and I will talk about this; then weâll be in touch.â Chris took Tiaâs hand and started for the door. âThank you for showing us the apartment.â
The woman followed them out. âWhy donât you take an application with you? That way when you come back, youâll be all set.â
He shook his head. âNo. Iâm fine. Thank you.â
They headed down the stairs and made their way out of the building. At her car, Tia turned to Chris and touched his arm. âWhat do you think?â
âNot for me.â
âWhy? It looks pretty nice and clean.â
âI donât like the way that woman treated you,â Chris stated.
Tia shrugged, wanting to give Chris the impression that it didnât bother her. âItâs not my business. I wonât be living here. You will.â
âIt matters to me.â Chris touched her hand and squeezed it. âWeâre together a lot with work and youâre helping me get used to Detroit. I wonât have anyone treat you that way.â He cupped her elbow and steered her away. âLetâs go.â
Surprised, Tia followed him out of the building. That was interesting, she thought. Chris had taken her feelings into consideration. She hadnât expected him to care. Tia hit the car remote and smiled. It gave her a warm feeling to think that he cared about her feelings.
4
Tia glanced at her watch and picked up her pace. Iâm late! Iâm late! Man, this has been one crazy day. She hurried into her town house and dropped her portfolio and purse on the sofa before continuing to her bedroom. Tia stripped off her clothes and then ran into the bathroom, turning on the shower. If her luck held out, sheâd be able to let the water hit her for a few minutes before Darnell arrived.
When Tia had left home that morning, she had fully intended to be home by four so that sheâd be dressed and waiting for Darnell to arrive for Eminemâs concert tonight. A rap concert after a day of work didnât appeal to Tiaâs sense of fun. But since she had been so involved with school and work for the past year, she wanted a few nights with Darnell that focused exclusively on them.
However, apartment hunting with Chris had proven to be a fun but time-consuming experience that ate up many hours instead of the two she had initially planned. After she and Chris had finished looking at apartments, he had insisted that she share a short meal with him. They had ended up at Paneraâs for a sandwich and lemonade. It would have been rude to refuse his kind offer, so they sat and chatted about the pros and cons of each building they had visited.
As Tia showered, her thoughts turned to Chris. She laughed out loud at some of his outrageous remarks. He proved to be a fun companion as they joked together. Tia had to admit that she really had a great time.
After finishing her shower, she returned to her bedroom and searched for something sexy to wear that would please her boyfriend. Finally, she decided on a turquoise layered pantsuit. A shimmering silver sheer jacket covered the strapless top. A pair of silver sandals completed her outfit.
The doorbell echoed throughout the house, catching Tia off-guard. Oh, man! Darnellâs here! I thought I had a few more minutes.
âJust a minute,â Tia called, slipping her arms into a teal-colored robe as she hurried down the stairs in her bare feet. Tying the sash, Tia took a second to compose herself. A storm was brewing on the opposite side of her door. Darnell would raise hell when he saw her. She planted a smile on her face and opened the door.
âHi.â His eyes narrowed into angry slits as he took in her attire. Lips set in a stiff line, he added in a dry tone, âYouâre not dressed.â
Well, thatâs pretty obvious, she thought. Immediately, she chastised herself. Darnell had a right to expect her to be dressed and ready to go out. After all, they