Cupidity (Sequel to Cupid's Daughter)

Chapter 17~ Jumping Ship but About to Sink

Now that I had a reliable, reasonably well paid job, I started looking for a new apartment immediately. I spent all of my down time and my lunch breaks sifting through online real estate listings and advertisements, trying to find a place that wasn't too expensive, too far away from work or too shady-looking.

I had bookmarked three so far; one thirty minutes from the office which I would share with an aspiring actress, one just a few streets away from the motel I was staying in, and one that housed four college kids but had seen better days.

Each had their pros and cons, but all were asking for an arm and a leg as payment.

"Whatcha doin' cupcake?"

I glanced at the clock and smiled-- ten a.m, right on time.

"Hey Ethan." I greeted him, minimising the webpage I was on and opening another window to create a new search. It had become tradition for Ethan to come to my office at break time for a chat. It was the one thing in this otherwise cruddy internship that I actually looked forward to. "Not much, just looking at apartments." I informed him, leaning forwards onto my elbows.

Ethan came and sat on the edge of the desk, peering over my shoulder at the screen. "And how's that working out for you?"

I sighed. "Well one guy I contacted told me he was looking for a roommate after his last one mysteriously disappeared four months ago, another said that he wanted 'a roommate with benefits' and another told me that she only wanted someone who could tutor her in chemistry." I shot Ethan a look that actually meant kill me, and earned myself a chuckle from him in return.

I could feel his slow breaths on my neck as he studied the listings on my laptop screen.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "there's more than enough room for two people in my apartment. I could cut you a good deal and, I promise, you won't mysteriously vanish nor will I force you to help me with my chemistry homework." Ethan chuckled, running a hand through his short auburn hair.

My breath caught in my throat as I froze, unable to tear my gaze away from the screen.

Was he offering me his apartment?

To live... oh my gosh, to live with him?

"Y-you want me to move in with you?" I clarified, my voice coming out all squeaky.

Ethan shrugged, barely even noticing my shock. "Yeah I mean, it makes sense doesn't it? You need a place to stay that's close to the office and Kerri's, and I have four spare bedrooms that never get used."

Four spare bedrooms?!

Oh yeah, his mother was Melissa Black and father was Peter Manolis. He probably owned a five bedroom apartment in LA when he was three and a half. Not that I was complaining or judging-- he'd shown me more kindness in these past few weeks than most people gave in their entire lives.

And when he put it like that, it sounded stupid not to take his offer up, but somehow it also seemed... a little too much. I was in a relationship, I'd only been in LA for a little over two weeks and I was already moving in with a guy I had just met.

Sensing my hesitance, Ethan placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled comfortingly. "It's completely up to you, Isabelle, but the offer is there if you want it."

My gaze lingered on the email replies from the potential roommates I had talked to, before my eyes flitted back to Ethan's warm hazel ones. "I don't want to intrude..."

"You wouldn't be. Honestly I was thinking of finding a roommate anyway." He informed me, though something about the way he said it made me believe that he was bluffing for my sake.

"Well if you're sure..." I trailed off. Though it was a crazy thing to do, at least this way I knew I could trust the person I was living with, I would be close to work and I was going to save a little on rent.

A flash a guilt shot through me as I considered how Noah would feel if he found out, but I quickly brushed the thoughts aside. I'd heard from Noah twice since I'd been here and neither of those times had he expressed any interest in making things right between us, so until he showed me that he did in fact care about me, he had no right to care. 

***

As soon as I finished work later that evening, the race to move out of my motel room and into Ethan's apartment began.

I ran around manically, shoving my clothes and belongings into the suitcases I had brought and cleaning the room as I went. Two hours later and I was packed and ready to leave the little stuffy mothball room that I had called home for the past few weeks. In a strange way, I was going to miss it.

I left my keycard on the nightstand and grabbed my suitcases, pulling them awkwardly down the stairs towards the tiny parking lot. Ethan was already waiting for me, looking like a young Janes Bond as he wore his dark suit and leant against a shiny silver car.

He took my bags from me and heaved them into the back of the car, making it look effortless though I knew for a fact that they weighed a tonne.

"Are you sure it's okay that I move in on such short notice? I mean, I didn't even give you enough time to consider this whole thing-- you can still say no, you know."

This had happened so quickly-- literally in the space of twelve hours, which was enough to send even a calm, collected man like Ethan into a frenzy.

He just chuckled lightly though, and dismissed my words breezily. "It's not a problem, Isabelle. I can't believe that you stayed in that motel room for close to three weeks. I think I would have gone crazy."

I laughed and tapped my fingernails against the smooth, cream leather seats. "It's not so bad. I had a roommate, Ellie, back at Princeton and we shared the tiniest dorm room you've ever seen. Having that motel room all to myself was kind of luxurious, actually." I informed him, only half joking.

We drove for just under a half hour in comfortable silence, the radio and the low purr of the engine the only detectable noises. Eventually, Ethan slowed outside a large, secluded apartment complex that looked more like a hotel than a residential building. He pulled into a parking space reserved with his name on it (literally) and turned to me with a cheeky grin. "Home sweet home."

He pushed open his door and went to retrieve my luggage as I hobbled towards the grand foyer, which was just as large and fancy as it sounded. I glanced around in awe at the high ceilings and marble floors before Ethan towed me gently towards the elevator and pushed a bunch of numbers followed by the button labelled '10'.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that his apartment was on the top floor. The elevator pinged to let us know that we'd reached our destination, and the doors folded open straight into a room filled with a rug, a small table and a chic abstract painting.

"Is your place just down the hall?" I asked casually, taking one if my suitcases by the handle.

Ethan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Actually, uh, this is my apartment."

He led me down the hallway, which turned into a huge living room framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of LA that many would kill for.

My mouth fell open.

Ethan didn't just have an apartment on the top floor.

He owned the top floor.