“Move in with me,” Shawn says, after a long while of watching Neriah go through the vacancy spot available in the newspaper.
It’s been four days since they got the eviction notice and so far there has been no luck in finding a new place for Neriah to move to. Most of the apartments are too expensive or too poor to even consider or have already been rented out to others. Shawn bought and brought in the newspaper earlier today and Neriah has spent all her hours on it calling the numbers on the houses that are available and Shawn has tried to be the most supporting boyfriend around her.
She immediately looks up at him. “What?”
He gets up from his chair and moves to sit close to her, making their bodies touch. “Move in with me,” he says again.
“You live with your mom,” she points out to him without even bothering to look up. “And let’s not forget she’s still recovering.”
He laughs, but shakes his head, “My mom lives with me, there’s a huge difference and yes, but she’s improved faster than we hoped besides she lives in a different room and you can have my room and I’ll stay on the couch. Problem solved. So move in with me.”
“I can’t Shawn.” She says with a bit of regret.
“Why not?”
She drops the newspaper and looks up at him, “First because you live with your mom—”
“Neriah—”
“Let me finish.” She did not mean to snap, but that’s what she does “I can’t live with you because you live with your mother and I wouldn’t even if you didn’t I wouldn’t accept your offer because that’s only going to bring you more problem.”
“I don’t understand,” he frowns down at her.
She turns to lock her gaze on his. “This is the second house I’m losing, right? We are still not sure it’ll be my last, so let’s say I move in with you and then Cainan evicts us. I lose not only a place to stay but you and your mom do as well. So I’m sorry, but I’m not doing that to you.”
Her explanation helps him understand her point and, to an extent, he agrees with her; he didn’t think to that point when we made the offer and she, being so selfless, rejected it, already knowing what the consequences will be.
“So what can I do to help?”
“You’re already helpful by being with me at this moment. So help me look through the houses listed for rent and check to see the ones affordable.” She hands him the other part of the newspaper.
“Okay, that's easy,” he collects the newspaper and looks through them while Neriah goes to the kitchen to make them some pancakes. This is the fastest meal she can make sense of. She isn’t in the mood for long cooking.
Shawn stays, looking through the newspaper and ticking the houses that seemed affordable when his phone rings. The caller ID is unknown, and he wonders who is calling.
He answers it and places it in his ear, “Hello?“
The caller doesn’t do pleasantries or introduction, just straight to business. “It’s been four days. Do you need an Angel to tell you to come to work?“
“Mr Inferno, how did you get my number?” Shawn asks, a little surprised and a little sceptical.
“Do not answer my question with a question Shawn.” He sounds as if he just broke the law.
“Well, I haven’t thought about your offer, besides the last time I saw you, I punched you in the face. So I ask again, how did you get my number?” He asks, already pissed off at him as the memories of that night return.
“I have my ways, ways you’ll never know. And I should be the one complaining because I was the one who got punched and had to walk around with a bust lip for days.”
“That’s what you deserve for sticking your tongue where it shouldn’t be.”
Shawn presses his lips together and scratches his head, “Why do you want me back as your PA?”
“I don’t,” is his quick response, “your girlfriend threatened me, remember?”
Shawn rolls hue eyes. “My girlfriend threatened you four days ago. Why are you calling me now?“
“Cause I’m a man of my word, you of all people should know that.”
Shawn’s teeth clench because, knowing Cainan, he has always been an excellent diverter, especially in uncomfortable subjects, just to keep his pride. “We can do this all day if you keep acting like an ass Cainan.” There’s no telling where the courage or boldness came from because Shawn looks shocked that he just called Cainan an ass something he wouldn’t have dared to do two months ago.
There’s a long silence at both ends for a couple of seconds. “You just took my name and called me an ass, but I’ll let it go.”
“Why?” Asks Shawn with a deep frown on his face.
“Because I need you in my office. You’re like the little sidekick that magically knows things. The last six others I hired sucked and the last one didn’t know how to create a memo. I need you to take care of things. As usual, I’ll double your pay if that’s what it’ll take.” Cainan's confession comes as a surprise to Shaw because though he wanted the truth, he didn’t think it would be this much.
Cainan even went as far as calling him a sidekick, which is a compliment, but he is so far from trusting yet.
He rubs his jaw. “As tempting as it sounds, how am I sure you will not fire me the first chance you get again?”
“Because I’m the one rehiring your ass.” He growls.
“Fine, I’ll think about it.“
“What? You’re still going to think about what we have said?” He exclaims exasperatedly.
“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” he raises a brow at him.
Cainan opened his mouth, but snapped it shut, “No, I don't.”