies enjoy the beverages.” He rose, lifting his empty mug as he went. “I have to go manage something.”
 

A glance back at Jenna showed me I should let her be. One thing I’d learned working in a corporate setting was when to let the client think.

And, if I was going to have a client, I had a couple things to do. I glanced at my to do list pretending it could all get done in one afternoon. After all, ignorance, even denial-style, was bliss.

SIX

“Hey there, Sunshine. Creating worlds to rip apart?”

That had to be Ben. Not just because he’d pulled a chair practically into her lap and kissed her forehead as he sat, but because I could easily believe he was the second most gorgeous guy in town.

And smitten. He was totally smitten.
 

“I’ve just added a car accident while the driver was texting. Only, I’m not sure it’s funny enough.”

I wasn’t sure it was funny at all, but what did I know?

“I mean,” she continued. “It’s a serious topic, but it still has to be funny.”

Ben nodded his head as if this was a normal conversation.

“Oh. Ben!” Jenna closed her laptop and motioned toward me. “This is Kasey Lane. Is that not one of the best names ever?”

Ben offered me his hand and a smile that told me he was humoring her—but not by much. I couldn’t imagine finding a guy who saw my best in what others saw as a bit odd.

“Ben Donahue.”

“Kasey of the awesome name.”
 

He flashed that grin at me and I didn’t blame Jenna one bit for her smittenness. Where she was all nerdy-glasses girl, he was hot JCrew glasses guy. They’d have the most adorable near-sighted children ever.

“So, Ms. Awesome Name, I hear you’re looking for a new place to live.”

It was embarrassing. More than embarrassing. But, what are you going to do about. It was true, I was desperate, and he might be the answer.

I gave him the basics: Lost job, new company, bad break-up, the end.

“Guys can be the ruination of all things good. I’m a guy and I’m still only running fifty-percent in that category.”

“Fifty-percent?”

“My two best guy friends. One is a womanizer and one’s trying to save the world.”

“I didn’t know the two were mutually exclusive.” I slapped a hand over my mouth. Nothing like insulting the guy’s friend while asking for a favor.

Ben laughed. “Okay. True enough. But Max is a good guy. He was my roommate in college. Dane, well…Women think he’s pretty, we’ll leave it at that. I figure they cancel each other out.”

Jenna shut her laptop and set it aside. “You’ll like Max. You’ll like Dane too. It’s nearly impossible not to once you can hear him talking through the blinding good-looks that dull all your senses.”

That was all I needed—more womanizing men. They probably had Convenience Girlfriends who didn’t push for a commitment when they’d been seeing each other for years…or, you know, were moving in together.

“So, here’s the deal. I have a place about two blocks from here. I’ll be gone for about a year.” He reached out and wrapped Jenna’s hand in his. “When I come back to visit, I might want to get into my storage closet, but I’d just stay with Jenna if she doesn’t have any more natural disasters at her place. I’d feel good having someone in there. Knowing there won’t be any issues with frozen pipes or break-ins this winter. I was thinking this would be a win-win.”

Two blocks away was way too close to super-nice territory. I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be able to afford even a win-win price—until he named it.

“You can’t be serious. You could get double that.”

Ben shrugged. “I don’t need the money because of the job set up. My mortgage is low and that’s us splitting it in half. I thought you might want to come see it today.”

“After lunch. You’ll have to sit through a meal with us while I grill you about your new company and the huge favor you’re going to do for me in exchange for living at my boyfriend’s place.”

I’ll be honest, that statement—even said in her perky little voice—made me a little nervous.

Jenna went back to typing away while Ben and I chatted. It felt awkward hanging out with her guy.

“Don’t mind her. She’ll stay in her own world until she gets to a good stopping place.”

With a snap, she finally closed the laptop. “I’m ready for lunch any time you are.”

Somehow she made this sound as if she’d just been waiting on us.

“Of course you are. But, Kasey was trying to get some work done.” Ben leaned over and kissed her lightly before glancing at me with a grin. “We’re working on awareness.”

“I’m perfectly aware. I’m just hungry.”

“Well, we can get you a snack if it will keep you being nice to our company.” Ben leaned back in his chair, watching Jenna pack up her stuff.

Jenna looked grim. You’d think Ben had been starving her. “Maybe just a small snack. I mean, because we have to wait then walk to the restaurant and then wait. It makes sense.”

“Of course it does.” Ben gave me a grin as he rose and headed toward the counter. “Never get between Jenna and her computer or food. Otherwise, she’s pretty easygoing.”

Good to know.
 

I was about to comment on Jenna’s tiny waist versus her not-so-tiny appetite, but instead figured it was probably best to wrap up my research so we could get the girl to a restaurant.

If food was the way to Jenna’s heart and Jenna was the way to Ben’s apartment, I could get us to a lunch spot faster than a womanizing ass could dump a relationship-blind girl.
 

SEVEN

Ben’s apartment was everything a girl could dream of. Settled on the top floor of an old brownstone walk-up, it had a tiny “terrace” that was basically the roof of the floor below, a breakfast nook with a big window, and a small, but comfortably furnished living room. The kitchen was small, but had a raised microwave to save counter space—and my ability to feed myself. The bedroom hooked off the living room and squeezed into a corner surrounded by windows was a cute little desk.

I could live here. I could even work here.
 

“You can see most of my mortgage is location.” Ben gave a little self-deprecating grin. “It’s so small I've learned to keep it clean. Even a sock on the floor makes everything feel cluttered. The building has rules about everything, so it’s better to have someone here. But, it’s a great space and I don’t want to have to sell it.”

If this was mine, I’d never want to lose it either.
 

“You’re really willing to sublet it to me at that rate?”

“I wasn’t going to sublet it at all. The company that’s hired my group is going to board us in London. Now I won’t have to worry if something happens in the building, and I can to afford to come home more often.” Ben wrapped an arm around Jenna. “You can see where that would be a draw.”

I did another lap around the place, as if there was a decision to make.

“I can’t thank you enough for this. Jason gave me back my first rent and half my security deposit so I can write you a check today if you’d like.”

“He gave you back
half
your security?” Jenna all but stuck her hands on her hips as she said it.

“I know. I just didn’t know what to say when it happened. He gave it to me in a Hallmark card.”

“Oh! What did the card say?” Jenna had that gleam in her eye that was becoming familiar. She was probably the most curious person I’d ever met.

“Jenna, not everyone wants to share every detail of their personal life.”

“Actually…” I dug in my bag looking for the envelope. “I haven’t even opened it yet.”

“You didn’t check that the money was all there?”

“Well, I figured who lies about giving you back only half your money.”