of my price range. Well, maybe not exactly out of my price range, but definitely more than I want to spend.
With the heavy weight of my student loan payments, my housing budget is a lot lower than I’d like it to be. After the debacle with my scholarship application, I thought about staying in state for school, and I probably should have. Spreading my wings should’ve taken a backseat to the factor of tuition, but I was eighteen, and all I could think about was being somewhere that wasn’t here.
And look how brilliantly that worked out, now I’m half a million dollars in debt and back here anyway.
I sigh internally as I pull into a visitor parking spot, noticing Riot’s car a few spaces away, and get out.
“This is pretty nice, huh?” he says, gesturing at the fountain in front of the building and the impeccable landscaping.
“It looks expensive,” I counter.
“It’s on the high end of your budget,” he allows, and I cringe again. “Why don’t we at least get the tour before you decide anything?”
“Fine,” I agree, even though I’m already anticipating turning this one down.
Riot slips his hand into mine and leads me to the building. Inside, we’re greeted by a friendly middle aged woman who reminds me a bit of my mom.
“Hi, I’m Riot, we spoke on the phone,” he says, shaking her hand. “And this is Leo. He’s the one actually here to see the apartment today.”
“It’s so great to meet you both. I think you’re going to love the unit I have to show you today. The view is something else,” she boasts, grabbing a set of keys off the desk and waving us along after her as she heads for the elevators on the other side of the lobby.
I have to admit, the apartment is gorgeous, and spacious for a one bedroom. There’s an appeal to having a closet to hang my clothes up in again and a bathroom all to myself. But the price tag isn’t the only thing that has me hesitating.
“Well, what do you think?” she asks, concluding the brief tour.
“I’m not sure,” I admit.
“Would you mind if we had a few minutes to talk?” Riot asks and she happily agrees, telling us to take all the time we need and to come find her at the front desk when we’re ready.
“Pros and cons?” Riot prompts once we’re alone.
I wander over to the large window in the living room. “The view is nice,” I concede.
“View,” Riot parrots, holding up one finger. “The square footage for the price is fairly reasonable, there’s a big kitchen where you can cook, and it’s definitely better than a couch.” He ticks each point off with another finger.
“Cons,” I say, holding up a finger of my own. “Way too expensive.”
“You’re a lawyer, you can’t tell me you can’t swing twenty-eight hundred a month.”
“My student loan payment is twenty-five hundred, that’s already half my income every month.”
“Holy shit,” he sputters. “I think I get the whole punching Hudson thing. But don’t tell either of them I said that.”
I chuckle. “It’ll just be between us,” I assure him. “The other con is…” I trail off, feeling silly before I even say it.
“What?” Riot prompts.
I bite my bottom lip and lean against the windowsill. Riot comes closer, boxing me in and putting his hands on my waist.
“I know I can’t sleep on Bishop’s couch forever, but every time I’ve thought about looking for an apartment, I can’t help remembering how lonely I was in New York living all by myself.” My chest constricts at the memory of coming home to an empty apartment every night.
“You want to keep living with him,” he concludes.
“I mean, I’d prefer if it was in a two bedroom apartment maybe, so I’d have space for my stuff but I don’t want to live alone again.”
“Have you talked to him about it?” he asks.
“No.” I sigh, slipping my hand under his shirt to feel his warm skin under my fingers. “Wouldn’t it be unfair of me to ask to officially live with Bishop if you and Hudson don’t? It feels like I’m asking for too much.”
“I can understand that.”
“Do you think maybe...um, maybe it’s something we should all discuss?” I ask, very nearly suggesting the four of us look for a place together. But it’s too soon for that, right? Our relationships are all so new. Not to mention, I’ve barely decided if I can manage not to hate Hudson, living with him would be