Maid for Each Other(7)
“I will not be blackmailed by a maid,” I said through gritted teeth, wondering how things could’ve gone off the rails so quickly. “Take the original offer or I’m hanging up and calling Ken.”
She bit down on her lower lip, blinking fast like she was trying hard to figure the best angle. Do the smart thing, Abi, come on. I kept my mouth shut, waiting for her to make the right decision.
“Why, though?” She didn’t look opposed to the idea, but blinked like she was trying to figure out a puzzle. “It’s only solving your problem for one night and will probably make things worse in the long run.”
“Look, I just need to get through this very important evening without a million questions, okay?”
She pursed her lips. “What is the dress code at this very important evening?”
Thank God—she’s going to do it. I let out a breath of relief. “Do you have a cocktail dress?”
She snorted. The girl literally snorted, so I shut that down with, “Listen, I’ll send everything you need—dress, shoes, the works—to the apartment, and I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Wait. Your apartment or my apartment?”
“I thought yours had an infestation.”
“It does.”
“So wouldn’t mine obviously be better?”
“Of course it would, but you threatened to have me fired after the last time I was there.”
“You weren’t invited the last time.”
“So I can stay there?” she said in disbelief. I didn’t want to give in to this person’s demands, but I was also very aware we were short on time and I needed to get things moving. “Wait—your parents aren’t still there, are they?”
“They’re going to a hotel as we speak.”
“Why?”
“Does it matter?”
“Are you going to tell me why or not?”
“They are moving to a hotel because they are paranoid their unannounced arrival is cramping your style.”
“Mine?”
“Yours.”
“Interesting.” She sat there for another minute, eyes narrowed but staring at something off-camera, before saying, “Well, you still haven’t given me a yes on the weeklong apartment stay.”
“Abi—”
“But even if it’s a yes, I’m going to need some time to think about this.”
“How much time?” I could feel my pulse beating in my temple as this impossible girl behaved as if she had the upper hand. I trusted Roman’s advice on most things, but I realized as I looked at her stubborn chin and ridiculous shirt that he was absolutely wrong in this instance.
This was a terrible idea.
“Actually, Abi—”
“I’ll do it.”
Is she serious? “So when you said you ‘needed some time,’ you were talking about ten seconds?”
“Clearly.”
I rubbed my forehead and knew I needed to bail. I needed to get as far away from Abi the Maid and the ridiculous situation my lying had somehow created before it blew up in my face.
So it didn’t make a damn bit of sense when I said, “Okay—here’s the plan.”
5
The Delivery
Abi
This is insane.
I paced through the fancy living room as I waited for my delivery, wondering if I’d completely lost my mind. I still wasn’t sure how it’d all happened, other than the fact that his smug rich-guy face had pissed me off and somehow inspired me to behave as if I had a leg to stand on.
I mean, I definitely needed somewhere to stay since my place was off-limits, so making a deal wasn’t the insane part. He needed a favor, I needed somewhere to sleep; that had been some solid quick thinking on my part.
But his bossiness had somehow made me forget that not only had I been in the wrong to begin with, but I had no leverage. If I actually did go to his parents and tell them he didn’t have a girlfriend named Abi （which I would never do）， he could just call me an unhinged maid who was trying to milk him for a weeklong stay in his lavish condo.
Because that’s literally what I was.
Yet somehow here I was, freshly showered and wearing a luxuriously thick bathrobe, wandering around my favorite unit without a duster in my hand, waiting for a dress to be dropped off.
For me.
To wear to a fancy party.
With a wealthy stranger.
It was definitely the setup to something that ended with a body being buried. I considered myself to be an intelligent person, so my current situation made zero sense.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the knock.
Calm down, everything is going to be fine, I told myself as I pushed my wet hair behind my ears.
I took a deep breath, cleared my throat, and walked over to the door. Channeling my inner wealthy person, I pushed my mouth into a smile and pulled open the door.
“Hello,” I said, my hands shaking just a little as three people—and a luggage cart heaped with boxes and bags—stood in the hallway. There was a tall blond woman, a taller blond man, and a very petite redhead with a long beard that might’ve given him leprechaun vibes if he didn’t have, like, ten piercings on his face and a strong neck that was covered in tattoos.
They were dressed in black, staring like they’d been expecting me.