Jumper cables? I wasn’t expecting that to come out of his mouth.
“My car won’t start.” He drove his fingers into his hair and instead of only being tousled, some of the strands now stood on end. I fought the urge to smooth them back into place. “I don’t want to be late only two weeks in at my new job.”
My new job.
Was that why he returned to Pittsburgh? For a new job? What happened to his old job? Did he fuck that up like his marriage?
I pinned my lips together so I wouldn’t ask all the questions I didn’t need answers to. I shouldn’t care.
I shouldn’t.
“Get an Uber.” I turned and walked quickly toward the maintenance door at the back of the lobby.
“I… can’t,” he called out.
“There’s an app for that,” I said as I kept moving.
“I can’t afford it.”
He didn’t say it loud, but I heard it, and it stopped me in my tracks.
His family had been rich. Maybe not billionaire type of rich but definitely upper class and living an easy life type of rich.
What the hell happened that he now couldn’t afford a taxi-service?
He had helped me out financially so many times during college…
I blew a breath through my nose.
I shouldn’t care.
I shouldn’t.
However, I considered his admission. I’m sure it was difficult to tell me he was struggling financially. Especially with how I’d been treating him.
I slowly turned around to see he was still standing where I left him. He wasn’t looking at me but somewhere beyond me. As if he was embarrassed.
I chewed on that for a few seconds, then finally said, “I think the maintenance staff keeps a set down in the basement.”
“How do I get down to the basement? Do you think there’s anyone down there now who I could ask for assistance?”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I didn’t want him to know that I had free access to the basement and the maintenance area. I especially didn’t want him to know the reason why I had it.
“Do you know anyone who works in maintenance?” I could hear the plea in his voice. The actual hope.
Somehow it had wormed past the steel coating I had used to seal my heart.
Son of a bitch.
Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to help any of my residents. I shouldn’t treat Tate any different simply because we had a past.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, then said, “I do,” loud enough for him to hear me. I strode back toward him. “Come with me.” I tipped my head toward the vestibule and outer doors.
I didn’t wait for him, instead I walked like I was a man on a mission. Which I was.
If I took him the normal way down to the basement, I would have to use the app on my phone to electronically unlock the door. A typical resident of the building would not have that. Instead, I led him outside, through the side alley and to the rear of the building where there was a wide concrete ramp, an oversized garage door and a regular person door.
I hoped at this hour the door would be unlocked. However, I had no idea if anyone was down there right now. I didn’t keep track of the maintenance crew since I had someone else do that for me. I also had no idea who would be assigned to River View Heights today. My crew was large and they rotated through all of my properties. They went wherever they were needed.
I tugged on the door and was relieved when it opened so I wouldn’t have to use the keyless entry app, especially with Tate on my heels.
All the overhead lights were on and the door was open to the large room where the maintenance tools were stored.
“Wait here,” I ordered, went inside and grabbed the set of jumper cables hanging on the pegboard.
When I came back out, I shoved them in his direction. He took them and then simply stared at the cables in his hands.
“You know how to use them, right?” I asked. Was it possible he didn’t?
“I do. But…”
“But?”
“They need to be hooked up to another vehicle to work.”
Damn it. “Yep, that’s how they work,” I said dryly, then sighed. “I’m heading to the office anyway. I can jump you.”
I ignored the catch in Tate’s breath. “You mean my car.”
“That’s what I meant,” I muttered and headed toward my Range Rover. I parked both my vehicles down there. It was one of the perks of owning the building I lived in.
When I stopped in front of my Range Rover Evoque, I heard a soft whistle behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Tate had paused at my GranTurismo and was staring at it. “Damn,” he whispered. “The Maserati’s sweet. I can’t believe anyone in this building can afford to own one.”
I wasn’t sure if any of them could. “It’s the owner’s,” I said in a dismissive tone, hoping he’d drop it so we could get moving. Especially if he was worried about being late for his new job.