A soft knock almost makes me drop the pregnancy test. I place the thing on my vanity and open the door.
“I’m waiting for the results,” I tell Michael as I resume pacing across my small bathroom.
He hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Why is there a hole in that wall?”
I almost ask which one, but then I see where he’s pointing. “There’s a curtain in front of the hole. Why did you move the curtain?”
“I was wondering why there was a random curtain in the hallway.”
I put my hands on my hips. “I got overly ambitious, okay? I wanted an extra light fixture because this hallway is kinda dark, especially at night. Only there’s no outlet. So I thought I’d add one. Except by the time I punched out that hole, I realized I probably shouldn’t be doing anything electrical. Because, you know, death.”
“So, uh, do you have a lot of little projects like that around the house?”
He has no idea. It was dark when we got home, so he can’t tell this place is a giant mess. “A few here and there,” I say slowly.
His lips fold as he looks away. At first I think he’s upset, but then his shoulders shake.
I poke his chest. “Are you laughing at me?”
His face goes blank, but his shoulders keep going. “Not laughing. No. Definitely not.”
After a minute, I sigh. “I guess I am a little ridiculous.”
“The last thing you are is ridiculous. Maybe ridiculously beautiful? Or ridiculously clever? Or ridiculously hot?”
I smile up at him. “You can be charming when you want to be.”
His eyes drop to my lips, but the back door slams shut, and he frowns. “Is someone here?”
“Probably Felipe.”
“Felipe?”
“My Airbnb rental guy.”
“He’s renting a room from you?”
“That’s how Airbnbs work.” I stick my head in the hallway, and there’s Felipe. “Hey! Did you need the bathroom?”
“If you don’t mind. Please and thank you.” He folds his hands before him and does a little bow.
I stick the pregnancy test in my pocket, grab Michael, and tug him out to the living room.
“Seriously, Maggie, who was that?” he asks when we’re alone.
“Felipe. He’s an exchange student who’s renting my casita.”
“You’re living with a complete stranger?”
“No. He’s living in my casita. I told you already.”
“I’m really fucking confused right now.” He drops down onto the couch and places his head in his hands.
“There’s a nice-sized shed in the backyard that I converted into a casita.” When he doesn’t say anything, I try to explain. “It’s a real estate thing. It has a bed, small kitchen, and TV. A window unit for air conditioning. Nothing fancy. But my friend Charlotte took these amazing photos of the place, which helps me maintain a good occupancy rate. There’s an issue with the bathroom right now, and my plumber can’t get here until Monday, so Felipe has to use the toilet in the house. Anyway, it helps me pay the bills.”
When Sienna lived with me, I used her rent to pay for that shed. I watched the contractor do everything so fast, it made me feel a bit too ambitious, like I could do more repairs myself instead of hiring people to do them.
Let’s just say I’ve overestimated my abilities.
