Oreos for Breakfast: Chapter 28

Oreos For Breakfast: Chapter 33
By the Paperbag Princess and Pumpkin Coach

"JC, I love it," I whispered to him so that the realtor couldn't hear, and he gave me that huge happy smile.

"Really?"

I glanced over to the realtor, who was pretending not to be paying attention to us. "It's amazing," I told him.

It was like being on top of the world with a view of Times Square from one side and Central Park on the other. The floor to ceiling windows made you feel like you were part of the sky. And I didn't want to think about all the rainforest that was decimated just so JC could have these hardwood floors. Well, not that he'd asked for them. Or this place was his even.

James was currently checking out the gourmet kitchen because it wasn't like JC was ever going to use it. I wondered if JC liked me enough to let me come over and use the amazing poured concrete bathtub. It was shaped like an egg - a really big egg - and I could just imagine floating around in a cascade of bubbles with candles shining off the glass tiles.

If JC was buying an apartment in New York, this one should be it if only so James and I could stay over.

"Is that a hot tub?" James asked, looking out the window over the kitchen sink. I went over to investigate.

As if the house wasn't perfect enough, there was a small courtyard out back. Landscaped with what looked like wildflowers and maybe roses. A penthouse apartment with a yard?

Dude, this place rocked.

Rosemary, the realtor, opened the kitchen door. "It is a hot tub. I have to warn you that you share the courtyard with the adjoining apartment, but it hasn't been sold yet."

"There's another apartment?" I asked, following her outside.

"Two bedrooms," she smiled back at me as I looked around the courtyard. Yeah, pale pink roses lined the far wall. They smelled amazing. "It's a bit smaller than this one. I'm sure you'll have lovely neighbors."

Rosemary was pretty convinced that I was buying this place with JC, and we hadn't divested her of that idea yet.

"May we see that one?"

"I have the key right here." She offered quickly, obviously hoping for a big sale. "You know that's not a load bearing wall between them. We have an architectural firm that could help you combine the two spaces. Wouldn't that be amazing? You could see all the way to the river then."

JC and James both gave me quizzical looks as she unlocked the door to the other apartment. I stepped into the kitchen, which was a mirror image of the other one, just slightly smaller.

I followed Rosemary through the apartment, admiring the view and the floors and the windows. There was a big living room, space for a dining room table and a small office. One bedroom had an amazing view of the city and in the second you could indeed see all the way to the river.

Peering into the master bathroom, I saw the same huge poured concrete bathtub that had sent shivers down my spine in JC's apartment.

"Where do I sign?" I asked her, and she laughed. "I'm serious," I told her.

"You are not!" James said, and I turned to him. I wasn't even aware that he was following us.

"Why not? It's beautiful, I can afford it, and I'm going to have the best next-door neighbor ever. Right, Jace?"

JC grinned. "Guess I'm buying the other one, then."

"Excuse us for a second, Rosemary?" James asked, pulling me aside as she stepped outside.

"You can't buy a house on a whim!" James hissed at me.

"Why not? You want JC to have to worry about who his neighbor is? You guys can skinny dip in the hot tub all you want with me around."

"JC's not buying only the third apartment he's looked at," James said.

"Why not?" JC asked him. "I love it, and Rachel gets to be my neighbor. I'm tired of looking at apartments, anyway. This one rocks. You were just telling me over there how much fun it would be to be one subway stop away from the studio."

"So you can come over all the time, and no one will blink an eye," I said, and James considered that for a second.

"But… you weren't even looking for an apartment!" he said to me.

"No. But I can't sleep on your couch forever."

"You could have the bed," he offered. "Just ask."

"Are you afraid I'm going to leave you?" I asked, teasing, and he pouted.

"No, but… okay, a little," he admitted. "Shouldn't you sleep on this?"

"It'll be gone if I sleep on it." The rest of the building was nearly occupied and it wasn't even completely finished yet. There were going to be retail space on the ground floor, even. So I wouldn't have to leave the building in the winter when it was cold. Maybe I could work something out where I could call down and they'd bring groceries up to me.

"Is this your extravagant purchase after a break-up?" James asked, pulling me out of my grocery fantasy.

I shrugged. "Maybe. At least this is an investment. I'm sure Michael will be proud."

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Michael's number. "Hey, Michael, wonder accountant. Can I buy an apartment?"

"Where?" he asked, clearly not even phased by my question.

"Central Park West. The new Trump building. The penthouse."

"How much?"

"I didn't ask that question yet." How much did apartments like this cost? Probably in the millions. I'd just confidently told James I could afford it, but could I?

