I knew it was only a matter of time before Lila brought up my interaction with Aria. She never let things slide for long. Right now, she was sprawled across my lap, scrolling through my phone, flipping through the pictures like she was searching for evidence I didn’t even know existed.

“Babe, are we still going to the cinema today?” she asked, her lips puckered in that playful way she knew I usually couldn’t resist.

I brushed her long hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I’ve got class at six, baby. By the time I’m done, the movie will be over. But you could still go without me. We’ll make it a date some other time.”

Her face fell, disappointment shadowing her expression. “Fine. I’ll go with Tina then.”

I nodded absently, my eyes drifting across to where Aria sat at the far end with Maya, giggling at something her friend had just said. There was something about her laughter, it rang too bright, too carefree for someone who looked so out of place in a small town like Willow Creek. She didn’t fit here. From the way she carried herself, the kind of clothes she wore, you could tell she was running from something bigger than all of us.

And then she turned. For a fleeting moment, our eyes locked. A spark. A dare. I smirked and winked at her.

She scowled instantly and looked away, pretending I didn’t exist. That made me chuckle under my breath.

Lila cleared her throat loudly, snapping me back. Oh, here it comes.

“Who’s that girl you’ve been staring at?” she asked, her voice sharp. “I saw you talk to her when you walked in.”

Leaning back against the seat, I slid my arm behind my head like I didn’t have a care in the world. “Don’t know her that well. She just moved into the neighborhood.”

“When?” Lila pressed, picking at her nails, a nervous tic she always did when she was spiraling toward annoyance.

“Last night,” I replied casually. “She’s in the apartment beside mine.” I reached over, catching her hand before she tore at the fresh manicure she’d gotten. “Don’t ruin them, Lila. You just had these done.”

She pulled away quickly, her eyes narrowing. “So she just got in last night, and you’re already cozy with her? I saw the way she was looking at you. Like she wanted to eat you alive.”

I groaned, raking my hand through my hair. “I kinda have that effect on people, especially girls. You know that.”

Her glare sharpened. “Don’t give me that crap, Jace. Did you tell her you have a girlfriend?”

“I’m sure she’s figured that out by now,” I muttered, leaning closer and catching her hand again, trying to soften her mood.

“If this is about the movie night, Lila. I’ll make it up to you, okay? Don’t get worked up over nothing.”

She hesitated, then finally nodded, though I could tell she wasn’t fully convinced. Across, Aria and Maya stood, pushing back their chairs. As they hurried out, Aria’s gaze flicked in our direction, just for a second. Enough to leave a quick burn in my chest before she turned away.

She’s pretty. More than pretty. But feisty. And definitely trouble.

I shoved the thought down and forced myself back into the conversation. “Sophie’s been asking about you. You planning to drop by?”

“Yeah,” Lila said, handing me back my phone. “I’ll wait for you there. When you’re done with class, you can pick me up. I’ll spend the night at your place.”

That surprised me. Lila rarely stayed over at mine. Too cramped, she always complained. She preferred me at her place, where everything was bigger, cleaner, easier. If she suddenly wanted to stay at mine tonight, I knew exactly why, Aria.

“Alright. I’ll pick you up at the diner,” I said just as my phone buzzed again. The landlord. Perfect timing.

I stepped away to answer, not wanting to discuss money in front of Lila. “Hello?”

“The new tenant called to complain about the radiator,” he barked, his voice thick with irritation. “She says it’s a health hazard. Threatened to file a report if I don’t fix it.”

I rubbed my forehead, already guessing where this was going. “That radiator’s been like that forever. The building’s older than me. She’s wasting her breath.”

“Be that as it may, I don’t need inspectors sniffing around,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. Of course. “So what does this have to do with me?”

“I want you to take a look at it. Right now.”

I laughed dryly. “I’m a mechanic. Cars, engines, bikes. Not radiators.”

“Engines are engines. I’m not wasting three hundred bucks on some professional.”

I smirked, sensing my opening. “What’s in it for me?”

A pause, then, “I’ll knock twenty percent off your rent.”

“Fifty,” I countered immediately.

“Thirty-five. Final offer. And hurry.”

“Deal.” I hung up, slipped my phone in my pocket, and turned back to Lila. Planting a kiss on her lips, I said, “I’ll see you later, babe. Gotta run an errand.”

Helmet in hand, I headed out, the bike roaring to life beneath me.

———————————————

By the time I pulled up at the apartment complex, the landlord was already outside, tapping his foot impatiently.

“Took you long enough,” he muttered. He shoved a jangling bunch of keys at me. “Just fix it. I don’t want inspectors crawling over this place.”

I climbed the creaky stairs, careful to avoid the weak spots. My apartment was hot and stuffy, but I didn’t linger. After grabbing my toolbox and taking a quick swig of water, I crossed the hall to her door.

The keys rattled one after another before the lock finally clicked open.

I stepped inside and froze.

The place was chaos. Clothes everywhere. Piled on the floor. Draped over the bed. Even on the window ledge. A tornado couldn’t have done worse. The last tenant’s mess, untouched.

I sighed, shaking my head. Out of habit, I started picking up pieces and tossing them back into the open trunk at the foot of the bed. These weren’t just clothes, they were expensive. Bougie. The kind of stuff people in Willow Creek couldn’t dream of affording.

So what the hell was she doing here?

Heat pressed in on me, suffocating. I crouched in front of the radiator, sweat dripping down my back. The damn thing was working overtime. I stripped off my shirt and got to work, wrench in hand.

It took a while before I spotted the issue. Something old and rusty jammed in the fan, grinding against the blades. A hazard, yeah, but nothing I couldn’t fix.

I leaned back, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand. This place was a disaster. How was she going to survive here?

That’s when the door swung open.

A high pitched scream cut through the air.

I turned, startled, to find Aria and Maya standing in the doorway. Aria’s eyes were wide, her mouth forming a perfect “O” as she stared at me, shirtless, tools in hand, in the middle of her wrecked apartment.

“What the hell are you doing in my apartment?” she demanded.