“I really like it.” Nodding, the fae glanced around the huge living room and wiggled her eyebrows. “Did you check out the other bedroom?”
“Pshh. A bedroom’s a bedroom. They’re all the same.”
“Because what you’re really into is that little private loft up there that I can’t get to, huh?”
They shared a laugh, and Cheyenne smirked up at the private loft. “It’d be like giving Glen her own bedroom. I’m pretty sure my desk would fit up there too. Doesn’t matter that it’s up so high. The AC in this place would take care of the extra heat, no problem.”
“If they had any more apartments left like this one.”
“I’m not worried about it.” Cheyenne stepped closer to her friend and leaned sideways to mutter, “She thinks I work for you.”
“Are you serious?” Ember’s mouth dropped open through her smile.
“She called you my employer.”
“Oh, my God. And you didn’t tell her that’s not what’s going on?”
The halfling pursed her lips, trying to keep another grin at bay. “Not yet.”
“Jesus, Cheyenne. If anything, you’re the one paying me.”
“Ha. No. I’m renting us a new apartment. Don’t expect an allowance or anything.”
Ember threw her head back and cackled. The sound echoed jarringly through the apartment, and she covered her mouth with her hand. “This is crazy. You think we found the right one?”
“If you do.”
“And you’re sure that’s… I mean, the rent on this place has to be six months of what I’m paying right now. That’s cool?”
The halfling took a step back, folded her arms, and mocked the pinched, sour expression Caroline had given her. “I wasn’t just throwing around the phrase ‘inheritance’ for no reason, Ms. Gaderow.”
“You’re right. I can’t tell you what to do with it.”
“Can’t tell me what not to do with it, either.” Cheyenne laughed. “This is the place we need. And no carpet. You rolled down to that master bedroom pretty damn fast, by the way. Spend a week in here, and you’ll be faster than me.”
Ember held up three fingers. “Three days, halfling. That’s all I need to kick your ass into the—”
“Thank you for your patience, Ms. Gaderow.” Caroline stepped through the open door, slipping her phone back into the pocket of her blazer. Her eyes were narrowed behind the green cat-eye frames. “Did you have a chance to think about the unit?”
“Yes, thank you.” Ember grinned at the woman. “I really like it.”
“Wonderful. Should we go take a look at the available units and schedule a convenient move-in date for you?”
“Absolutely.” Ember lifted a finger into the air and wiggled it. “Come along, Cheyenne.”
The halfling almost lost it right there, but she swallowed another laugh and grabbed the wheelchair’s handles to push her friend toward the front door. Okay, she caught on fast.
Caroline waited for them to exit the apartment, then she closed the door behind her and locked it again. “I have no doubt we’ll find the perfect unit for you, Ms. Gaderow.”
“Oh, no doubt,” Cheyenne replied in a lilting tone.
The woman ignored her and led them back down the hall toward the elevator. “As soon as we get back to the Guest Center, I’ll pull up the available units so you can look at your options. The process is very quick and simple. You’ll be moving into your new home in no time at all.”
This time, when the elevator doors opened, Cheyenne turned the wheelchair around and pulled Ember backward. Ember clasped her hands in her lap and smiled sweetly up at their guide. “You had me sold at hardwood floors, Caroline.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Caroline left them in a private conference room in the Guest Center while she went to gather the paperwork for a new lease. Ember wheeled herself back from the table and scowled at it. “Didn’t realize how high they made these things.”
“We’ll get you a lower table. Lower everything, if you want.”
“That’s a lot of work.”
Cheyenne folded her arms, spinning back and forth in one of the black leather executive desk chairs around the table. “Not really. You just kind of point and click, and then someone else does the rest.”
“Oh, yeah? You do a lot of online shopping?”
“Nope. But I’m sure I know someone who could take the lead on that one.”
“Ha, ha.” Ember shook her head, then froze. “Actually, we would still need somebody to handle all the moving and packing, right? And I’m not sticking a couch with a magically charred hole in it inside an apartment like that. Someone’s gotta take care of making that place feel like we wanna live there, right?”
“Like you said, Em. I don’t even have any furniture at my place. All this stuff is way over my head.”
“Okay, I know what you’re doing, and I appreciate it, but you can stop the whole clueless act.” Ember laughed. “If you want me to do all that while you run around Richmond blowing up ogres and rescuing kidnapped kids, just say it.”
Cheyenne spread her arms. “Doesn’t matter what I want. If you’re into it, I’m not gonna stop you.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Thank you.”
The conference room door opened swiftly, and in came Caroline with a thin stack of papers and two shiny, expensive-looking pens.
“Here we are, Ms. Gaderow. I’ll need you to fill out all the information here. Your name, of course. Personal contact information, et cetera. Then you’ll sign here and here, and this is where you provide your banking information. Account number and routing number. We use automatic withdrawal on the first of every month.” After flipping through the paperwork, the woman sat on the other side of Ember and nodded. “We’ll need the amount of two months’ rent paid in full before you move in, plus an additional security deposit equal to half the monthly rental fee. Does that work for you?”
Ember placed her hand on the thin stack of papers and raised her eyebrows. “I guess so.”
“Very good. Will you be paying by personal check, today, or… Oh! No, no.
