Grind Pepper

Julia's best friend adds a little color.

 

            'Jacob Slater asked you to move in with him.’ Julia nodded. ‘And you said you’d think about it.’ Julia nodded again. ‘Are you crazy?’

            ‘I know. Moving in with my boss who’s practically a stranger doesn’t seem like a sane choice.’

            ‘I’ll repeat it. Are you crazy? If it were me, I’d be in his living room right now, sipping Chardonnay.’

            ‘You’re the worst, Carl.’ Julia said, setting the tray of cookies down on her kitchen table. Julia picked one up and bit into it. ‘Besides, it’d be perfectly platonic. It’s for safety purposes, against divasdude94.’

            Carla snorted. ‘Right, a hot guy asks a hot girl to move into his bachelor pad with him, so it’s obviously for safety reasons.’ She said, drawing exaggerated quotation marks in the air. Julia laughed and sat down across from her friend. ‘That’s rich. I couldn’t write this stuff if I tried.’

            ‘Sure you could. The Proud and the Predatory has had more extravagant storylines than that,’ Julia argued, naming the soap opera that Carl wrote for. ‘And it’s not going develop into a romantic plotline. I already know you’re thinking it.’

            ‘But you’re going to move in right? And I’m not just thinking of your less than prolific love life, honey.’ Carl took Julia’s hand. ‘Jules, this guy, this situation – it’s really freaking me out. It's freaking you out, too. You’re trying to act like it’s not, but I’ve known you too long to take that. If Jacob Slater wants you to move in with him for your own safety, then I think you should.’

            ‘Well, then.’ Julia said. ‘I guess you’re going to have to help me pack.’

 

 

 

 

            If a few weeks ago, someone who have told her that she would be moving into a huge house with a gorgeous and infuriating man, she would never had believed it. Yet there she was, loading her luggage into the trunk of the car that same infuriating man had sent, with assistance from her doorman.

            ‘You’re moving in with this fellow already? Never even seen him before.’

            ‘He’s my boss, Ham. I’ve known him for more than a year.’

            ‘And now you’re moving in with him. That part of the job description?’ The corner of her lip twitched.

            ‘Not exactly,’ she replied, pressing her lips to Ham’s leathery cheek. ‘Thanks for taking care of me all this time.’

            His face flushed pink, and when he spoke, his voice was slightly gruffer than usual. ‘Just because you’re moving out doesn’t mean I’ll stop looking out for you. You know you’re welcome for dinner with Cheryl and I whenever it suits you. Just give us a call.’

            ‘I definitely will, and I’ll bring that chicken pot pie you love so much.’ She sighed, glanced up at the building. ‘I’ll see you.’

            She climbed into the car and stared at the building until it faded from view.

Author's Note

Review please. The romance is coming -- it's gotta simmer before it can boil!

Reviews

[Jules]

woot woot i loving this so far go jules wow that sounds strange :S cos its my name :D i like carla she makes me laugh and you are so right romance has to simmer before it can boil also i forgot to mention you have encorparated my other favourite subject FOOD yum :D