“Bollocks,” he muttered, sitting up in the bed and scrubbing his hand over his face. The aftereffects of the alcohol he’d consumed the night before were still affecting his memory, but there was no doubt that at some point last night, he’d been very, very close to Kinsley Wells. Jarred looked down, realizing for the first time that he was still fully clothed. Well, if something had happened, shagging had not been part of it.
Swinging over the side of the bed, Jarred gave himself a moment, the regret of what he couldn’t remember burning in his throat. He should stop drinking. But the alcohol dulled the pain that he couldn’t handle, that he didn’t want to handle. It made him forget everything, feel like all was right in his world for a few hours. No one would understand why he did it and to them he wasn’t anything but a drunken sod, a worthless SOB who was drinking his life away. He shouldn’t care what other people thought about him, but lately Jarred was starting to.
With a deep breath, he forced himself to stand and fight against the dizziness as he made it out of his bedroom and down the hall where he could find the coffeepot. After hitting the button to get the damn thing started, Jarred opened the balcony door and stepped out, the crisp air easing the pounding of his head.
He was only out there a few seconds before a familiar voice sliced through the air, desperation in every word. “No, please you have to listen. I can’t. You can’t expect me to be able to come up with that kind of money on such short notice. Yes, I understand but I’ve been one of your best renters for years. Surely that has to count for something.”
Jarred leaned over to see Kinsley next door, her back to him as she held her phone up to her ear. Encased in a tight pencil skirt and long sleeved shirt, she was pacing the length of the balcony barefoot, her hair hanging down her back, teased by the slight wind in the air. “I understand,” she stated into the phone. “But I just need some more time. My tuition is due and if I don’t pay that soon, they aren’t going to let me continue. Please, just a month, that’s all I’m asking.”
Curious, Jarred leaned against the half wall that separated their balconies, wondering what her situation was. Well, that and why she was next door in one of the company flats. He knew she didn’t live here because he’d never seen her here before. Plus, he wasn’t so certain she could afford to even rent one of these places.
“Yes, I understand,” she said again, resignation in her voice. “Two weeks. I’ll work on it.” He heard her click off and sigh before he moved away from the wall, unsure of how to start a conversation with her. They hadn’t exactly gotten off on the right foot as of late. He needed to apologize to her for whatever went on last night and offer to help her out with her problem he’d just been privy to. They could both help each other out, but right now he had to just figure out a way to get her attention.
He didn’t have to. She turned and froze, her eyes widening. “Mr. Maloney.”
“Jarred,” he corrected, with a smile. “Good morning Kinsley.”
“I, um, good morning,” she said, looking nervous. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here,” he answered with a quick grin. “What are you doing here?”
She visibly swallowed, nervously brushing the lint off her skirt and avoiding his gaze. “I, you woke me up last night when you came in. You were drunk.”
The disdain in her voice was evident to Jarred and he frowned. She clearly didn’t approve of him drinking. Well, she would not understand why. No one would understand why and he didn’t have to explain himself to anyone, not even his father. “I was having a fine time,” he said finally.
“Apparently,” she said with a snort. Kinsley looked up and their eyes met briefly before she looked away again, crossing her arms over her chest. “Next time, how about you make it into your flat?”
Jarred crossed his own arms over his chest. “Why? When I have you to carry me to bed?” He was goading her, but he liked seeing her riled up. It made her come alive, lose some of her stiffness even if she hated his guts.
That did her in. Her eyes flashed with anger and she took a step forward, pointing at him with her finger. “You are the reason I didn’t sleep well last night. You are the reason I am dreading my day today. How about do us all a favor and sod off.”
Jarred opened his mouth to speak but she didn’t give him the opportunity, walking back into her own flat and shutting the door soundly. Jarred waited for a moment before exhaling a breath, a smile coming across his face. There was that fire he enjoyed seeing on her. While any other man would thank his lucky stars that he didn’t have to deal with such a woman, Jarred enjoyed it. She was a refreshing change in his life, one that he needed desperately. And, she was perfect for his dilemma and after overhearing her conversation just a few minutes ago, he had ammunition to get her to agree to help him. She needed money for something. For what, he didn’t know. But it was enough. Besides, he was running out of time.
8
The next night, Kinsley sat at the table, twirling her straw around in her drink with her chin resting in her hand. Not too far from her, Rachel was giggling as some random bloke was attempting to snatch one of the condoms attached to her shirt with his teeth. Thank goodness they weren’t attached to her chest, but rather near her belly button. Kinsley couldn’t understand why all the other girls in attendance thought it would be hilarious for the bride to be covered in condoms attached to her shirt with strips of tape, but for some reason Rachel was having a ball with it. Since they had walked into the pub, the group had been surrounded by men of all types, the bubbly cousin attracting all kinds of attention.
Though she was the maid of honor, Kinsley had hung back as much as she could. This really wasn’t her scene. And she couldn’t get her mind off everything else. Her calls with the landlord had not been as productive as she would like. He had told her repeatedly that his hands were tied. Either she came up with the money or she was gone, as simple as that. There was no way she could come up with that kind of money, no way.
A loud cheer went up and Kinsley turned her head in time to see the lucky bloke with a condom between his teeth, giving Rachel a wink and then a hug as the women giggled around her. Another condom, another bloke who would go home tonight alone. What did they think a condom was going to get them anyway?
The bloke called for a round of shots and Kinsley rolled her eyes. Well maybe he thought if he got them all drunk enough, they all would go home with him. Fat chance at that. Jarred Maloney’s face popped into her mind and Kinsley frowned. She wondered if he even remembered the other night when she had attempted to help him out. There were parts of that brief time in his flat that she hoped he didn’t remember, like when she was running her fingers through his hair. That was an embarrassing moment on her end.
“Kinsley. Yoo-hoo.”
Kinsley snapped out of her thoughts to find Rachel standing before her, a shot glass in her hand. “Here,” she said, handing Kinsley the small glass. “It’s tequila.”
Kinsley looked at her friend, wearing a ridiculous pink veil and shirt covered with condoms and burst out into laughter. “You look ridiculous.”
“I know,” Rachel said with a shrug, her eyes already starting to glaze over from all the shots she had consumed. “But hey, I don’t plan to ever get married again. I might as well enjoy this. Here take it and let’s toast to my marriage.”