Chapter 2: No Touching, No Problem (Probably)

I brought the fox spirit home, grinning from ear to ear!

My apartment suddenly felt way too small and way too messy for a supernatural roommate. There were takeout boxes from Panda Express, a pile of Amazon packages, and socks everywhere. I kicked my shoes into the closet, swept takeout containers off the coffee table, and tried not to look like I’d just adopted a supermodel.

On the way, I tried to break the ice. “What’s your name?”

“Grayson.”

Even his name sounds like a CEO!

Grayson. The kind of name you’d find on a luxury cologne bottle or the door to a corner office. It fit him—chilly, polished, untouchable.

I eagerly reached out my hand. “I’m Natalie. From now on, I’m your boss.”

I’ve seen my friends with their fox spirits—they all call them ‘Boss’ and it feels amazing!

Just the other week, my friend Lexie was bragging about how her fox spirit called her ‘Boss’ while bringing her iced coffee in bed. I couldn’t wait to see what that felt like.

But Grayson turned his head away, radiating an aloof aura. “I’m not like them.”

Out of nowhere, a chill ran down my spine.

The way he said it—matter-of-fact, cold, like he’d already decided I was one of the masses. I felt my ego deflate a little.

I quickly switched tactics, still holding out my hand. “Then let’s be friends from now on!”

He stared at my hand like I’d offered him a moldy sandwich. “No touching. Seriously. If you try, I’m gone.”

I gritted my teeth. It’s just a handshake!

What a diva!

Honestly, who did this guy think he was? The rules were starting to sound like a dorm roommate agreement, not a magical partnership.

But can this ‘get rich’ thing really work?

I eyed him, trying to imagine if he was secretly some Wolf of Wall Street type under all that brooding. Maybe I was being played, but I was too invested to back out now.

So I snorted right back. “Who knows if you can actually make people rich? Maybe the owner gave me a discount just to get rid of broken merchandise!”

I wanted to provoke him, see if I could crack that cold exterior.

Didn’t expect him to just glance at me—

Thirty percent disdain, thirty percent mockery, forty percent icy indifference!

The intensity in his gaze made my cheeks heat up. I found myself fidgeting, suddenly self-conscious about my Target jeans and frizzy ponytail. I suddenly wished I’d worn literally anything else. Even my old prom dress.

I quickly looked away.

Foxes really are born with charm! Just meeting his eyes made my heart race…

I felt a flush crawl up my neck. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I fumbled for it, desperate for a distraction. I scrolled through my group chat, trying to act nonchalant, but his eyes lingered on me just long enough that I wondered if he could hear my heart thumping.