since you brought sweets.”
Amy sat down across from Layla’s desk and put the cookies in front of her. “We made a few too many last night. Hope you’re not on a diet.”
“For the holidays? Girl, I know better.” Layla reached over and immediately plucked a heavily frosted cookie from the tray. “So who’s ‘we’? The cowboy boyfriend? Word is he’s parking in front of your house practically every night.”
Amy’s face got hot. Okay, this was one of her first experiences with small-town gossip, and Becca had not lied. It absolutely did travel fast. “Not every night. And who told you?”
“Your neighbor brought in some receipts for tax time.” Layla wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m not judging. I mean, your guy’s got a tight ass. Doesn’t say a thing, but I can appreciate silent and tight.”
Her face was getting redder. Was that even possible? Amy cleared her throat. “He’s not silent. He talks to me.”
“That’s good, because it’d be a bit of a weird relationship otherwise. So you two are . . . a thing? Because you seem really happy.”
“I do?”
Layla nodded, munching on the cookie. “You have this glow about you. And you smile all the time.” Layla winked. “And blush, too.”
“He’s a really good guy,” Amy said softly. “I know we’re moving fast, but I’m divorced, you know? I’m an adult. I can do what I want. And . . . he’s just everything I ever wanted.” Maybe she was just being an optimist, but she didn’t see how dating Caleb could possibly be bad for her. “He makes me so happy.”
“Good in bed?”
Amy blushed.
“I’m gonna take that as a yes. Stuff like that’s important, you know.” Layla sighed, resting her cheek on her hand. “He sounds like a paragon. I don’t suppose he has a sexy single brother?”
“Actually, he does. His name is Jack.”
To Amy’s surprise, this time Layla blushed. “Oh. I was just teasing. I’m not looking to date someone. Anyhow, most guys aren’t all that interested in short, dumpy accountants with nerdy hobbies.” She shrugged. “But, like . . . good for him on the cute brother part. Yay and all that.”
Boy, Layla really had gotten uncomfortable. Amy decided to change the subject. “I’m also looking at moving.”
“You are?”
Amy nodded. “There’s an apartment about twenty minutes from here and it’s leagues better than my current rental. I looked at it a few days ago. I’ll still be in town all the time because of work—”
“And the boyfriend,” Layla added.
“And the boyfriend,” Amy agreed. “But I’m excited for the new apartment.”
“That’s awesome. I’m happy for you.” Layla reached for another cookie. “So your landlord is letting you break your lease without a penalty?”
“Penalty?” Amy blinked, surprised. “Why would there be a penalty?”
Layla bit the head off the snowman cookie. “When you sign the contract, it’s for a stated amount of time. Six months, a year, et cetera. If you move beforehand, you’re basically depriving the landlord of his expected income, so you usually have to pay a penalty of a month’s rent or something. I’m sure it’s in your contract.”
“Oh.” Amy hadn’t realized. She’d signed off merrily and hadn’t given much thought to what the actual contract for the rental stated. Her head had simply been spinning with the excitement of her first place on her own. “I guess I’ll take a look at it when I get home.”
Layla nibbled on the snowman a moment more and then set it down. “I hate to be that friend, but as your financial adviser, too, I know you’re new to this kind of stuff. I’d be a jerk if I didn’t ask, but . . . the new place. You saved up for the deposit?”
Amy was starting to feel completely out of her depth and a little worried. That tense knot was returning to the pit of her belly. “What deposit?”
“Most apartments ask for a deposit.” Layla gave her a sympathetic look. “You remember the deposit you paid on your current place?”
She didn’t. All Amy remembered about moving in was an endless whirl of fees and the giddy feeling of being so far away from Blake that he couldn’t possibly show up in her life again. Had there been a deposit? “I . . . I don’t know.”
“You can call them and ask. Maybe they’ll waive it for you?” Layla toyed with the cookie. “If not, at least you know in advance, right?”
“Right.” Amy smiled, though it felt like something inside her was slowly dying. Deposits. Money. She didn’t have