Boom - Sabrina Stark Page 0,84

Chase knew that Brody and I were more than colleagues.

As I tried to explain all of this to Cami, I started to feel just a little bit silly for falling so hard and fast. To Brody, our relationship – or whatever it was – might be just a passing thing.

But for me? Maybe it had started out that way, but I was fast becoming hooked. Really hooked.

Was that a good thing? Or a bad thing?

I wasn't sure.

And by the time I got off the phone, I wasn't nearly as happy as I'd been when the conversation had begun.

Just maybe, I decided, it was time to broach the subject of the house again, if only to gauge Brody's response. It would tell me a lot – and not only about the house.

Chapter 47

Arden

"Ask me later," Brody said.

His words sounded vaguely familiar. And then I remembered why. He'd said the same thing a few months ago when I'd asked him why he'd never known his grandparents.

Since then, I'd approached the subject of his family several times, with little success. Obviously, it was a sore subject, so I tried not to push it.

But tonight, I hadn't been asking about his family. I'd been asking about the house.

It was long past midnight, and we were lying naked in each other's arms. In the quiet darkness of my bedroom, I asked, "Why later?"

"Because it's not the time."

"When would it be the time?"

With a smile in his voice, he replied, "Later."

I pulled away, putting some distance between us. "Look, if you want to say no, just say it."

"Alright. No."

My heart sank. "Just like that?"

In a teasing tone, he said, "Hey, you wanted an answer."

I had. But his flippant attitude still grated. My question had been simple and straight-forward. Was there any chance at all that he'd ever consider selling me the house?

Apparently, his answer was still no.

It was a quick, dismissive no, too, leaving me little hope that he'd ever change his mind.

Maybe it shouldn't have surprised me. But for some stupid reason, it did.

And now, I was almost sorry that I'd brought it up.

There was only one upside. At least I hadn't mentioned Cami's crazy idea of asking Brody to finance the venture. Now that would've been embarrassing.

As far as the house itself, I decided to take a different approach. "You know, I've got a job interview next Tuesday."

"Oh yeah? Where?"

"A shipping center near Midland. We're doing a phone interview."

I still hadn't purchased a car, mostly because I didn't need one at the moment. Brody had a food service that stocked our groceries, and we ordered takeout all the time. Brody always treated, even though I offered time and time again to chip in.

But he always refused, which made me feel just a bit guilty. Still, it wasn't all bad, considering that I was saving nearly every penny, just in case he ever changed his mind about selling the house.

And now in the bedroom, I waited to hear what he'd say about my interview. Midland was only forty minutes away, definitely within commuting distance.

To me, this was good news. And yet, Brody said nothing.

I waited for a long, tense moment, thinking that he'd eventually say something. But he never did.

Was he even listening?

I tried again. "And the pay is pretty good, too."

With an obvious lack of enthusiasm, he said, "Good to know."

Was it?

I thought so. But Brody's reaction wasn't what I'd been hoping for. I asked, "Aren't you excited?"

With a wry laugh, he said, "Not at the moment."

I frowned in the darkness. "Why not?"

"Because I know what you're gonna say next."

"You do not."

"Sure I do," he said. "You're gonna make another play for the house."

Another play? With a sound of annoyance, I said, "What, like it's some sort of game?"

"Listen," he said. "Just let it go, alright?"

I didn't want to let it go. But I also realized that when it came to the house, Brody held all the cards. This had been true right from the beginning, and maybe I'd been naïve to think that anything had changed.

Still, I felt like hurling my pillow across the room. The whole thing was beyond frustrating, especially now, when I'd come up with an exciting new idea for paying the monthly mortgage – assuming that I ever got to that point.

My idea – and I still thought it was a good one – was to get a couple of roommates to share expenses. It was a decent plan, one I probably I should've come up with sooner.

The house