2: 2
The next day, I went straight to the new house Lauren and I had bought.
When I pushed the door open, Aiden was sunk into that dark green sofa in the living room, the toe of his shoe tapping the rug over and over.
He waved at me, grinning. "Solomon, look at this color. Way classier than that gray you picked, right? I bet Lauren you wouldn't mind. Won her again."
I looked around the living room. The sofa I'd chosen after checking out more than a dozen stores was gone. The curtains had been swapped for the dark-patterned ones Aiden liked, and even the ceramic cups on the sideboard weren't the set I'd bought.
Lauren came in from the balcony and looped her arm through mine like it was nothing. "Aiden's a designer, his taste is better than ours. And we'll be getting together here all the time anyway, so he's half the owner. What's the harm in giving in to him once?"
I lifted her hand off my arm. "I paid half the down payment on this place."
Her hand stopped in midair, and for a second irritation crossed her face. "Here we go again. It's not like I shortchanged you. We haven't even officially moved in."
Aiden hugged a throw pillow and blinked at her. "Lauren, let's make another bet. If I hit the top rank in the game within a week, I get to sleep in the master bedroom for a month, air out the formaldehyde for you two. Deal?"
Lauren laughed out loud. "That competitive streak of yours. Fine, deal."
Only after that did she turn to me. "Solomon, you don't mind, do you?"
I looked at that master bedroom with the bay window. I remembered measuring the sill three times, planning to put a little wooden bed there someday for a kid.
When I didn't answer, Lauren softened her voice a little. "Don't sulk. Aiden's just staying a few days. Aren't you always the reasonable one?"
Aiden nodded along. "Right. It's not like I'm stealing your girlfriend. Just borrowing your room to have some fun."
A cold feeling rose in my stomach, like I'd swallowed a mouthful of stale water.
I said, "Fine. Stay."
Lauren relaxed, even smiled and gave my fingertips a little squeeze. "That's more like it. Friends shouldn't be so petty."
I made an excuse about the bathroom, shut the door, and pulled out my phone to call the broker.
He picked up right away. "Mr. Perry, you're sure you want to sell the debt tied to your down-payment share at a low price? You'll take a real loss at that number."
I looked at the calm face in the mirror. "I'm sure. Can it be done within three days?"
"Yes. There's a collections company buying up this kind of debt right now. If the paperwork's complete, they can wire a deposit as early as tomorrow morning."
"Send the contract."
Aiden's laugh drifted in from outside. "Lauren, I want to take some photos in the master bedroom tonight. Solomon won't mind that too, will he?"
Lauren answered him, "He won't. Solomon's the most easygoing."
I pressed the electronic signature the broker sent over, my thumb resting on the screen for two seconds.
Someone knocked on the bathroom door. Lauren called from outside, "Did you fall in? Come see the bedding Aiden picked."
I put my phone away, and when I opened the door I saw Aiden carrying a dark-themed bedding set toward the master bedroom.
As he passed me, he dropped his voice on purpose. "Solomon, betting's fun, huh? See, you lose every time."
I put a hand on the door frame to keep the chill in my body from showing. "Yeah."
Lauren came up behind him, and when she heard those two words, her face finally eased. "See, Aiden just likes messing around. Don't hold it against him."
I nodded. "I won't hold it against him."
She didn't catch what I meant. She just held her phone up in front of me. "Let's book a restaurant tonight to celebrate. Aiden says he wants sushi. Transfer the deposit."
I looked at her. "You pay for it."
Lauren's eyebrow twitched. "What's with you today? You always used to handle this stuff."
I picked up my coat. "I've got things to do."
Aiden poked his head out of the master bedroom. "Solomon, don't forget, once I hit the top rank I get to live here."
I walked to the entryway, and as I bent to change my shoes, a message came in from the broker.
【*Buyer confirmed. They'll come to take possession of the house in three days.*】
Lauren called after me from the living room. "Solomon, where are you going? We haven't ordered dinner yet."
Before I closed the door, I saw Aiden sitting on the bay window of my master bedroom, flashing a victory sign at the camera.
