The Uninvited Houseguest

"This is exactly the kind of thing that makes it hard for me to promote you. Even if I wanted to, people would talk," Mr. Gabelman said sternly.

My expression didn't waver. I stayed completely calm.

I shot back, "So 'maintaining team unity' means giving up my own home for a coworker to live in? If that's the case, I really can't do it."

Mr. Gabelman's face darkened.

"Can't you just cut her some slack? Do you have to blow this whole thing up? She has a higher degree than you—she might even get promoted before you do. Then what? When her team won't take you, and you're at your age, where are you going to go?"

Before I could even respond, he called Madison back into the office.

Madison's eyes were red, and she looked up at Mr. Gabelman with this wide-eyed, doe-like expression.

Mr. Gabelman's tone softened. "Madison, don't worry about the housing situation. Isla and I already talked it over. You can move into her place for now—stay as long as you need."

My head shot up. I stared at Mr. Gabelman in disbelief.

"Exactly when did we talk this over?"

Hannah immediately jumped in with her snide remark, "So you'd rather leave your place empty than let your own intern stay there?"

Mr. Gabelman glared at me and lowered his voice. "Let me say this one more time—starting today, she's moving in with you. Also, this afternoon, when you're meeting with the client, let Madison sign off on the deal when you're done negotiating. Consider it your way of making it up to her—help her get her probation period cut short."

I nodded and turned to Madison. "You really want to stay? Fine."

All three of them looked satisfied, as if I'd finally come to my senses.

"Then pay me market-rate rent—two hundred a month, first month plus three months' deposit. And Mr. Gabelman can be your guarantor right here and now."

At that, Mr. Gabelman slammed his hand on the desk and shot to his feet.

"Isla, what is wrong with you? Madison is just crashing at your place for a few days, and you want to charge her rent? You're coworkers—how can you even ask that?"

He tugged at his tie and narrowed his eyes at me.

"It doesn't cost you anything to let her stay—why are you so greedy you'd stoop that low? Two hundred a month? Your dump isn't even worth that much. Tell you what—Madison will take you out for a nice meal to say thanks, and that's final."

His phone rang, and he waved me off impatiently.

I walked out of the office, and my coworkers' gossipy eyes immediately locked onto me. Someone couldn't hold back and blurted out, "So you finally agreed?"

I looked back at her. "You know what happens when a cuckoo takes over a sparrow's nest?"

Wasting all that time arguing with them meant I'd definitely have to stay late tonight.

I'd just finished sketching out the first draft of the design when Madison sidled up to my desk.

"Isla, I didn't have time to pack my things when my boyfriend and I split, so I'm gonna borrow some of your clothes to change into. But you'll need to get me new slippers—what if you have athlete's foot and I catch it? Also, I need a spare key. I'm not sticking around to work late with you."

I glanced up at her, then went back to my work.

She plopped herself down on my desk and kept going, "The bed in the guest room I slept in last night is way too hard—I can't sleep on that. When you get home tonight, clear out your master bedroom and make it up for me. And honestly, at your age, you're still using pink stuff? That's kind of... tacky."

The moment she said that, a few of the guys across from me looked up with smirks that made my skin crawl.

When I'd brought her home last night, she wouldn't even take her shoes off and just rolled around on the guest bed. There was a trash can right next to the bed, but she chose to throw up all over the floor instead. The stench was overwhelming—I had to scrub it clean several times.

I forced a smile. "Have you checked the weather forecast today?"