Free Landlady: A New Adult Romance (Northbridge Nights Book 1) by Jackie Wang Page B

invite me to join them, and I didn't want to impose, so I
said, “I think I'll go grab a bagel. Catch you guys later.”
    Then I disappeared to go find Terri and Mike.
    This was going to be one long fucking weekend.
    When I found the lovebirds, they were sharing a smoothie by the snack
bar.
    “Mind if I join?” I asked, setting down my coffee and bagel.
    “What's the matter, the others didn't want you?” Mike teased.
    “Ha. Ha.” I gestured to my food. “I was hungry.”
    Terri asked, “What's the deal between you and Sierra? You looked
like you'd seen a ghost.”
    “Nothing. I was just surprised that's all.”
    “How come you never mentioned you had a landlady living downstairs?
She seems too young to be a homeowner,” Mike said. “What is she,
like twenty?”
    I suddenly realized I didn't even know. I shrugged. “She just moved
in last weekend. Her grandmother, my previous landlady, passed away
and left her the house.”
    “Why'd she move in with you? Couldn't she live somewhere else?”
Mike continued. “It's not like you need a roomie to afford rent.”
    I swallowed my coffee. “I was the one who suggested it, actually.
She had nowhere else to go, and the basement was vacant.”
    A bemused smile lit up Terri's face. “Is there something you're not
telling us?”
    I was never one to kiss and tell so I just shrugged again. “She's
not interested in me if that's what you mean.”
    As if it wasn't obvious from the fact that she was on this trip with
Cam.
    Mike studied me. “Are you... jealous? Of Cam?”
    “No! Of course not,” I lied, biting into my bagel so they
couldn't see how nervous I felt.
    “You've got the hots for Cam's girl,” Mike said.
    “This weekend's going to be very interesting,” Terri remarked,
tearing into her muffin. “I can't wait to see how this plays out.”
    “Nothing is going to happen,” I reassured both of them. “Trust
me.”

CHAPTER 10
    SIERRA
    ASHER MORGAN WAS FRIENDS with Cameron? Could the Fates be any more
twisted? Not only that, but he'd actually invited me to the same
event. An invitation I turned down because Cam had approached me
first.
    Had I known they were both referring to the same beer fest...Well,
even if that were the case, I might've picked Cam over Asher.
    Maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to give the hotshot
lawyer a taste of his own medicine. He made me feel like shit when I
discovered he'd been engaged. Real or not, he'd had feelings for that
girl and never even mentioned her. Not that he was obligated to, but
still.
    My turn to play.
    Even though Cameron and I were just acquaintances, I could tell by
the look on Asher's face he thought we were more serious than that.
    Let him think that. Someone had to bring him down a few pegs.
    I stared out at the frothy bay waters, churned into a frenzy by the
ferry's massive propellers. According to the online forecast, it
would be a gorgeous weekend: sunshine and high seventies. I'd have
fun and let loose. Enjoy myself for once. It'd be even more fun to
flaunt my happiness in front of Asher, the only one who didn't bring
a date. A few minutes ago I’d been terrified to see Asher. But now,
I realized it couldn't have worked out better.
    “So how long have ye known Asher?” Cameron asked in that sexy
accent of his. He didn't look at me. His hands were gripping the
railings hard.
    Was he worried?
    “I just met him last week actually. I inherited my grandma's house,
and she didn't tell me she'd rented it out to Asher. We had a few
misunderstandings, but I needed a place to stay so I moved into the
basement.”
    “Hmm.” Cameron looked thoughtful, his thick eyebrows knit
together.
    “What are you thinking about?”
    “Nothin',” Cameron murmured. “Just enjoying the beautiful view.
With a beautiful woman.”
    I smiled. “Well, aren't you lucky? You'll have all weekend to enjoy
this beautiful woman.”
    My words came out all wrong, and I blushed something fierce. “I
mean, to enjoy looking at