Chapter 27: Landlord Wars: Chapter 27

Sophia

Between Max’s trying to help his parents put out the fire around their lost fortune and my preparing for ownership of Green Aesthetic, days went by when I hardly saw him. He caught me twice for lunch, bringing a bento box one day and a carne asada burrito the next. The rest of the time, either I worked late, or he was over at his parents’ place, going over the details on how to publicly address the financial debacle.

Max’s questioning me about the leaked information had bothered me, but he’d been so remorseful afterward, I’d let it slide. Max wasn’t the cold person he presented to the world. He was warm and caring, and I was trying to not read too much into it.

The Friday before the ball, I called him while I put away clean clothes in my closet. “How are your parents doing?”

“Nervous. They’re waiting until after the ball to give a formal response. They won’t admit it, but I can tell my parents are deeply ashamed and considering moving to another country.”

“Seriously?”

“No, but the idea has been tossed around halfheartedly.”

I sank onto the carpet of my small walk-in and rested a stack of hangers on my lap. “I’m sorry, Max.” His parents didn’t have the struggles other people did, but for them, this was big. “How about you? Are you okay?”

The investment hadn’t been Max’s, but from what I could tell, being a Burrows meant he shared his parents’ reputation.

“Investors for Cityscape are getting cold feet, but what’s worse is there are rumors suggesting the project’s funding is coming from the Burrows family coffers, which isn’t the case. However, because of those rumors, the county has put the project on hold until I can prove otherwise.”

“What?” I shoved the dresser drawer inside my closet closed a little too hard. “They’re preventing a project that will actually help San Francisco?”

“It would seem so,” he said.

“That’s crap! How can they do that?”

He let out a deep sigh. “The decision is somewhat unprecedented, but the news surrounding my parents isn’t giving government officials confidence in my company.”

“What can be done?”

“Only time and a lot of legwork will prove that Cityscape is well funded. And time is what we don’t have. Not if we want to remain on schedule and within budget.”

“So, Cityscape could fall apart?”

He let out a sound of frustration. “I hope not. I’m reaching out to every contact I have to get the county to reconsider. But enough about this,” he said, changing the subject. “I believe I sent you on an errand last night. Did you find something to wear to the ball?”

Max had sent me on a dress-finding mission with Jack. “Jack is a surprisingly good shopping buddy. He waited patiently while I tried on about twenty dresses. Not much commentary from his end unless he liked something. Then his eyes lit up.”

I suspected Max had done more than send me with Jack. The dressmaker Jack had taken me to was extra fancy, and there were no price tags! As soon as I touched the fabric of the first dress, I’d started to sweat. It was silk and very heavy. I’d nearly walked right out the door, certain I couldn’t afford anything. But Jack had talked me into trying on a few.

Max grumbled, “I would have rather gone with you myself. This situation with my parents can’t be over soon enough. Aside from dealing with the city’s cold feet, I’ve spent most of my days talking my parents off a cliff.”

“You’re being a supportive son,” I said. “And that’s what matters.”

“I’ll tell them you think so. So far, they’re not impressed and still believe I should do more.”

I chewed the corner of my lip and hung a work dress on the rack. I’d finally put the clothes that were too large into a donation bag. “Do your parents know? About us?”

There was a pause. Long enough to indicate what was to come. “I plan to introduce you as my girlfriend at the ball.”

So he hadn’t said anything.

Just what every rich momma wanted—to publicly learn their son was spending time with the riffraff. “Is that a good idea? Your mom thinks I’m her plant lady.”

“This is all the notice she’s ever received regarding my love life. She’ll have to deal with the idea of us together, because I’m holding on to you for as long as you’ll have me.”

I smiled into the phone. “You’re pretty tough to put up with.”

His voice lowered. “But I haven’t shown you all of my charms. Give me a night or two, and you’ll be convinced.” More grumbling on his end. “Those articles ruined my plans.”

“Plans?” I asked.

“To convince you I’m a good guy and to let me stick around.”

I laughed softly. “I’m seeing a bit of that. You scored points with the carne asada burrito this week. That thing was amazing.” Max was probably the only rich guy who bought his girlfriend lunch from a taco truck. “Speaking of all you’ve done, I really want to pay you for the dress. The shop lady said the cost had been covered, along with the shoes.”

Flutters of panic rose in my chest when I thought about the cost of that outfit with no price tags, but I wasn’t about to go into the lion’s den of a ball unarmed, even if it took me a year to pay off.

