Scrimmage Gone South (Crimson Romance) (39 page)

It occurred to Luke that they were both acting like this was a done deal and it was too soon for that. Regardless of the other advantages, he couldn’t live in a place that looked like the Sugar Plum Fairy had waved her magic wand over it.

“Maybe we’d better see inside,” he said.

As he’d expected, the apartment was small — kitchen, living room, one bath, two modest-sized bedrooms and another not much bigger than a walk-in closet. The Sugar Plum Fairy had been kept at bay, and the renovations were more upscale than he’d expected. No one could argue that the glossy wood floors, granite counter tops, high-end bathroom fixtures, and stainless steel appliances weren’t nice. It was just unusual for an apartment this size.

Once back in the living room, Lanie removed the ornate brass cover from the small coal burning fireplace. “The mantle and fireplace are original. I had gas coals installed.” She flipped a switch and blue and golden flames came to life.

He chased away any fantasy he might have been tempted to call up of long bare legs stretched out in front of that fireplace.

“Did you do the decorating?” he asked to distract himself.

“Yes,” she said proudly. “I hope you don’t think the color scheme is boring. I learned in a design class that if you don’t know who will be living in a space, it’s best to use a neutral palette.”

“So you’re a trained interior designer?”

“No.” She looked sheepish. “I thought at one time it might be a possibility, but it turned out not to be for me. But if you need someone, Lucy is a great designer.” She met his eyes again and bit her lip. “So what do you think? Are you interested?” Her tone begged him to take her to the prom.

“How much is the rent?” he asked.

She recoiled, actually recoiled, before naming a figure. He had to work to keep his mouth from dropping open. It was an absurd amount for an apartment this size with one bathroom, no dining room, and no laundry room. It might not be unfair for the upscale trappings, but it did explain why the apartment was vacant. The rent was more than anyone in his right mind would pay. But he wasn’t in his right mind — hadn’t been for a long time.

There was no way the king-sized bed from his Mobile house would fit in the master bedroom — at least not and leave room for much else. But he could buy something new. Maybe that wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe he should get rid of all that stuff in storage. There were some things of Carrie’s that should be set aside for Emma, but the rest could go. He felt a pang of regret at the thought of never again sleeping in the bed where he and Carrie had laughed and loved and made Emma, but what comfort could it bring anyway? There was no comfort; there was only alone.

Lanie reached down and rubbed the place on her thigh that she had inspected earlier. A flash of pain crossed her face — maybe from her bruise, or maybe from the certain knowledge that he was going to tell her he wasn’t interested — which he should do. But he needed a place to live and he had more money than energy.

However, there was a concern she would have to satisfy. “How long has it been since the locks were changed on this building?”

Lanie’s green eyes went blank. “I don’t know. Maybe never.”

“So you don’t know who might have keys?”

“I would assume no one, except Kathryn, Allison, and me.”

“So you know for sure that your grandmother never gave a set to an employee? You never gave keys to anyone while you were renovating?”

“Well.” She wrinkled her brow. “I got them back and I have a security system.”

“Which means nothing if someone has a key and a code. Before I can sign a lease, you’d have to agree to install commercial locks with non-reproducible keys on all the doors. And I’ll go ahead and tell you that’s a deal breaker.” It would be expensive but for what she was charging she ought to be able to afford it. She certainly hadn’t minded spending a fortune on custom closet systems and a whirlpool tub.

She looked at him without blinking. It was Luke’s business to read people and he was rarely wrong. Unless this was one of those rare times, she was trying to decide if the locks really needed to be changed or if he was trying to make her do something because he said so. And she was trying to decide if he was worth the effort for the rent.

He needed out of that farmhouse.

“Look,” he said. “I want this apartment but I won’t rent it unless you do this. I’ve made enemies in the courtroom as a DA and more since I’ve been on the bench. I have to make sure my child is safe.”

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “All right. Yes. I’ll call someone tomorrow.”

“Good. Let’s go down to your office. We’ll work out the other details and I’ll write you a check.” A few phone calls, a check, and he had a place to live where he could start fresh. Maybe.

“I’ll make us an espresso,” Lanie offered as she made her way toward the stairwell.

“Lanie, did Lucy decorate your shop?” He would need someone to put together some rugs and furniture for him and maybe make Emma’s room look more little girl-like but if Lucy Mead had decorated that shop, it wasn’t going to be her.

Lanie looked over her shoulder and beamed at him. “No. I did it all by myself — well, the design. I didn’t actually do the painting. I wanted it to be magic. When people walk in my shop, I want them to think of Easter baskets, Christmas candy, Candy Land, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day. Did you notice the chocolate stars on the ceiling?” She waved her hands excitedly. “My great-grandmother started the business making chocolate stars in her kitchen and they’re our trademark. That’s why I put them on the ceiling — so they can smile down on everyone. I thought of outlining them in silver glitter so they would show up better, but I decided it would be best if they look like they really do. Don’t you think that was better?”

“Oh, yes.” And he did agree. Glitter never improved anything.

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