Page 57 of The Meeting
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
Kailynn set her coffee down and immediately stepped across the room to the couch, wrapping them both in a hug. “You answered my prayers!”
“You’re actually doingmea favor! I figured we would have to wait until my lease was up. I already spoke to management and they are allowing me to sublet. We just need to add your name to the contract. Logan already has furniture, so we’ll just leave all of this here if that’s okay with you.”
Tears sprang to Kailynn’s eyes. “You do not know how much weight you just took off my shoulders.”
“I would have told you last night, but I wanted to discuss it with Logan first.”
“That’s completely okay! I understand. Thank you!”
“And, if you want, you’re welcome to use my bed instead of buying one. You know, to get off that blow up mattress,” Abi added.
Kailynn laughed. “Oh my God. Yes, please.”
She finally had a place to permanently call home. She could move into Abi’s room, turn her room into a studio, and do all of her business right out of the apartment. The rent was affordable, and it was in an ideal location.
Now she was going to be living next to Chase—for at least eight months. Her heart flip-flopped.
* * *
Chase wokeup early and stood at his coffee maker, willing it to brew faster. A large pile of cases sat on his dining room table, and part of him wondered why he bothered to bring them home. He knew he was going to end up at the office at some point during the day, so he shouldn’t have bothered bringing anything home.
Banging on the other side of the wall from his living room drew his attention. Abi and Kailynn’s apartment was on that side. For a minute, he worried something was wrong, but immediately dismissed it. It sounded more as if they were hanging something than banging the wall in distress.
When he finally poured his coffee, he made his way to his bathroom to take a quick shower before getting back to work. Despite being a Saturday, he knew he needed to play catch up. He had spent so much time working on Kailynn’s case that he had neglected his other work. It wasn’t so much that it was intentional—it could all wait. It was more that he wanted to make sure Kailynn got everything she deserved. His stomach had been in knots for her and his attention span had been non-existent. Maybe because he liked her... a lot. Now he was paying for it. But it had been worth every second to see her light up after they exposed Drew for all of his lies and deceit.
Working overtime every day of the week seemed to be second nature at that point. He enjoyed his job, but he caught his mind straying to Kailynn on more than one occasion. With as often as he thought of her, he knew he needed to focus so he could catch back up on work, and maybe take her out on a date.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to talk to her much since their rendezvous in his office and the morning after. He wanted to see her. Hell, hehopedto see her every day, but they had yet to run into each other. They had only exchanged a few texts, but it never went past that.
He stepped out of his apartment after realizing he forgot some files he needed at the office. Abi and Kailynn were both walking through the parking lot. He jogged to catch up to them. Both carried large boxes that they were packing into Abi’s car.
“Good morning, ladies.”
They both greeted him with a smile.
“Hey Chase! Off to work?” Abi nodded her head toward the briefcase he carried.
“Unfortunately, yes. I’ve gotten behind over the last month, so I’m currently playing catch up.”
“That’s a bummer. Are you working around the clock?”
He laughed. “It sure feels that way. I’m working every day as soon as I get up and until I can’t focus anymore.”
Abi and Kailynn exchanged glances, which didn’t go unnoticed. What it meant, he didn’t know. But he did notice that Kailynn was staying unusually quiet.
“Are you moving?” Chase looked at Kailynn, disappointment filling his chest. Of course, it made sense for her to move. She won her case and needed to find an apartment that could accommodate both her and her business, but he certainly didn’twanther to move. But she hadn’t said anything to him about it.
Her eyebrows furrowed together. “No...” Then, as if she had noticed the boxes filling Abi’s car, a look of clarity crossed her face. “Abi is.”
Abi smiled brightly. “I’m moving in with Logan. Kailynn here has agreed to sublet my apartment.”
His mouth went completely dry. Kailynn was going to be his neighbor permanently?
Hell yes.
