Stuck With You: A Sweet Romantic Comedy

Part 13

Bianca

"Nothing." Timo winked at me. "Rob and Camille told me absolutely nothing more about you."

That was not reassuring. Nor believable.

After supper, Timo took me on a tour of the penthouse. That morning, I'd packed my suitcases at Rob and Camille's, and Timo had brought them over in the backseat of his car. Apparently, he'd taken it as a given that I was moving in.

There were three bedrooms, all of which were nice, but the master suite was stunning.

"You can sleep in here," said Timo.

"The guest room is perfectly adequate," I protested.

More than adequate. I felt like I'd been transported into princess land, and I was the princess, obviously. Ten-year-old me would have only lacked a tiara to believe her life was complete.

"Stay in the master suite," said Timo. "It's nicer."

It was nicer. After Timo left to go back to Rob and Camille's, I wandered around the apartment, taking in my good fortune.

Timo had cleared things out in anticipation of my arrival. One dresser in the master was completely empty, and one side of the capacious walk-in closet had been left free for me to use.

It felt weirdly intimate to be alone in Timo's space. I was staring at the bed and trying not to picture Timo in it when my phone dinged. It was a text from Liberty.

Come over tomorrow evening for dinner

Liberty rarely gave dinner parties, but since Adam had moved in with her, I wasn't surprised she'd decided to take up entertaining. Adam is an excellent cook.

Just you and Adam?

No

Who?

Reginald and some other people

Reginald AKA Professor McNotty.

Who is other people?

Shasta and her new boyfriend

Is Adam cooking?

Of course. Bring Timo

I wasn't sure where Liberty had gotten the idea that I had the sort of relationship with Timo that made it not weird to invite him to a small dinner party with friends, but then I took into consideration that the first time Liberty had met Timo, he'd been helping me move. Once someone has helped you move, a dinner invitation seems impersonal by comparison.

Timo will probably be busy

Ask him anyway

OK

I sent off a text to Timo passing on Liberty's dinner invitation. I was very careful to make it clear that I was just the conduit. I expected Timo to say he was busy, but, to my surprise, he texted back right away to say he was free, and he'd love to come.

I hadn't been counting on that.

I'll pick you up at my place at six

My phone rang. It was Rob.

"How was Spain?" I asked.

"Good. How is the penthouse?"

"Good. How's Camille?"

"Good."

"Kid's happy to see you?"

"Yep."

I'm the talkative one in the family. Getting any level of detail out of either Rob or Abby is like getting blood from a turnip, but that was exactly what I intended to do.

"Why didn't you or Camille tell me anything about Timo?"

"What didn't we tell you about Timo?"

"Why didn't you tell me he was rich?"

"Does it matter?"

It didn't really, but I refused to let Rob off the hook so easily.

"How come Timo seems to know pretty much everything there is to know about me, but I went into this whole thing knowing nothing about him except that he was an outstanding human according to the gospel of Rob and Camille?"

"Well, isn't Timo an outstanding human?"

Timo kind of was, but I didn't want to admit it, so I just huffed through my nose.

"And since when was this a 'whole thing'?" Rob demanded.

"What?"

"I quote: 'How come Timo seems to know pretty much everything there is to know about me, but I went into this whole thing knowing nothing about him except that he was an outstanding human, according to the gospel of Rob and Camille?'"

Sometimes, I wished Rob didn't have quite such a good memory. It made him hard to argue with, especially if you were someone who talked as much as I did. I gave him way too much material to work with.

"I wouldn't characterize it as a 'whole thing,'" I said lamely.

"What would you characterize it as?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"I don't believe you," said Rob.

"Well, that's your problem."

"Fine," said Rob. "Just know that Camille and I are rooting for you."

"Rooting for me?"

I shouldn't have asked; I really should not have.

"Camille and I think you and Timo are perfect for each other."

I snorted on the other end of the phone, and Rob told me I sounded like a water buffalo with a sinus infection, and I should probably have that looked into.

I told Rob he was a water buffalo and hung up on him.

Like I said, I'm the talkative one, but I've never claimed that everything that comes out of my mouth is of high intellectual caliber, particularly when either of my siblings is involved.