Chapter Four EVERLEIGH

Chapter Four

EVERLEIGH

“Oh.” My shoulders sag with relief. I thought they wanted to run a criminal background check on me or something. They might still want to do that. I don’t know. “It’s Everleigh.”

“Everleigh?” Nico frowns and I sit up straighter. “Interesting name.”

“Everleigh Olmstead.” I jump to my feet, catch myself wringing my hands, and immediately make myself stop. “So did you guys discuss it?”

“We did.” Nico nods, that captivating smile still on his face. He really needs to stop looking at me like that. I might start believing he cares or something. “We’d like to make you an offer.”

“Okay.” I draw the word out slowly, my gaze going to the other two, who both have unreadable expressions on their faces. Which is totally disconcerting. “What’s the offer?”

“Nine hundred a month for the room, plus three meals a week,” he says.

“Dinners,” Dollar adds.

I do quick calculations in my head. That’s close enough to the previous rent I was going to pay, and for one hundred dollars more, I get my own room, which is even better. Making three dinners a week for three giant starving men is a daunting task, but I’m pretty sure I can make this work.

“With a five-hundred-dollar deposit to put down before you move in. Plus the first month’s rent,” Cooper adds. “As a sign of good faith.”

Ouch. I hate to just hand over five hundred bucks for it to sit there and do nothing but pad their bank accounts, but I get it. I’m a stranger to them, and for all they know, I could be a complete nightmare.

I’m not. Well, I don’t think I am. I’m not that outwardly social, and I prefer keeping to myself.

“Is that a problem?” Nico asks when I still haven’t responded.

My gaze locks with his, and I fall into it for a moment, mentally reminding myself I need to withstand his natural charm if I want to make rational decisions about my future.

I need this room. I can’t worry if I can make it work financially or not. I’ll figure something out.

“I can do that,” I say without hesitation, not wanting them to think I’m unsure. “I’ll take it.”

“Can you grocery shop for us too?” Dollar asks hopefully.

“Maybe.” I have no idea how my schedule is going to be once I add a job to it. “I’m going to find a job as soon as possible, so I’m sure I’ll be busy.”

“Too busy to cook us dinners?” The devastation on Dollar’s face is obvious.

“No, not at all. If I’m agreeing to that, then I’ll do it.” This boy must be fixated on his appetite at all times. “Are we good then? Is the room mine?”

“What about the bathroom situation?” Cooper rubs his chin, contemplating me. “You sure you want to share a bathroom with me and Dollar Bills?”

No. I’m not sure about it at all. In fact, I’m fairly certain it’s going to be a disgusting experience and I’ll be scrubbing the bathroom at least three times a week. Maybe more. But I’ll do what I have to do to ensure I have somewhere to live. “I can—”

Nico’s deep voice interrupts my answer. “She can share my bathroom.”

Dollar appears surprised. Cooper covers his mouth with his fist and coughs into it. Did he utter something into that cough?

If he did, I couldn’t quite understand what he said.

“You don’t mind?” I ask, chewing on my lower lip. This means I have to go into his bedroom—his personal space—to use the bathroom, and that’s kind of .?.?. weird.

Right?

“I won’t be home much, anyway. I get up extra early for practice and sometimes don’t come home at all. I don’t think we’ll get in each other’s way,” he says.

Why doesn’t he come home at all? Maybe he’s staying the night with his girlfriend?

Oh God. I didn’t even think of that. Do these guys have girlfriends? And if they do, will those girlfriends have a problem with me living with them? If one of them was my boyfriend, I don’t think I’d love it if they were living with a woman they didn’t know.

“Are any of you .?.?. steadily dating anyone at the moment?” I ask tentatively.

They all share a look once more, just before they erupt into sharp laughter.

I stand there watching them, hoping I’m not the butt of the joke.

“No,” Cooper is the first to say. “I prefer to remain single. Dollar can’t get a steady girl to save his life, and Nico doesn’t believe in monogamy.”

“Hey,” Dollar and Nico both say at the same time.

“Okay. Cool.” I shove my hands in my pockets, feeling silly. “I was just checking in case any of you have a girlfriend who wouldn’t approve of you sharing a house with another woman.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Dollar asks me.

“She already answered that question. Right, Everleigh?” Nico’s gaze sears straight into me.

“Right,” I say softly. “I don’t have one.”

I think of the ties I cut to my old life. I broke up with my high school boyfriend at the beginning of summer. We’d been together since the end of our junior year, and it was clear our relationship wasn’t going anywhere, but Brad didn’t get it.

When I broke up with him, he actually admitted to me that he believed we would end up getting married. I knew right then I was making the best decision. Didn’t he sense my unhappiness? I didn’t expect him to be a mind reader, but I told him more than once that we needed to work on our relationship.

He never got the hint. Truthfully, Brad didn’t pay much attention to me—not really. Especially over the last year. Oh, he wanted me around and treated me like his possession, but he didn’t care about my wants or needs. Not really. And I’m not surprised he was clueless about my dissatisfaction. It totally tracks.

He didn’t listen to me. Most people in my life don’t. Not my mom, and definitely not Brad.

