Take the stairs anyway

I tell myself not to be lazy and decide to take the stairs. I open the door into the stairwell and see a brunette about my age in a sports bra coming down. She flashes me a completely unselfconscious smile, says hello, and keeps going down to the basement. I should probably introduce myself, I think. I hurry down the stairs after her. “Excuse me,” I say. She’s already going through the door into the basement, but stops to wait for me. She’s clearly prepared to be annoyed, at the very least, but giving me a chance.

“I’m Iain Roberts—I’m the new building manager. I’m just going around introducing myself to the tenants. I’d give you my card with my cell number, but”—I grin—“I don’t think you have any place to put it.”

The brunette grins back at me. “No, I don’t.” She holds out her hand, and I take it. “I’m Anna Sorrento in #504. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I wasn’t expecting someone my age as the new building manager—this is a nice surprise.” She’s looking me up and down, and seems to like what she sees.

“Anna,” I tell her, “one of the things I’m doing is taking pictures of everyone so I can keep people straight—or having them send pictures if they prefer. May I take yours?”

“Sure, go ahead,” she says with a grin.

“Thank you.”

“You look really good, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“Why would I mind?” Anna asks with a delighted smile. “Of course, in an hour or so I’m going to look like a sweaty mess, but that’s the price you pay.”

I nod. “I’m sure you still look hot even when you look, well, hot, though,” I tell her, stumbling over my words a little.

Anna smirks at me. “Thanks. Maybe sometime you’ll get the chance to find out for yourself.” Her expression changes. “Oh, that reminds me—we have a drip in our shower; it’s not a big deal, but we haven’t been able to stop it. If you would take a look at it, I’d appreciate it. If you want to go up there now, Naomi’s still home. I don’t think she’s in a position to answer the door, but if you knock and let yourself in, that should be fine. Just tell her who you are and that I sent you up. I was going to check this afternoon to see if we had a new manager yet, so she shouldn’t be too surprised. Or if now doesn’t work for you, that’s fine, but sometime today would be nice.”

“Sure,” I say, “thanks for letting me know.”

“And now I need to get on with it,” Anna says. “See you later.”

“Will do. Have fun.”

“Suuuure.”