Matt, you’d better get me out of this mess. If Fulton finds out, he’ll walk away from the deal.”
“Well, unless he’ll wait until April, you’re in big trouble. The only alternative you have is talking them into moving out.”
Jarrett was frustrated. Thanks to Mia Saunders, he had to figure out something. But honestly there weren’t many options since housing was limited in Winchester Ridge.
He looked toward the yellow-and-brown structure with the peeling paint and sagging rain gutters. It seemed even worse with winter-bare trees, but the grass was cut and the hedges trimmed.
“In its day, the place was probably a showcase,” Matt observed.
“Well, it’s not 1960,” he told his friend. “And I’m only going to do the minimum that needs to be done. It’s a waste of time and money.”
Jarrett looked out the Mercedes’ windshield to see someone coming toward them. It was the older woman, Mrs. Madison. He pressed the button so the window went down.
“Hello, Mr. McKane.” She slowly made her way to the car. “I’m not sure if you remember me, I’m Nola Madison.”
He got out of the car. “Were you checking up to see if I was coming?”
She smiled despite his rudeness. “As a matter of fact, we were watching for you, but only to warn you about what to expect in your apartment.” She shook her head. “It was once the manager’s, but he didn’t take very good care of it. We tried the best we could to clean it up.” She held out a key dangling from a heart keychain. “But I’m afraid it needs more work than any of our places.”
Feeling like a heel, Jarrett took the key from her, and pulled his jacket together against the cold. “You shouldn’t be out in this weather, Mrs. Madison.”
“Please, call me Nola. Let’s go inside, but it isn’t much warmer.”
Jarrett grabbed his duffel bag from the back of the car, asked Matt to have his car brought over from the office, and followed the woman up the walk. They went into a bare lobby. He’d seen this area before and knew how bad it looked, but it hadn’t mattered to him, since it was tagged for demolition. He headed for the elevators to find signs that read, Out of Order.
On the walk-through of the property he hadn’t noticed that. “There is no elevator?”
She shook her head. “Not in the last year.”
Jarrett recalled that day in the community room—two of the tenants were in wheelchairs. “How do the handicapped get upstairs?”
She led him to the wrought-iron staircase and they started the climb. “Oh, we found two tenants who were willing to move upstairs, and Joe and Sylvia’s son, Ryan, built ramps for both Margie and Harold. Now they can get in and out or their apartments. It’s important to be independent.”
“Who exchanged apartments?”
“Well, Mia was one who moved upstairs, and when her brother, Reverend Brad, was alive he used to help us with a lot of repairs. Many of his congregation did, too.”
“Where was the owner? Some of these repairs are required by law.”
She shook her head. “He threatened to double our rent if we kept complaining. So we started fixing things ourselves.” They made it to the second floor. “But some things we can’t fix. We need an expert.”
Once again he was confronted with dingy walls and worn carpet. They passed a few doors, then she stopped in front of his apartment. He paused. Hell, he was afraid to go inside.
Suddenly the door across the hall opened and Mia Saunders stepped out. She actually smiled at him and he felt a strange tightness in his chest. “Moving in, Mr. McKane?”
She was dressed in a long blue sweater that went to midthigh, with a pair of black leggings covering those long legs. He looked back at her face. “Seems I am. Looks like we’re going to be neighbors.”
“Isn’t that nice,” Nola said, then glanced at her watch. “Oh, my, I just remembered I have a doctor’s appointment. I don’t know where my head is today. Mia, could you show Mr. McKane around?”
Mia frowned. “Do you need a ride, Nola?”
“No, thank you, dear, my daughter is coming by.” With a wave, the older woman walked off.
Mia didn’t like Nola’s not-so-subtle disappearing act. Why did anyone need to show Jarrett McKane around?
She walked to the apartment entrance. “Brace yourself.” She swung open the door, reached in and flicked on the lights, then motioned for him to go inside first. He frowned and stepped into the main room. She heard his curse and couldn’t help but smile as she followed him in.
The apartment walls needed paint, but not before numerous holes in the plaster were patched. Under the slipcovers that Nola and her welcoming committee had recently put on, the furniture was thrift-store rejects.
“Joe cleaned the carpet, or what’s left of it. It’s probably the original. At least the place doesn’t smell as if someone died in here anymore.”
Without comment, he continued down the hall and peered into the bath. Again another curse.
She called after him. “It might not look very good, but I can guarantee you Nola and Sylvia cleaned it within an inch of its life. And there are fresh towels. And they made up the bed for you, too.” Then she murmured to herself, “Why they’re being so nice to you, I have no idea.”
The good-looking Jarrett McKane came out and stood in front of her. His dark hair had been cut and styled recently. His clothes were top-of-the-line, too. Everything about him rang out success and power. So why was she even noticing him?
Hormones, she concluded. It was just late-pregnancy hormones. She’d learned a long time ago to stay away from men like him.
“Why did they do all this?” he finally asked.
Jarrett McKane was standing too close, but she refused to step back. She refused to let him intimidate her.
“It’s their way of being neighborly,” she told him. “It’s the same with everyone here. Over the years, they’ve all become a family. Some are alone. Some have family that didn’t have time for them so they take care of each other.”
“Or it’s their way to get me to not tear the place down.”
She smiled, not wanting him to see her anger. “It’s just some towels and linens and a few home-cooked meals. But yes, they feel it’s worth a try. Enjoy your stay.” She turned and started to leave when he called her name.
When she turned around, he gave her a sexy grin. “Did you do anything to sway me, Ms. Saunders?”
Her heart began to pound in her chest. “There might be a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies on the kitchen counter.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing how far you’ll go to persuade me.”
Mia arched her aching back,
