Landlord Wars(17)

Jack tilted his head to the side. “Did you just hit me?”

Elise glared. “If I had wanted to hit you, I would have.”

I stepped between the two of them. “What’s going on?”

Elise glanced up. “When did you get here?”

“Just now. I said your name, but you were too busy hating on Jack to hear me.”

Elise blinked, then stood. “We’re not fighting.”

Jack snorted, then picked up the dishes and empty beer bottles from the coffee table. He made his way into the kitchen.

I stared at my sister. “What do you mean, you’re not fighting? You just threw something at my roommate. How is that not fighting?”

Elise walked around me toward the front door, avoiding my eyes. “I should get going.”

“Elise Marie, don’t you dare leave without talking to me.”

She grabbed her book bag from next to the door and then paused. “How was your date?”

That was a smart move, turning the focus on me. “It was fine.”

Jack stopped what he was doing and leaned against the counter. “Define fine.”

I was tired, and it was two against one. Tomorrow, I’d force Elise into telling me what the hell was going on between her and my roommate. “He was a nice guy,” I said and reached for the nearest tea mug I’d left out. This one said, It’s too peopley outside. I took a sip and winced. The tea was ice cold, of course, but I needed a distraction. Why the hell had I thought I was ready to start dating?

Jack looked at Elise, and they exchanged some sort of silent communication. Which was super annoying. Hadn’t they just been yelling at each other?

I walked into the kitchen and hunted for the chocolate truffles I kept on hand in times of duress. Like when I went on a blind date and didn’t know how I felt about it. Only the chocolate wasn’t where I’d left it, in the cupboard above the cutlery. And neither was the craft chocolate I’d bought in Noe Valley last week.

What the hell?

Jack was a salty guy, hence his pilfering of popcorn when he had the munchies. And my sister had never understood my chocolate obsession, so she wasn’t likely to have cleaned me out. “Have you guys seen my chocolate? I swear I put it here.”

Jack set the bottles in the recycling bin. “Not a chocolate person. But Max was rooting around in the cabinets earlier. He might have grabbed some.”

My face heated and my molars clamped together so hard they made an audible clack. Chocolate was my one freaking indulgence…and that asshat took it?

Did he have a death wish?

“That man has a death wish,” Elise muttered, reading my face. She opened the front door. “I’m taking off. I’ll call you tomorrow for date details, Soph.”

I cringed. “Do we need to have that conversation?”

“Yes,” she said pointedly, and closed the door behind her.

Jack stopped what he was doing, his eyes widening. “Oh, wow. Sorry about the chocolate. What kind was it?” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll order you more right now.”

“No.” I waved him off. “It’s no big deal.”

Lies. It was a big freaking deal! Those truffles were exported from a French chocolatier in Vancouver and cost the equivalent of a venti mocha apiece, hence the reason I saved them for special occasions only. And it grated that Max, of all people, had eaten not just one, not two, but all six.

The low hum in my head was taking on jackhammer decibels. I will not kill Max Burrows. I will not kill Max Burrows.

Jack grabbed a handful of cashews from a bowl he’d brought into the kitchen and tossed one in the air, catching it in his mouth. “Max is used to helping himself to my food.” His expression turned abashed. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know the chocolate was off-limits. I’ll reimburse you. Actually, I’m headed to Trader Joe’s this week and can grab some more.”

I swallowed and tried not to gag. “Trader Joe’s? For chocolate?

“It’s not the same?”

“No,” I said. “But don’t worry. I was getting low on my stash. I’ll pick up more tomorrow.” I wouldn’t be living here much longer anyway. There was no reason to put Jack out because of Landlord Devil’s rude, chocolate-grubbing thievery.

“Here.” He fished into his navy sweatpants, pulled out a leather wallet, and handed me a twenty-dollar bill. “Is that enough?”

Not at all, I thought. But no way was I going to admit how much I spent on chocolate.

Some women loved shoes. Gourmet chocolate was my vice and where my extra paycheck went. Along with the fancy anxiety candles, expensive chocolates were by far the most luxurious thing I allowed myself. “Don’t worry about it.” It wasn’t Jack’s fault his best friend had no respect for food property.

I heated some water, grabbed a chamomile tea bag, and was about to go sulk in my room when Jack touched my shoulder and handed me the twenty.

“For when you go shopping again. Also, you never finished telling how your date went. You think you’ll go out with the guy again?”

I stepped out of my heels and picked them up, considering how to keep it vague. “He was nice and kind of cute, but I’m not a good judge of character.”

Jack shrugged. “No one is until they get to know someone, and you just met him. Give it time.”