I needed a fresh start. There was nothing left to save. My grandma died the year after I graduated, and there was no point sticking around any longer.

“Do you guys have parties?” I ask.

“Sometimes,” Nico says, sounding wary. “Why do you ask?”

“I just want to be prepared. I’m not much of a partier.” I wrinkle my nose. All the parties Brad would drag me to consisted of his friends sitting around eating Domino’s pizza, playing video games, and getting high. It was boring.

“Uh-huh.” Nico sounds like he doubts me, which is vaguely irritating, but I decide to ignore his comment and change the subject.

“When can I move in?”

“Venmo us the deposit and you can move in right now,” Coop says.

Once I’ve got everyone added, I send them each their share, then head for the front door. “I’ll go get my car.”

“You have a car?” Dollar asks as he rushes toward the door and holds it open for me.

What a gentleman. Though I catch the other two rolling their eyes.

“Well, that’s how I got to Santa Mira, so yeah.” And all my worldly possessions are currently sitting in my car, so I should probably check on it soon.

“Parking around here is tough,” Cooper says, rubbing his chin again. “Like .?.?. really tough.”

“How bad can it be?” I laugh, but their expressions remain somber, causing the laughter to die on my lips. “That bad?”

“Like drive-around-the-neighborhood-for-an-hour-and-hopefully-find-an-open-spot bad. Nico has the driveway since he’s the only one with an actual vehicle out of the three of us,” Cooper explains.

I’m shocked the others don’t have a car, but I suppose it makes sense considering everything here is in walkable distance. Or you can take the city bus, which is free for college students with proof of student ID. This town is very centered around the university and the students, which is cool.

This was exactly the sort of experience I was seeking. Living in a college town, making new friends, doing new things. Maybe go to a party or two if I feel daring enough. Get a new job and make even more new friends there. I have high hopes.

Big dreams.

“I better go get my car, then, and start looking for a parking spot.” I offer them a wave before I turn toward the door. “I’ll be back.”

“Need help moving your stuff in?” Dollar asks me as I walk through the front door.

“Definitely!” I flash him a smile from over my shoulder and wave before I head down the steps, excitement bubbling in my veins.

This isn’t going to be so bad,I think as I head down the sidewalk and back to the café. Living with three big, burly guys? I mean, they seem nice enough. I’ll definitely feel safe knowing that they’re sleeping in the same house as me.

Maybe my living situation didn’t start out like I planned it, but I’m sure everything’s going to be fine.

Just fine.

“Oh my God.”I stare in horror at my 2015 Honda Civic and the broken window on the driver’s side, my stomach twisting into knots. I open the door carefully, shattered glass falling to the ground as I peer inside to find .?.?.

The back seats are devoid of the boxes I had in there earlier. The boxes full of everything I wanted to bring to Santa Mira.

My heart lurches, and it suddenly becomes difficult to breathe.

Leaving the door open, I rush to the trunk and open it, crying out when I see that it’s empty too.

All my stuff is .?.?. gone.

Glancing up, I see two blonde girls exit the coffee shop. They’re about to walk by my car, and they’re talking and laughing, their outfits cute, their attitude carefree. I envy the sound of their laughter, the joy that they’re radiating while it feels like my life has just imploded.

“Hey.” They both come to a stop when I speak, their expressions open and friendly. “Did you see anyone near this car in the last few minutes?”

“No,” one of them says, while the other one shakes her head. “Just you.”

“Okay,” I say weakly, unable to even smile at them. “Thank you.”

I watch them go and then return my attention to the car, swallowing hard. I should probably call the police and file a report. I have car insurance, so I’ll be able to get the window fixed, but how long will that take? I can’t lock up my car at night if there’s no window.

And what am I going to do about all my stuff?

Thank God I had my backpack with me, which also has my wallet, my laptop, and my favorite hoodie. But all my other clothes and personal belongings? Like even my toothbrush?

Gone.

Leaning against the side of my car, I cover my face with my hands and close my eyes, trying not to lose it. I want to cry, but what will tears get me? I’m even tempted to call Brad and ask for help. I know he’d rush over here to do whatever he could to support me. He’s three hours away, but he’d drop everything and come to my rescue in the hopes that we might get back together.

He’s not mine to depend on anymore. I need to learn how to stand on my own two feet.

I take a deep breath and drop my hands, reaching for my phone in the back pocket of my denim shorts, when I see a black-and-white police car approach. I step off the sidewalk and wave at him, and the officer pulls over, putting the car in park before he gets out.

“Everything all right?” He reminds me of what a good dad should look like. He’s a little older, his dark-brown hair graying at the temples, his expression one of genuine concern.

My dad was never around. Not that I can remember. He left when I was young, barely a toddler, and never came back. My mom resented him for leaving, and I can’t blame her. But she also resented me too. Like I was that constant reminder of the man who bailed on her, and it didn’t help that I resembled him.

“Miss? You okay?”

I jerk my gaze to the officer, who is watching me with a slight frown pulling at his brows.

“No. No, I’m not.” I shake my head, my lips trembling from holding back the tears. “My car was broken into. I’d like to file a report.”