Theirs to Keep

No, forget sorta. Definitely untouchable.

It was pure dumb luck the way we’d found her: sitting there drinking alone, at the ass end of some ramshackle bar. We’d never gone to the place before, or returned since. But all the way in the corner, sipping on a gin and tonic, we somehow unearthed the best house assistant, supervisor, and ultimately, GC we’d ever had.

And hell, the three of us ran a construction company.

“So something happened with your place, eh?” Roderick guessed.

Karissa nodded. “It got broken into.”

“Again?” I swore.

“Yeah,” she chuckled. “Right? They took my mattress for fuck’s sake! Who the hell does something like that?”

We only stared at her, standing at the opposite counter as a beam of sun filtered through one of the high windows. It lit up her back, turning her long blonde hair into shimmering stands of spun gold.

“The joke’s on them though,” Karissa chuckled, “because it was the worst mattress in the world, too. I think it was like ninety-five percent springs.”

She formed a makeshift funnel from a paper towel, then poured coffee grinds into it in lieu of a real filter. She did it like a professional. Like she’d been doing it all her life.

Waitress, I reminded myself to guess next time. Maybe in an Italian restaurant.

“You sure you’re okay with this?” Camden asked. “This place might seem big, but only the west wing is livable. And even that side’s only half-finished.”

Karissa laughed. “Have you ever seen my place?”

“No, but all three of us are sharing one bathroom,” I said. “Living room, too.”

“Got room for one more?”

“Of course.”

“Then what’s the big deal?”

Roderick folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair a bit. As the kitchen filled with the steamy scent of freshly-dripped coffee, he seemed amused.

“Living with three grunting, burping, snoring guys might cramp your privacy, no?”

“Are you rescinding your offer?” she asked for the second time.

“Not at all,” Roderick said smoothly. “I’m only pointing out we made that offer before we moved back in here, when you would’ve had the place to yourself. But now we’re here too.”

“And we walk around in our underwear a lot,” smirked Camden. “Just so you know.”

Karissa chuckled. “Cool.”

“It might even be a house requirement, actually,” I said, before Roderick kicked my chair. “Er… I mean—”

“Look, I need a place to stay,” she said, leaning her elbows back on the counter. “If this works, let me know. If not…”

“Oh it works,” I said quickly. “Everything else is us joking around. Like Camden said, it would be great to have you.”

Camden nodded. Roderick too.

“Good,” Karissa smiled warmly. “Consider me a roomie, then.”

The coffee maker misfired, sending a brown rivulet down the side of the glass. The droplet hit the warming plate and turned to steam, sending a hissing sound through the kitchen.

“You need any help moving your stuff over?” asked Roderick.