Damien (Slater Brothers #5)(86)
Damien frowned. “I have my work scheduled set in stone for the next few weeks, and I start at nine. Mr Collins doesn’t tolerate showing up late, and I can’t have any days off while Ryder is on his paternity leave. Harley and JJ have four days off to check out a location for a bar they’re considering buying, or something like that.”
“Dame.” I chuckled. “You will meet Morgan eventually; it doesn’t have to be right this second.”
He only nodded in response, and I knew that meeting Morgan this second was exactly what he wanted, but I couldn’t change that, so I pushed it aside and turned back to my office.
“We have to paint or wallpaper in ’ere.”
“Are you allowed?” Damien asked, his tone lighter.
“The estate agent said the landlord allows people to decorate, but it has to be tasteful and match the furniture he or she provides.”
“You don’t know if your landlord is a man or a woman?”
I shrugged. “They did business through the estate agent; they probably don’t wanna be involved directly with their tenants. Lots of landlords do that.”
“I suppose,” Damien said, walking around the room. “You should create some canvas paintings and hang them up.”
“Morgan suggested the same thing.”
Damien didn’t answer; he only checked how sturdy the bookcase and my desk were. I shook my head at him as he searched for some fault and made a mental note not to talk about Morgan around him so his emotions could stay in check. I understood where he was coming from, and he admitted he would be jealous. I didn’t want to push something in his face that was really nothing to worry about.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, changing the subject. “I’ve had the meat for dinner cookin’ on low all day. I’m gonna get the mash, roasties, croquettes, and veg ready now if you wanna help?”
“I’ll help.” Damien nodded. “That’s a whole lot of potatoes, though.”
I leaned back and looked at him like he grew an extra head.
“There’s no such thing as too much. You’re in Ireland, bud.”
Damien smirked. “Say potato.”
I deadpanned. “No.”
“Say it,” he pressed.
“No.”
He pouted, the grown man really pouted, and it drew a sigh from me.
“Fine, potato.” I playfully rolled my eyes at Damien’s snort. “But I don’t even call them that.”
“Do you call them ba-day-tahs like the other girls?”
I laughed at how slowly he pronounced it.
“Yeah, that’s how I say it.”
“I like just stick to potatoes; that way is too much of a mouthful for me.”
Together, we entered the kitchen and got to work on our dinner. After we got everything prepared and ready to cook, I removed the meat and covered it with foil until it was time to slice it up. I always listened to music as I cooked the dinner, so I instinctively reached into my back pocket of my jeans, feeling for my phone. When I realised it wasn’t on my person, I checked each room of the apartment.
“What are you looking for?”
“Me phone,” I answered then groaned. “I think I left it in me car. I’m always doin’ that!”
“I’ll go and get it.”
“No.” I sighed. “I’ll do it; you just keep an eye on Barbara.”
I left my apartment and took the elevator down to the lobby. I jogged out of the building and to my car, where I scowled at my phone sitting in one of the cup holders.
“Stupid thing.”
After I got my phone, locked my car, and briskly walked back into my building, I entered the elevator but had to hold it open when someone hollered for me to. I nodded in greeting to Kane as he jogged into the elevator and said, “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
He flashed his personal fob over the scannered then he hit the button for his floor.
“Aideen called me.”
I glanced at him. “Yeah?”
“Hmm.”
“Is there a reason you’re tellin’ me this?”
“She mentioned what you did to Alec’s cup.”
I felt heat climb up my neck.
“It was an accident,” I stressed. “A complete and total accident.”
“I also heard he tried to murder you.”
“He did.” I bobbed my head. “You should have seen ’im; he was like a ravin’ lunatic.”
Kane looked down at me, and it was obvious he was fighting off a smile.
“It’s not funny!” I scowled as the elevators doors closed. “I nearly had a heart attack when he cornered me on that trampoline.”
“I wish I was there to see it.”
I shook my head, fighting off a grin as Kane’s shoulders lightly shook. Myself and Kane rarely spoke, so I felt bloody proud of myself whenever we did because I always seemed to make him grin, smile, or laugh, and anyone who knew him knew how difficult a task that was. I looked at him and noted he had no bags or anything that he could have picked up on the errands he was running.
“What?’ he asked when he noticed my eyes on him.
I shrugged. “Do anythin’ fun today?”
“Errands,” he answered flatly.