Restoring the building would be expensive. Too expensive. Too many changes were made over the years in an attempt to modernize it, and many of the original architectural features were stripped away. Maybe someday we’ll tackle that project. For now, my main concern is getting the place to the point where it’s habitable.
Supposedly, the original owners hadn’t had much issue finding renters. It’s never hard to find renters around here. The issue is finding renters who could pay on time, wouldn’t trash the place, wouldn’t skip out on their bills, or flee town if we tried to collect. Eventually, they dropped the rental prices so low that even if everyone paid on time, it wasn’t enough cash flow to cover the monthly payments on the property.
It was only a matter of time before the whole thing ran into the ground.
“Once the electricians are done, we can get the power turned back on.” I nod slowly to myself, fishing an energy drink out of the ice-filled cooler on the floor. “I’ve got AC units on roughly half the units now, so hopefully, we can get those turned on.”
Right now, we’re living in the one habitable apartment in the East building. Once the power is hooked up and the AC is installed, we’ll move over to the North building and open up the other units to tenants. It won’t be much, but it’ll help alleviate some of the financial pressure we’ve been feeling lately.
Thanks to the connections I made during my time away, I got the loan to purchase the complex without any problems. And thankfully, the loan included funds for developing the property into something profitable. At the time, we mistakenly believed the damage was mostly cosmetic. We had also assumed that the lack of good tenants was just mismanagement on the part of the previous owners.
And for what it’s worth, I still believe the second part.
“I was screening the tenant applications we’ve been getting.” Leon gestures to the laptop on the kitchen counter. “There are a few that look promising. The background and credit checks have come back clean. I thought you might want to take a look before I start bringing people in for tours and signing contracts.”
“Just make sure you tell people that there’s construction still going on.” I glance at the computer screen to see what he has up. “Also, year-long contracts only.”
“I know, geez.” Leon carries a plate piled with hot food in and sets it beside the laptop. “Just look at them and tell me what your instinct says.”
For just a moment, we lock eyes. The depth of his gaze and the flutter of those impossibly long lashes has always captivated me, but it’s been worse since I got home. No. That’s not quite right. It’s been worse since I discovered what he’d been doing to earn money while I was away.
The thought of those other alphas pawing at him lights an angry fire in my chest. I’m not sure who I’m more upset at though. The alphas or myself for failing my twin so badly.
Leon breaks eye contact and returns to his stove on the patio. He’s going to make some alpha very happy someday. That thought turns sour, and my stomach becomes a queasy mess. I don’t like the idea of letting Leon go. I’ve never even tried to imagine my life without him in it.
Forcing my mind back to the present, I return my gaze to the computer screen and frown as I flip through the files Leon has open. There are only five. We will have fifteen empty units ready for renters once the electrical work is finished.
I look up at him again. “Is this all of them?”
“The only ones with clean backgrounds and credit,” Leon confirms. “Well, that and they had to be willing to sign the year-long contract. There are a few more potential tenants if we drop the pet restrictions.”
I wince at that thought. We just put new carpets in all the units. There’s also freshly planted grass seed in the courtyard and new landscaping. We might revisit the pet issue eventually, but for now, I’m not really keen on the idea. I don’t have anything against animals, just people who don’t housetrain or pick up after their pets. And there will always be at least one person who decides to ignore the rules. Always.
“Right, that’s what I thought,” Leon continues, as if reading my mind. “So those five are the best I can do right now.”
My brow furrows deeply. “What’s this one? Wheelchair access?” The rental application I’ve clicked on doesn’t contain a whole lot of extra detail about the person who submitted it.
“Yeah, so...” Leon switches off his propane stove and carries his plate inside. “That applicant reached out to me a few days ago and asked if we could accommodate a wheelchair. I said ‘maybe’ and asked him to submit an application anyway. Then, when I was filtering through people and the pile just kept getting smaller and smaller, I decided to check his info before I brought the idea to you.”
I rub the back of my neck as I try to think of exactly what we would need to do to provide access for someone in a wheelchair. “Okay…”
“I know what you’re thinking, and I already looked into it.” Leon crunches into a piece of bacon. “The first-floor apartments are already pretty accessible. We just need to add some things around the lip of the front door so he can go in and out freely. He’s got a standard wheelchair, so he shouldn’t have trouble getting through the doors. So, really, the only thing that really needs to be done is adding some support bars in key locations. Which, we can have someone come out and make sure they’re installed properly for not too much.”
I exhale heavily. “If that’s all we need to do, then there’s really no reason to turn him down. We can’t really afford extensive remodels though, and I don’t want to promise him something we can’t deliver.”
It’s like there’s a weight on my chest as I speak. Something’s got me on edge, and I have no idea what. I haven’t even met this guy, I’ve barely read his name on a computer screen, and I’ve already got some serious reservations about him.
Candor Mead. Twenty-six. Alpha. Previous addresses are all out of state. Nothing weird came up on the background check. Good credit history, all accounts are current. Plenty of references. He looks like the perfect tenant, actually.
At least until I get to his employer.
“He’s unemployed,” I muse as I look back up at Leon. “How’s he supposed to pay rent?”
“From what he said in his emails, he’s getting disability money right now that will cover rent and utilities. Given that all of his accounts are current, I’m not too worried.” Leon stretches his arms over his head. “He’s already agreed to pay first and last month’s rent, plus the security deposit. The rest of his history is so clean that I’m willing to go with my gut on this one.”
I don’t have to ask him what his gut is saying. From the look on his face, it’s obvious he’s got a good feeling about this tenant. Whereas my palms are sweaty and I feel like I’m running a marathon.
“Look, I know you don’t like it, but the fact is these last four years have made me into a really good judge of character,” Leon explains. “I’ve gotten really good at covering my bases and weeding out the truth from the B.S. If I hadn’t, then I never would’ve been as successful as I was.”