“Oh my god.” She gasped, looking genuinely contrite. “How could I forget to ask? How’s your stunner? Is he still giving you the runaround?” I could tell she was worried about me. Probably because she’d never seen me actually thinking about anything or anyone in the romance department for more than a second, and I was now closing in on fifteen months of pining for Patrice Denis.

“Nope, we’re just friends, and I wasn’t just thinking about that,” I said as I started grabbing folders from the mountain of shit I had piled over my desk.

“Easton.”

I sighed and looked up at Cindy, annoyed at myself for wanting to talk about this when I’d told Patrice that I was done with lusting after him.

“It’s stupid, okay? He said he’s a better friend than a lover and since we’ll be neighbors—”

“Wait. Neighbors?” She tipped her head to the side, confused. “When did that happen?”

I looked up, because this was another new symptom of my Patrice “ailment.” Everything felt monumental, like it needed to be dissected and analyzed and it was fucking exhausting.

“I saw him at Nesto and Jude’s last week and he mentioned he was having trouble with the place he rented, so I let him know I had two units at 611 Cayuga. He came to see the place with two bedrooms, he liked it and he’s moving in a couple of days.”

Cindy was shaking her head, a big grin on her face.

I held up my hand, annoyed. “Why does everyone think I’m a manipulative asshole who only does shit to further my getting laid agenda?”

She balked at that. “I never said that.”

“You’re right, you didn’t. I don’t know.” I sagged. “He’s a nice guy and this job is a big deal for him. You should’ve seen his face when he told me he still couldn’t believe that he could afford the rent. Like it was the most amazing thing in the world for him to be able to live in that apartment. He doesn’t want drama, Cindy. He wants to do his job, which he worked his ass off to get, and enjoy this new place, without his landlord trying to get into his bed.”

Cindy was now fully in Mama Bear mode and I was about to crawl out of my skin.

“Easton. Why do you put yourself down like that? I get that he’s not looking to get involved, but you’re not drama. You’re not some guy. You are a good man. If he can’t see it then that’s one thing, but anyone would be lucky to have you.”