This was all so stressful. I couldn’t make up my mind the best thing to do. I wanted to get my own place, but I also needed to be smart. Not jump the gun and make a mistake. Duely wasn’t rushing me out of here. I just needed to get settled somewhere soon.

A knock on the apartment door snapped me out of my internal debate, and although I wasn’t expecting someone, I was glad for the interruption. It was likely one of Duely’s friends seeing if he was up here. That or Duely had sent me something to eat from the bar. I put down my new iPad, also given to me by Barney, on the chair beside me then stood up and stepped over my circle of notes and papers to check the peep hole. I was hungry, and although the bar food wasn’t that great, I hoped that Duely had sent some up. Standing on my tip toes, I moved the small metal flap covering the peeop hole over and checked to see who was out there. It wasn’t food.

It was Rathe.

I dropped back down to the heels of my feet and sighed in defeat. I couldn’t seem to get any distance from this man. I didn’t have to open the door. I shouldn’t open the door. I knew I was going to open the door.

Why would he be here? Why would Duely have let him in the back? Why hadn’t he just called or texted? Why couldn’t he just listen to my plea for time away from him? Stubborn man.

“Open the door, Catalina,” he called from the other side of the door.

I stuck my tongue out at the closed door. I had work to do and decisions to make. I didn’t have time for him. All of that was reason to walk away from this door and not open it. If I was stronger, I would do just that.

But he wanted to be my friend and he had been a good one so far. I couldn’t deny that. Just because I kept having all these pangs and emotions where he was concerned, it wasn’t his fault. His showing up all the time and reminding me of his existence was a struggle I would have to get over. It didn’t seem like he was going to listen to my request for space.

“Catalina, please,” he said this with more of a urgency to his voice than his earlier demanding one.

Fine. You win Rathe. I give up.

I reached for the door knob and unlocked it then turned it, taking a deep breath before opening it up to him. “Hey,” I said not moving to let him inside. I could at least see if he’d say what he wanted then leave.