CHAPTER 5

GRIFFON

“Okay, we have to cheers to Griffon’s new apartment!” Monica squeals while standing up, even though only three of us are at the table.

“Although I don’t approve of you moving so far away from us, I know this is an amazing opportunity for you to do what you want and live where you want. So, congratulations bitch!” Monica exclaims while raising her glass and almost spilling half of its contents in the process.

The sound of our glasses clinking and the looks on my best friends' faces make me bite my tongue from telling Monica that she’s made the same speech three times already tonight. I know I can’t bring down her high, not when they’ve both helped me so much. So, I raise my glass of water to my mouth, smile, and take a sip.

Even though I was the one who suggested we go out to a bar, I’d already decided I wasn’t going to drink tonight. Not only is tomorrow my first day on the job, but I don’t feel like I need alcohol to celebrate. I just want to be fully present in the moment. Because I actually did it, and for the first time in almost a week, it’s finally starting to feel real—thanks to Lauren and Monica for helping me finish unpacking.

I officially received my keys last Tuesday and then completely procrastinated on the move for the rest of the week. They were already planning to drive up to celebrate, but when they showed up Monday morning, they were shocked at the sight of my disastrous apartment. Without hesitation, they started bulldozing through my boxes of nonsense just to help me organize. I promised them drinks in return for all their hard work.

“Wait, why are we having your housewarming party at a bar instead of your actual new apartment?” Monica asks.

The past few days flashed through my mind, and I set my water down with a deep sigh. “Because of my crazy new neighbor, remember? I’m trying not to bother her any more than I already have.”

“Oh, you mean the one who had to hear you fuck all night long?” Monica teases and all I can do is roll my eyes as they burst into laughter. I know they won’t be stopping anytime soon—they’ve been laughing about it all day ever since I told them what happened with Mia.

“I already apologized and said I didn’t know she was home,” I groan, which only makes them laugh harder.

“I wouldn’t call surprising her at work and embarrassing her much of an apology,” Lauren chimes in after calming down.

“Poor girl’s probably terrified of you. You send her a sex toy, keep her up all night with your shenanigans, and then show up at her job to bother her?”

Lauren takes a sip of her drink, and Monica jumps in without missing a beat.

“Yeah, honestly, I give her props for calling you out. I’d have done the same,” she says in agreement.

“Okay, wow—you don’t even know her, and you’re already siding with her? Also, are we forgetting she’s the one who stole my package?” I throw my arms up, baffled at how this conversation flipped onto me.

“Please, that toy? You’ve got more than enough toys,” Monica retorts, scrunching up her nose.

“And are you sure you didn’t just put the wrong address? You do that a lot, you know,” Lauren says, raising an eyebrow.

I’m actually stuck for a moment. I never considered the possibility that I might’ve put the wrong address. I honestly thought she was just a crazy thief.

“You didn’t think about that, huh?” Monica asks.

They both have pursed lips as I shake my head, admitting I hadn’t.

Of course, I didn’t think about that part specifically—maybe because I was so focused on everything else.

Since she came banging on my door that Saturday morning, all I could think about was our interaction. She seemed frazzled but exhausted, which immediately made me feel bad. She didn’t seem like the type to stand up and call people out, so I’m guessing I was a really shitty neighbor that night.

But in all fairness, I had no idea she was even there. I hadn’t seen her my entire first week—up until that morning. By then, I’d already had multiple conversations with Mary and even got Alex’s phone number.

But all of that flew out the window when I looked past her chocolate-brown hair and big round eyes to see a package I’d been waiting for, sprawled out on her floor. Just seeing it there sent chills down my spine. The way her doe eyes turned into saucers as if she’d been caught red-handed, made my entire head spin. I couldn’t even get a word in before she disappeared, leaving me with nothing but the vision of her holding the toy.

I couldn’t even really be mad about the package.

Not when the image of her using it kept me up all night. And now that I know she’s just next door, it’s almost like I can feel her through the walls. But the silence from her was killing me. Even though I knew I was pushing it by showing up at her job, I was just returning the favor—she was the one who kept me up this time. The look on her face when she saw me was priceless.

I know she’ll never use the toy, but I couldn’t stop myself from bringing it up. Maybe it’s the way her cheeks turn pink so fast, or maybe I hoped it would spark something in her. I don’t know what it is, but the idea of her being scared of me excites me.

“I mean, honestly, Griffin, at some point, you’re going to have to settle down and not be seen as the crazy whore next door,” Monica’s stern voice snaps me back to reality.

My eyes shift between the two of them, confused. “I’m sorry, but when did this become an intervention?” I must’ve missed a lot while my mind drifted.

“It didn’t, but as your best friends, we just want to make sure you aren’t out here screwing up this opportunity,” Lauren adds. One eyebrow is raised, and I know that look all too well.

As much as I’d love to argue with them, I nod because I know they’re right. I’ve always been handy, and when I started working in maintenance, I knew I wanted to live where I worked. Then, one night, while I was up late, I found this beautiful two-bedroom apartment with an insane view of the water. It felt like the opportunity just fell out of the sky.

However, when I contacted Ben, the owner, he said the unit hadn’t been available for years due to plumbing and construction issues. It was like someone handed me this opportunity on a silver platter. After some convincing, he offered me a position where I could live in another unit of the building for 'half-off' and work as maintenance while fixing up the two-bedroom apartment I had my eyes set on.

To say I’m the luckiest girl alive would be an understatement. The building itself is a hidden gem that just needs some buffing to reveal its shine. And as they said, the last thing I need is to screw it up.

But even after I booked Lauren and Monica’s Uber back to the hotel they were staying at for the week, Mia was the only thing on my mind. She looked like she’d seen a ghost when I walked in, and something about that makes me want to keep pushing as if I need to see what her limits are.

To distract myself before bed, I open my phone to check the work I’ll be starting tomorrow. Ben mentioned there’s a long list of pending maintenance requests, so I know I’ve got a lot on my plate.

But when the list loads, I can’t help but scoff when I see the name at the top:

Mia Baron