Landlord Wars(32)

Jack avoiding an attractive woman was…unusual. Come to think of it, he’d been acting strange around Sophia’s sister from the start. I’d assumed he was steering clear of women for a while, but seeing him out tonight, I wasn’t so sure.

Sophia straightened, putting a bit of space between us, which I reluctantly allowed. We headed to the table, and the look on Jack’s face was one of relief.

“What took you so long?” He shifted in his seat, angling his body away from Elise as we sat down.

“I’m assisting Sophia with her dating life,” I said. “It seems her taste in suitors is lacking.”

Sophia shot me a furious look that got all my senses firing. “Excuse me? My taste is excellent.”

Elise choked on what looked like a half-full gin and tonic. “Your taste in men sucks.”

“Not anymore it doesn’t,” Sophia said, pushing her light-brown hair over her shoulder confidently. “I’ve turned over a new leaf, and Jack is helping me.”

I needed to have a talk with my best friend. His loyalty could use fine-tuning.

“Exactly,” Jack said, missing my cutting glare. “Speaking of which…” He turned to a group of men at the table beside us. “This is my friend Sophia I was telling you about.”

Four average-looking guys proceeded to check out Sophia.

I hated them instantly, as well as Jack. Had he not received my subliminal messages?

Sophia’s body stiffened at the attention, and she sank her head into her hands. “Oh my God.”

“Smooth,” I told Jack.

“What?” He leaned forward. “These guys are okay,” he said in hushed tones. “We’ve been talking while you all were at the bar.”

Sophia lifted her head. “Hi,” she said shyly—adorably—and started a conversation with one of them.

My blood pressure rose, and my chest felt uncomfortably tight. I should take off, let her do her thing. Being around Sophia while she was trying to meet other men wasn’t good for my health. But that wasn’t what I did.

“What do you do for a living?” I overheard the man ask her. An investment banker, by the look of his suit and dress shirt with no tie.

“I’m an interior designer by training.”

“She arranges plants,” I said, and sipped my beer. No need for this guy to realize how amazing Sophia was.

Sophia shifted until her back was to me. “I design interior greenspace,” she clarified.

“Huh,” the guy said, tilting his head as though confused. “That’s different.”

“Well, it is, actually,” she said hurriedly. “Most people don’t realize how important plants are for the flow and vibe of our indoor spaces. It’s—it’s, you know—vital that we feel good, and it can actually make the rooms feel less cluttered.”

Interesting that she used the word “cluttered.” It wouldn’t surprise me if her mother’s home had influenced her career.

Sophia tucked her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. She was nervous, and it showed, but I wasn’t generous enough to help. Not when it came to another man pursuing the woman I was interested in. Because I was smart enough to realize I had a serious interest in Sophia, who should be off-limits, since she was technically my tenant. She also harbored feelings of loathing for me, so there was that too.

“Sophia here leaves her mugs all over the house and has frizzy hair when she gets off work,” I said. “She needs good greenspace to keep up the appearance of a decluttered room and person.”

Her back popped upright at the sound of my voice.

“So she’s messy?” the man said. “Messy can be fun.” He cast her a licentious smile I wanted to rip off his face.

Her head swiveled in my direction. “I am not messy, Maxwell!” Darts shot from her eyes, but at least she was looking at me.

“Oh, I get it,” the guy said. “You two live together.” His thick brow furrowed. “But your friend said you’re single.”

He was sharp, this one. Which made my confidence soar. As awkward as she came across with the opposite sex, Sophia was a bright woman. She wouldn’t date a moron.

“I am single,” Sophia said.

The man looked at me, then back at Sophia. “Right, well, it was nice meeting you,” he said, and turned toward the others at his table.

Sophia swiveled in her chair and faced me squarely. “Did you just cockblock?”

I checked my phone. “He was a creep, and you’re better off without him.”

She leaned forward, eyes hot with anger, and a waft of her soft-scented shampoo drifted my way, reminding me of the bar when she was pressed against me. The scent was some sort of coconut-vanilla fusion, tempting me to run my nose along her neck and breathe in. “That is for me to decide, Max. What is wrong with you?”

Good question. I tipped my chin at the bartender, who miraculously caught my eye and flagged the only waitress in the place. “I need another drink.”





Chapter Fifteen





Sophia

We made our way home from the Irish pub, and Elise waved her arms drunkenly while Jack carried her on his back into our apartment.

“Giddy up!” Elise said, and kicked his butt with her heels.