He wiped his palms on his trousers. “I’d help you with the rest of your stuff, but I’ve really got to run now. I’m actually quite late.”
“Thank you for your help. I don’t think we could have done it without you.”
“Sure you could have, you seem like a resourceful girl.” He winked. “It was a pleasure.”
“Oh, it was far from pleasant,” I retorted, stopping at the doorway and leaning against the frame trying my best not to think about the bed and bookshelf still in the van downstairs.
“Hmm... If you say so.” He backed away toward the lift, looking smug while at it. “I hope to see you around, Red Cheeks.”
I hoped to be looking decent for once when I’d be seeing him around, but I didn’t say anything when the lift doors opened on our floor and he stepped in. I did give a little girlish wave as the doors closed, taking him away. Then I shook my head, dropped my hand and reprimanded myself. Because really? What the bloody hell was that?
Way to make a good impression, Haylee. Oh, it was disastrous.
Glen came to stand next to me, peeking into the empty corridor. “So, Hallie, who was the hottie?”
I cringed. “Hottie? Didn’t we grow out of that word after highschool? It sounds... I don’t know, lame. And I don’t really know his name, I’ve been calling him Mr Umbrella.”
Glen snorted. Honestly, it sounded absurd when I said it out loud.
“He lent me his umbrella.” I shrugged defensively. “It made sense when I came up with it.”
“Well, this Mr Umbrella fancies you,” Glen announced with a wide grin, pulling me into the flat and closing the door behind us.
I was too exhausted to complain about stopping our moving activities, but I had enough energy to deny her suggestion. “He does not!”
Glen threw a look my way. You know the one that says, ‘Girl, you’re blind or joking or just better believe me on this; you have no idea what you’re saying.’ I did know, though. Nobody in their right mind would fancy me after the three embarrassing encounters we’d had.
“He carried your mattress up twelve flights of stairs,” Glen insisted. “He is into you.”
Right, I didn’t know how to explain that away, but I wasn’t ready to give in just yet. “I bet that’s just a regular Saturday for him.”
Glen shook her head. “He gave you a nickname.”
I rolled my eyes. That damned nickname. “He probably walks around naming girls left and right. He seems like the type.”
“What type?”
“The type to nickname everyone,” I groaned. “The type to flirt and sleep around.”
Okay, I sounded bitter about it. Jealous at the mere thought of it. It was unlike me to make conclusions out of first impressions, but his confidence had to have come from somewhere. More often than not experience was involved in that. He’d had a fair share of girls falling for that devilish smirk and burning stare. I was certain of it. It would be smart of me to stay away, because I was not looking for a player even if they played a perfect gentleman.
“Red cheeks sounds cute, though.” Glen had stopped by the bathroom door, ready to tear her clothes off. We were clearly done carrying things upstairs.
“God, don’t mention it.”
“He is quite good-looking, too.”
I snorted. “He is outright gorgeous is what you mean.”
Glen screeched in delight. “So you do like him!”
I pushed her into the bathroom. “Go take a shower, so I can go take a shower after you. I feel nasty.”
“Not before you admit it, Hallie!”
“I do not like him,” I crumbled.
Glen crossed her arms on her chest.“Hallie!”