He groaned. "Not a penny over 2.3 million, Rache. Preferably under two, if you can get them down. I can cut you a check for the down payment today and get you a mortgage."

"Do I need a mortgage?"

I had a couple of million in the bank, didn't I? I'd turned over my finances to Michael a while ago, once we started making real money. Jon and Patrick also watched my investments, teasing me that they didn't want to see me one day on a stupid VH1 special about how our good friend had taken all our money.

"For god's sake, yes. You can write off mortgage interest, and you need something to write off. Is there another place in the building? Get James to buy one."

"Michael says you need to buy one, too!" I told James, and he looked up from arguing with JC to see me sticking out my tongue at him.

Arguing?

"Until I have a reason to leave my nice rent-controlled apartment, I'm staying there."

Oh. I got it now. James wanted to live with JC.

Maybe I was making it too easy for him. Maybe he'd wanted to force JC's hand a little, and tell him if he was living in a high-profile building, eventually someone would notice James coming and going.

But if I lived here, it was the perfect cover. Maybe he didn't want the perfect cover.

"Such a creature of habit," Michael sighed. "Don't let him talk you out of it. It's a great investment. Are you there now?"

"Um, yeah."

"You'll need to go to the realtor's office to do the paperwork. Call me and I'll meet you there."

Might not be a good idea to bring Michael along now. But he'd hung up already.

"It's a good investment," I said, for something to say. JC was looking at James, puzzled, and James looked over at me.

James wanted to live here with JC. James wanted to live anywhere with JC. I knew that in one look, and JC didn't. Or maybe he just didn't want to know it.

In one look, James knew that I knew, and he knew that I knew that JC didn't know.

I'd only wanted this apartment for about five minutes. If James didn't want me to buy it, I'd live. I raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head.

"Sorry, Jace. It just seems like a big decision to make so quickly. You know me," he tried to cover. "I can't make a decision that quickly."

"It's not quick! I've been talking about buying an apartment in New York for weeks now."

That was interesting. Had James been talking him out of it?

James glanced around us, and finding that Rosemary was still outside, he kissed JC quickly.

"I know," he said. "I just got a little freaked out when Rachel decided to buy one in three minutes. Sorry. Of course you should buy it. It's perfect."

JC grinned at him. Yeah, I might want to live with that grin every day, too.

I didn't want to have to hate JC. But I might have to if he didn't give James everything he wanted and deserved, and soon.

"Michael says you should buy one, too! All three of us can live here. It'll be perfect!"

James smiled, shaking his head. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because both the penthouse apartments are taken now, and I'm not settling for a stupid lower floor. I'm a spoiled rock star now."

"A spoiled rock star in a tiny apartment with no view. Come on, James, buy a place here. You can afford it. Hell, I'll buy it for you." JC was smiling broadly now, like this was the best idea he'd had all year.

Would JC really do that for James?

Yeah, he would. Because it would make keeping their relationship secret even easier.

"I'll leave the extravagant purchases to the two of you. Come on, let's go find Rosemary and tell her she made a huge commission today."

He pushed JC towards the door and glanced back at me. I caught his hand as JC went outside, already saying something to Rosemary.

"Are you okay?" I asked James quietly, and he gave me a fake smile.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

I started to answer, and he shook his head. "Not now. I don't want to fuck this up. Finding an apartment this great should be a happy thing, not start fights."

"I'll say no if you want me to."

"No. It's beautiful, and it's perfect for you to be his neighbor. I don't want… I don't know what I want."

"Guys!" JC called, sticking his head in the door. "What's taking so long?"

"We're decorating already. Be right there," James said, and JC went back outside.

"You want him," I said to James, and he sighed.

"In ways I can't. I knew that going in, and it's unfair of me to ask more of him."

"It's unfair of him to expect you to be happy with half a relationship," I pointed out.

"It's more than that. Like… ninety percent."

I had to smile at that, and James grinned. "Come on, let's go sign some papers and then start decorating."

"I have no furniture."

As I said the words, it suddenly hit me. What was I doing, buying an apartment? I didn't need an apartment. I could stay with James when I was in the city and I had a beautiful house on Long Island.

Or, I could have a place that was entirely my own, for the first time in my life. My house was filled with my family's lives and memories. That was great, but this would be all mine. I could decorate however I wanted and not have to worry about who else would like it.

Hell, it was time for me to start acting like a real rock star. I hadn't spent any real money on myself since we'd started making it. I'd gotten Mom a car and a boat for the family and lots of expensive weekends with Nick. But nothing just selfishly for me.

I was single now. I could spend my money however I wanted to.

James saw the look on my face and laughed. "Oh, I foresee a lot of shopping in our future."

"This is gonna be fun," I promised him.

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