The raw concern… I bowed my head as teers threatened damnit. I was finally starting to convince myself I was just forgetting things. Like maybe I put the phone back before I turned the shower on and just forgot about it because I was so tired.
Jake came to a halt, moving around Dillon to squat down in front of Max. "Did someone hurt you Max?" His voice was quiet, but not in a gentle way, more like a suppressed angry way.
I shook my head, "I'm fine, really." I added looking up at Jake, I tried to force a smile… but from the way they were looking at me I knew it couldn't have been a good one.
I couldn't hold the stare as I bowed his head again to look at the box I was breaking down. "Really, I just, I just scared myself."
"Jake, Jack, don't hound him." Dillon's voice had lost a bit of his playfulness as he nodded his head to the shelves. "Let's try and wrap up early." He added sternly as he moved to grab his tool bag.
Jack stared a moment longer, then followed Dillon to set the shelves up. Jake ruffled my hair, then followed.
Dillon started talking again while the rest of us mostly listened. It took a little while, but soon I started joining in on the conversation. It was cool to learn that Dillon was a software engineer who'd just been promoted to lead his own team. That's why he'd finally decided it was time to move into a bigger place.
I was a little surprised to learn Dillon had been dumped, but the other two only snorted at him.
"Dumped implies dating." Jack snorted with a grin as they moved the third bookshelf up against a wall. It was pretty close to the spare bedroom door so Dillon would have to be careful leaving.
Dillon gave a dramatic sigh, "I told her I wasn't ready for a relationship! Just friends with benefits! But not even a month later she was introducing me as her fiancé… like hold up! We weren't even dating! I only stayed over twice!" Dillon complained as he started shoving books on the shelves. We were just getting them off the ground. He waved us into the office area where his computer desk lay in pieces.
Jake rolled his eyes, "You bought her flowers…"
Dillon looked aghast, "It was her birthday! Tons of people bought her flowers! I just took her to a dinner… I'm just saying, dating is going to have to wait."
Jack shook his head, "One day someone will lock you down."
Dillon shrugged, "Not today, besides, at least I get out, you two act like every woman on earth is a scourge." Both Jake and Jack scowled.
"I don't do casual." Jake scoffed as he started grabbing pieces of the table.
"Have you met Wella?" Jack asked with a shudder, "causally dating a girl like her was just asking to get castrated… she's already kicked half a dozen men hard enough they had to go to the ER. Not taking that chance."
Dillon rubbed his nose, "Oh, well, uh, anyway, dating isn't in my plans for at least another year. One project and I'm off grid for two months. Who wants to date someone who's only occasionally available?" Jack turned to Max inquiringly.
I shuffled in with the table legs, "Uh, probably no dating, um, at least, not for a bit." I murmured thinking of Arianna… I really loved her. I still had the ring… speaking of which, I should probably see if I could still get a refund. I needed every penny since my job search wasn't looking too good.
Jake and Jack stiffened as they turned to stare at me, their gazes heaving with inquiry. I sighed as I glanced at the three men.
"Uh, my ex… uh, she cheated on me… and wrecked my car… that, uh, why I needed a new start." I explained trying to sound nonchalant, but of course I was anything but. The silence was deafening.
"It's fine, I've, moved on. Just don't want to rush, ya know?" I added as the silence continued.
"Oh hey! I know a gal who works at a call center, was just talking to her the other day, you still looking for a job Max?" Dillon asked clearly trying to change the subject.
I perked up, "Uh yeah, where at?" As much as I needed a job, I couldn't afford taxis everyday. If it wasn't on the bus route or within a reasonable walking distance…
Dillon snagged his phone, "I'll send you the address, it's a bit far from the apartment, but the bus stop is right across the street from it. I used to work there when I first moved to the area."
I used maps to pull up the address, ten minute walk from the apartment to the bus stop, then twenty-30 minute ride. This would be a godsend. "How, uh, how'd you like it?"
Dillon grinned, "Not gonna lie mate, the hours were ruff. But, lots of overtime helped me finish my degree, they also offer school assistance and work with your schedule for tests. Donna and Erika were awesome references, she's actually the one who helped me score my new gig. I'll shoot her a text, maybe we can swing by tomorrow? If you don't have anything going on?"
I couldn't even pretend to hide my grin, "That would be awesome, any, uh, requirements?" I asked trying to not get too excited. No need for everyone to know how desperate I was getting. I really needed a job ASAP. A new car, to pay off my two credit cards, my cracked phone was already six years old, I needed stuff for the apartment, food… everything cost money.
Dillon talked about his time at the call center, he spilled all the tea! Not to mention, every time I passed by someone was ruffling my hair.
They were also ruffling my hair so much I was sure it must be a rats nest by now.
We'd gotten all the shelves put together, now we were mostly unboxing, washing, and organizing. Dillon was also making a list of things he wanted now that he had more than triple the space of his last apartment.
Sadly, the counter space was pretty minimal, so he was considering buying two more of the rolling countertops. He was just waiting for the next holiday sale.
I could feel them hoping I'd open up about what had me so scared this morning. Dillon was subtle, Jack and Jake? Not. As we sat on the couch I hugged my legs to my chest. "Uh, it's silly, really." I admitted, staring at the wall where Dillon had debating placing a TV, if he bought one.
Dillon didn't rush me, signaling to the others to just be patient.
"Uh, my phone, I was uh, ugh, it sounds crazy, I know, but, I was taking bath, and my phone fell. I didn't, uh, think much, but went to wash up, and uh, it was, it was back in the cup." I explained gripping my pants. Jesus, I sound like a loony.
Dillon furrowed his brows, "In a cup?"
I flushed, "Uh, I left my speakers behind, so, I was uh, using a cup, to listen to a pod cast. I fell asleep in the tub, but, when I looked the cup was still on the counter, but, but the phone was in the sink."
"Then, I took a shower to wash off, and, I probably just don't remember moving it, but, after the shower, it was, it was back in the cup." I was speaking so fast I could barely understand what I was saying, how could the others?
Jack furrowed his brows, "What else?" Jack wasn't asking like he was dismissing the phone incident, but that he knew there was more.
I was glad they weren't blowing me off, "Uh, I, I had washed some clothes, but didn't have a mat, so I used, uh, two dirty shirts, and turned the fan on, but, I woke up and, and the shirts were gone, and the fan was off." When they continued to show concern I felt the flood gates open.
"Then I went into my room to hang more laundry, I was only in there ten minutes, but, someone ate a banana, and six potatoes, some peeled potatoes and left the skins in my garbage." I explained in a rush, their gazes were becoming more and more concerned.
Jake turned to Dillon, "Does anyone else have a key?"
Dillon shook his head, "Only me, Max, and the landlord, but he's in Europe. Max, did you lock the inside bolt?"
I nodded, "Yeah, I checked it twice, and the windows, even the one in the bathroom…" My heart was starting to race, it was shady complex, if, if someone knew Dillon had left… I was definitely an easier target…
Jack held my shoulder, "We can check, if someone was in there, we'll find them."
"May, maybe I was sleep walking, I was listening to true crime pod casts, and, and I was hungry after running around all day. I, could have just remembered wrong." Max tried to explain more for myself than to the others.
This just sounded crazy… why steal six potatoes? Why not just take the whole bag? Why leave the peels behind?
Dillon squatted down in front of me, "Are you okay with us coming over? To look around? Actually, Max." Dillon waited for me to look him in the eyes, "Do you want to go back at all? Don't think about us, are you okay going back?"