“It’s my treat,” he said, “so don’t spoil it for me.”

I twisted my mouth, uncertain. It was strange having a man pay for something other than dinner, but I supposed couples did nice things for each other. And anyway, two could play this game.

“Well, I have a treat for you too. My phone call wasn’t only to check in. I also wanted to see if you have time to meet me on the rooftop.” I pulled the cell phone from my ear and checked the time. It was after ten p.m., but I wanted to support Max and make him smile.

“I always have time for you.”

“You ditched me the day the article came out.” Not that I held it against him, but I liked to rile him up.

He made a low growl. “My parents need to put out their own damn fires. I have a girlfriend to take care of.”

“Damn straight. Meet me up there in ten minutes?”

Max

I climbed the steps to the open rooftop, and the scent of fall and slightly damp air hit me. The night was cool but not too cold, with no rain on the horizon, only typical San Francisco fog. I had no idea what to expect after Sophia suggested we meet here.

But it wasn’t this.

The heat lamps were turned on, and there were strings of white lights above lush plants in varying shades of green and red, some with wide, palm-sized leaves, and others with spiky foliage. The rooftop had been nice before, but it looked like an oasis now.

I spotted Sophia at the center of it on the two-person chaise I’d tacked on at the last minute while ordering outdoor furniture. I’d spent little time here since the remodel a few months ago, and now I was patting myself on the back for my amazing forethought.

A two-person chaise was exactly what I needed right now.

My heart sped up as I slowly made my way across the roof patio to the beautiful woman wearing what looked to be soft baby-blue lounge pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt. “You did all this?”

She shrugged slightly. “Not physically. I had help from the shop installers, but I designed it.”

I spun in a slow circle and shook my head, amazed. There were a few flowering plants and others I’d expect to keel over in the sometimes-cool San Francisco climate. Nothing I knew the names of, but the assortment and arrangement brought life to the space. “It’s incredible.”

Sophia patted the spot beside her, not that I needed an invitation. That spot had my name written all over it.

I’d been thinking far too much about Sophia and the interruptions preventing us from having alone time, first from her sister and now my parents. And here, it only took my incredibly smart and talented girlfriend to find the one place no one would look for us.

I eased onto the lounge beside her and nodded at the short tumbler in her hand. “Nightcap?”

She handed the glass to me and reached for another I hadn’t seen resting on the table. “Victor gave me this fancy bottle of whiskey or scotch—not sure which—when I signed the contract this week.”

She mentioned the name of the maker, and I said, “Whiskey. And not cheap.”

Sophia clinked her glass to mine. “To Victor and his good taste.”

I glanced pointedly at the plants. “To what do I owe the surprise?”

She waggled her head. “You’ve been stressed, and I wanted to do something nice for you. And don’t look at it as repayment for the dress. I planned this long before.”

I typically took care of others, and I suspected Sophia and I shared that in common, which made this gesture extra special for me.

My breathing increased and a burning sensation tightened my throat. I slowly set my glass aside, leaned over, and kissed her softly. “Thank you. No one has ever done something this nice for me before.”

Her expression showed surprise and a little confusion. “Never?”

I shook my head.

“I wasn’t entirely altruistic.” Her mouth pulled into a sneaky smile. “I might have also used it as an excuse to bring greenery up here.”

“Of course,” I said and slid my hand around her waist, pulling her closer and kissing her neck. God, I needed this. Being with Sophia took the weight of the world away. “You’ve made it so nice that this will be the place everyone wants to go. Though I think a few of the plants are going to die.”

She half rose and looked over my shoulder a little too aggressively. “What? Where?”

I tugged her back down. “Those plants with the thick leaves.” I pointed them out.

“You mean the succulents?” She crossed her arms, blocking all the best bits, but I continued to hug her anyway. “Ye of so little faith. You think I don’t know which plants will survive here?”

“I would never think such a thing.” After the other day and my mistrust rearing its ugly head the moment my parents’ financials hit the streets, I wasn’t making the same mistake twice. A man could learn. “You are right, and I am wrong. I will recompense in the form of chocolate.”

She harrumphed. “You may know real estate, but I know plant state.”

“Plant state?”

She uncrossed her arms and folded them behind her head. “In fact, it’s so nice now that there is greenery, I wouldn’t mind living here. These heat lamps are ingenious.”

I rolled my gaze over her face and down her body. “We could make it even warmer.” I gave her a suggestive smile.