Since I've Been Lovin' You | Happy Lowman/OC (Book 2)

five | Tacoma

THREE MONTHS SINCE ARREST

"This is the first bathroom here," the red headed woman said, opening a door in the hallway.

Victoria popped her head in to see that it was decently sized with a full shower and tub combo. They continued further down to what appeared to be the master bedroom.

"What do you think?" Chibs asked, leaning down to Victoria's ear.

Victoria looked around, and smiled. "I like it."

The woman renting the house came back out of the bedroom when she noticed they hadn't followed. Chibs, who never seemed to have much free time to waste, said, "We'll take it."

"Oh, really, that's wonderful. I have an application right in my purse here," she said, heading back into the kitchen. "It usually only takes a few days to be processed and approved."

"An application won't be necessary." The woman turned to Chibs with a raised eyebrow. "We have an arrangement with the property owner."

"With Mr. Oswald?"

"Aye, he'd be the one," Chibs said, smirking.

The woman didn't seem so sure. She looked from Chibs to Victoria. "I'll need to make a call, of course."

Chibs gestured toward the front door. "Feel free."

She left the room with her purse, pulling out her cellphone as she went.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Victoria asked softly and looked around at the kitchen.

"No worries, sweetheart. Oswald owes us a few favors. Piney spoke with him yesterday. Can't have your name on any of the paperwork with your friend searchin' you out."

Victoria sighed. "Hopefully Cameron's gone back to Tacoma. I haven't heard from him in weeks."

"Either way, we're going to be careful, aye? I intend to keep my word to Hap, to keep you out of harms way."

Victoria gave him a fond look, tilting her head to the side. "You're so good to me."

Chibs wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side as she put an arm around his waist. The woman came back into the house, eyeing them warily. "Mr. Oswald corroborated your information, but he does expect a deposit. First and last months rent should do," she said.

"That's fair," said Chibs who looked to Victoria. "We wouldn't want to compromise the great Elliot by askin' him for charity, would we?"

She pulled an envelope out of her purse containing the last two of her paychecks in cash. It felt good finally being the one to pay for something so big. She'd been controlled financially for too long, and this was her way of healing.

"I'll draw up a lease using an alias, and I'll pass it along just so everyone is clear on the agreement. Mr. Oswald does require that his tenants keep no pets on the grounds, and quiet hours for this particular neighborhood begin at ten PM," the redhead said, passing Victoria a set of keys and taking the envelope in return.

"Thank you for your help," Victoria said sweetly, hoping to salvage the relationship, but the woman eyed her with the same suspicion she'd thrown at Chibs. Guilty by association, then.

"You can move in at your earliest convenience." She pursed her lips and headed out, leaving Chibs and Victoria alone in the empty kitchen.

"She was pleasant," Chibs said, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding.

Victoria couldn't help it, she laughed. She was so excited about this that the emotions just bubbled out of her in the form of humor, and she wandered the room looking through cabinets, opening and closing the refrigerator. All with a beaming smile on her face.