Watch Me (Private Listing #1)

Eviction? Shit.

Chapter 12

Rent Problems

Madison

“You only paid half the rent.” The office girl looks me over like I’m beneath her.

I’m dressed just as nicely today but went for kitten heels over my killer heels to give my feet a rest. I lean in and ask, “How much is it short?”

“A thousand fifty.” Her eyes roll and she shrugs. “If you want to stay, you have to pay that plus one hundred dollars for the late fee.”

Fuck. That is almost all my remaining bonus. I tighten my lips. I have to live somewhere. “Fine.”

I pull out my checkbook.

She holds up her hand. Her fingernails are an inch longer than her fingers and painted hot pink. “You’ll need either a cashier’s check or bank transfer.”

Fuckity fuck. I don’t have time to go to the bank with my new job. I shove my checkbook back into my purse and release my breath. “How about Venmo?”

“Oh, sure.” She slips me a card with the apartment building information on it. “Just note it’s for late rent and not prepayment for next month.”

Nodding, I stick the card in my purse. I need coffee, and a lot of it. My roommate Valerie was a Craigslist find. It’s worked for years because she needs a place for her stuff and somewhere to crash when her boyfriend breaks up with her for a week every few months. Normally, I don’t have to worry about her.

I texted her last night but didn’t get an answer. I shake my head and walk outside to wait for the car. It’s early, but traffic is picking up, and I can hear honking from a block over. Usually at this point, I’d head to campus to work in the library before my first class of the day.

Not having homework feels odd, but I’ve been getting used to it since graduation.

The car stops. It’s the same driver from last night, but only him.

“Is it okay if I sit up front?” I don’t know the protocol for these things.

He nods, and I slide into the front seat and strap on my seat belt. We head to the office in silence. It’s slightly awkward, riding with someone I don’t know.

“Um, I’m Madison. Can I know your name?”

The driver tilts his head my way. He’s dressed in all black, and his short brown hair is under a cap. He’s got a little extra weight on him, but I wouldn’t call him chubby.

“Tim.” His voice is gruff and doesn’t really encourage further conversation.

“Nice to meet you, Tim.” I know he’s just doing his job, but it doesn’t kill me to be nice. “Have you been doing this job long?”

“Five years.”

Huh. I wonder if he’s picked up the other women. Maybe he knows Andrea, Rachel, and Tiffany. Maybe not Tiffany. They wouldn’t send a car for a temp, right?

Hopefully, I can say that I’ve been working here for five years at some point. I’m just hoping to make it past this week. I pull out my phone and send money via Venmo to the property management firm for the rent.

I have to live there at least another two weeks, then either I’ll be moving into the corporate apartment or packing my things and going to my parents’. I won’t be able to pay back the money the guys gave me as a signing bonus, though. It would take longer than a week or two now to pay them back and still be able to survive.

I check my texts to see if Valerie answered me, but there’s nothing. It took me a while to fall asleep last night, worrying about everything.

When I close my eyes for a few seconds, the car stops. I open my eyes to see the building before me.

“Thank you, Tim.” I grab my purse and head into work.

I bypass the apartment floor and the elevator opens to the offices. The doors are all closed. I set my purse on my desk and head for the break room to start the coffee. While I wait, I unload the dishwasher.