"That is my number one priority when it comes to real estate," I say dryly, though it would be nice to be near a friend. But then I think about how Neil is one of the few on a dwindling list, and I feel a stab of anxiety. The thought of losing anyone else is terrifying, and I wonder how I'm meant to make new friends. I clutch at Oliver's hips and sort of zone out for a second, and then force myself to take a breath and shake my head. I can't get into that spiral right now.

"Maybe we could rent this place out," I say after a moment, nosing at the back of his neck to calm myself. He always smells so good, like home, and it calms me. "To a student or something. We'd have to give them a good deal." My head falls forward to rest between his shoulder blades. "On account of the murder."