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I found a parking space close to the first property, and set off with Jasper to meet the agent. He was shiny-haired, with brilliant white teeth and a limp handshake that put me on edge.
It wasn’t apparent from the listing, but this unit was in a building only recently reopened after earthquake repairs. It occupied a space on the ground floor, which was good, and it hadn’t been damaged like the upper floors, but it had been closed for over five months. Not only was it filthy, but there was also the pungent odor of something rotting.
“A couple of hours’ cleaning, and it’ll be good as new.” The agent beamed at me. “You’re first in the line to see this, by the way. If you pass on it, someone else will snap it up.”
“They’re welcome to it.”
Jasper snorted with laughter at my curt words, but turned it into a cough, and we headed outside into the late afternoon sunshine.
“God. That was terrible,” I said. “Was it me, or could you smell Eau de Dead Rat?”
“And there was me, thinking it was Mr. Slimey’s after shave.”
His words tickled me, and I chuckled, then laughed properly. “Did you see his face when I told him what I thought? Who in their right mind is going to rent that place?”
Jasper stared at me, his lips tugging up at the corners. He looked so delicious, standing there bathed in sunlight, that I longed to hug him again, but this time I resisted. No more throwing myself at him. I was a bit of distraction for his recuperation, and he couldn’t see me any other way.
“I can’t figure you out, Caitlin.”
Anxiety nudged at me, but I swallowed it down. “How do you mean?”
He cocked his head to one side. “When you’re talking business, you’re confident. You take no shit. So why aren’t you like that all the time?”
His insight hit too close to home, and I struggled to respond. “Wow. That’s deep.”
“Sorry.” He looked at his watch. “Maybe we should get moving.”
The second property was easily ten minutes’ walk from here, and I wondered how difficult it would be for Jasper. “Maybe we should move the car and try to find a space closer?”
His face shuttered, and he turned around, stick firmly in hand. “Don’t fuss. I can walk.”
“Okay.” I matched my pace to his, and we set off down the street. I hoped this next place would be good. It couldn’t be any worse. It was a nicer street, with more foot traffic, and the businesses around it gave off a lovely vibe. My heart lifted. I could be back in business in a matter of days.
The realtor waited for us at the bottom of a set of stairs. This guy was short and balding, and greeted us with a scowl on his face. “You’re late,” he said, when I introduced myself. “I can only let you have five minutes before the next viewing.”
What? I checked my notes. “We’re right on time.”
He crossed his arms. “Five minutes.”
“Okay.” To my surprise, he headed up the stairs, and I paused. “This is supposed to be a ground-floor unit.”
“You must have seen an early version of the ad. It’s a second-floor property. Are you coming?” He looked pointedly at his phone. “I have another viewing in a few minutes.”
I wasn’t thrilled at two flights of stairs, but it was still worth looking at. I glanced at Jasper. His frown matched the agent’s.
“You go first,” Jasper snapped. “I’ll follow you up.”
“Why don’t you wait here for me?”
“Thanks. I’m not a fucking invalid.”
Ouch. I’d found another hot button. I held up my hands, to apologize, and then scuttled off to follow the agent.
Forty-eight steps later, my lungs were burning and my legs felt shaky. That was more like four flights than two. “Is there an elevator?”
“It’s being serviced.”
Great. At least I made it, even if I wheezed like an arthritic tortoise. I hoped Jasper would be okay, or that he’d realize he was being dumb and wait downstairs.
“Here we are.” The agent threw open the door and stepped inside, doing a funny little turn and stomp as he did so.
“What was that?” My voice came out as a croak.
“What?”
I gestured to his feet. “Did you just stomp on something?”
He ignored my question and waved toward the kitchen area. This place was clean, and painted recently, with good natural light. I walked to the double oven and crouched down, to look closer.
Something moved behind the glass door. There was something inside the oven.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what. Jasper thought I was confident, but it was an act. I quaked at the thought of saying something.
“Well?” asked the agent. He hadn’t moved from the doorway. “Do you want it?”
It was nice on the surface, but doubt niggled at me. I grasped the oven door handle, clicked it open, and peeked inside.
The biggest cockroach I ever saw waved its feelers at me. I squealed like a little kid and slammed the door shut.
“What’s the matter?” The agent sounded bored. “If you’re not interested, let me know.”
I approached him and pointed at the white, tiled floor. “Lift up your foot, please.” He opened his mouth to speak, but I raised my voice. “I want to see if you killed a roach, and if it’s as big as the one living in the oven. The oven, for Christ’s sake. Where I plan to cook food that I want to sell. A freaking cockroach.”
“You only get roaches in clean environments.”
“I don’t care. Raise your foot.”
He made an irritated noise with his tongue and stepped aside. I was right. There was no way I’d rent this place. I spun on my toe and headed down the stairs.
“There’s nothing else in this part of town,” he called. “This is premium floorspace.”
“Premium dump, more like it.” I almost barged into Jasper on the way down, and apologized profusely. I had to get outside. The thought of cockroaches in the kitchen made my skin crawl.
“Another no?” Jasper had made it half way up, and I didn’t know whether to feel guilty at the effort he put in, or furious at the agent for trying to lease such a dump.
I decided on angry. “It’s a hell no.”
“Your girlfriend is highly strung, mate,” said the agent, and I froze in my tracks. How would Jasper reply?
Come to that, how on earth did the agent assume he was my boyfriend? Someone as gorgeous as Jasper would never be with a lard-ass like me.
Jasper scowled, and my heart sank to somewhere near my shoes. Time for another dose of humiliation?
“Watch out with the name calling,” he said in an icy tone.
I picked up my pace and reached the ground floor in moments. I sat on the bottom step and waited for my heart to stop racing. Jesus. The agent was right. There was nowhere else, apart from the ridiculously overpriced property in Oriental Bay. So which did I go for? Five months of filth, or cockroaches having a party in the oven? I shuddered.
Neither.
I scrubbed my hands over my face. Get a grip, Caitlin. There will be other properties. Better ones.
Jasper clumped down the last steps, to stand next to me, and I looked up at him. Yep, I felt guilty now. His face was pale and tight, and I could tell by his white knuckles that he was in pain.
“Are we too late? Did someone else get it?” He snarled the words.
“What? No.”
“It looks good through the doorway. You don’t have to be nice to me, Caitlin. If I made you late, tell me. I’ll plead with the agent to reconsider.”
He thought it was his fault I wasn’t taking the property? “You didn’t make me late. I don’t like the idea of sharing with cockroaches. And no, that’s not code for anything.”
He opened his eyes wide. “Seriously?”
“Yup.”
He dragged a hand through his hair. “If you weren’t driving, I’d suggest we get a drink now.”
It was my turn to snort with laughter, tension ebbing out of me. “I knew I liked you, Jasper.” I echoed his words back to him, and saw a smile emerge. “How does coffee sound instead?”