An Apartment Between Them

Joe tensed as he approached the apartment door. He already knew what would happen: Kate, slender and beautiful in a simple jeans and T-shirt outfit, would adore everything. Adam, her undeserving slump of a boyfriend, would hate it in equal measure. Joe reached into the pocket of his khakis to get the key. Careful not to drag out any pocket lint in front of Kate, he took the key and opened the door.

As the door opened, the apartment seemed to be daring even Adam to find a problem with it. From the entrance, you could see the door leading to a small balcony. In the space between, hardwood floors shimmered. To the right, the current tenants had set up a basic living room, with the television on the far wall; in front were two sofas, facing each other, on a large area rug. To the left of the entrance was a clean kitchen, pale yellow tile floor and white cabinetry.