3. Ari
three
Ari
“It’ll happen, man,” I say, clapping a hand on Josh’s back. “Just keep trying.”
“That’s all we can do,” he shrugs, tipping back his beer to finish it off. “Not as easy as I thought it would be, though.”
I go to reply, but I’m cut off by a loud voice behind me.
“I’m not moving in with Ari fucking Morgan.”
“What the fuck?” I say, snapping my head in the direction of Lucia’s voice.
Josh chuckles under his breath. “I’m gonna get another beer while you deal with… that.”
He strides off one way while I march the other, coming to a stop beside Lucia, Harlow, Rory, and Ella. “What the fuck did I just hear?”
Lucia rolls her eyes. “Relax, Morgan. I said I’m not living with you.”
“Which just leaves me with more fucking questions,” I state emphatically. “Who the hell is offering up my place for you to live in?” I look around the group, and the rest of the girls refuse to make eye contact. “Should’ve fucking guessed.”
Harlow turns to me. “It’s not like that. Lucia needs a place to stay, though.”
“Why?” I question, raising my eyebrow. “She has an apartment.”
“Not for much longer,” Ella adds nervously.
“I told you guys I was going to figure it out,” Lucia chides.
“Luc, you’ve been ‘figuring it out’ for a month now,” Rory sighs. “You’re running out of time.”
“I still have a month.” Lucia crosses her arms.
“What happens in a month?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.
“Why do you care?” she argues, and I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“I don’t care. Just asking a question.”
Lucia throws her head back and sighs. “My landlord is raising my rent, and I can’t afford it on my own. The apartment search has been terrible because everything in my budget is shit. My lease is up in a month.”
I look over at the rest of the girls now. “So why are you guys offering up my apartment? You all have places she could stay.”
Ella scoffs. “You think we didn’t try that?”
“She refuses,” Harlow shrugs. “Doesn’t want to live with a couple.”
“Because all I’ll hear is everyone around me getting laid.”
“What makes you think that’s not exactly what she’d hear with me?” I know my reputation, and I’m going to lean into that right now.
“Oh, please,” Rory laughs. “You don’t bring women back to your place, Ari.”
“I was just with somebody last night,” I argue.
Ella gives me a disbelieving look. “But did you bring her back to your place?”
I let out a sigh. “No, I didn’t.”
“Who was it that had poor taste last night?” Lucia snarks.
“Taylor,” I shrug.
“She sounds pretty.”
I emphatically roll my eyes since Lucia clearly doesn’t know the first thing about Taylor.
“So,” I state, moving the conversation along. “What I’m gathering here is that you need a new place to live, but you refuse to live with any of your friends who have space for you. So your plan is… what?”
“I’ll figure it out,” Lucia replies, annoyed.
“Yeah, seems like that’s going well for you so far.”
She puts her hands on her hips and stares me down. “I’m not living with you, Ari.”
“I’ll be sure to find you a nice cardboard box then.”
Wait.
Did I just insinuate Lucia should live with me?
That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
But as much as I dislike her, I also don’t want to see her on the street because she’s too prideful to accept her friends’ help.
Lucia huffs. “You’re annoying.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Well aware of that, Spitfire.” I turn and wave at the other women, including Liv, who has now come back to join the others. “I’m leaving you guys to deal with this.”
I quickly exit the group and make a beeline straight for the fridge.
I need another beer after the direction that conversation took.
I’m almost certain this won’t be the last I hear about this arrangement.
After I grab my beer, I head out to the balcony. There’s a chill in the November air, but after nearly two years in New York City, I’m getting used to that again.
I sip in peace before I hear the door open behind me and watch as Cole and Knox come out to join me.
“Hey,” I nod, resting my bottle on the railing in front of me.
Knox looks me over curiously, taking note of my thin tee. “Okay, Pierce I get,” he says, gesturing to Cole next to him in a short-sleeve T-shirt. “But you’re not a native New Yorker either, Ari. How the hell aren’t you cold right now?”
I chuckle. “I’m getting used to it. Plus, I spent the first ten years of my life in South Korea. Not too different from New York, honestly.”
He adjusts the sleeves of his hoodie to bring them down farther. “I’m the only damn southerner in our friend group.”
Cole tips his head back and laughs. “You’re from fucking Virginia, man.”
“Which is technically in the south,” Knox replies.
“You remember Luc and Ell are both from Southern California, right? I’m not sure those two will ever get used to NYC.”
“I thought Lucia was from Spain,” I interject. “Isn’t she Spanish?”
Cole chuckles. “Her parents immigrated to the US before she was born. Lucia was born and raised in San Diego.”
I nod and take another sip of my beer before deciding to tell the guys of my new plight. “So, your wives and their friends are plotting my demise.”
“I’m not married yet,” Knox says.
“You’re almost married; it counts,” I state.
“So, how are they plotting your demise exactly?” Cole asks, cocking his eyebrow.
I lean back against the balcony railing. “Apparently, Lucia’s lease is running out, and she needs a new place to live. Your girls are all suggesting she come live with me.”
Cole and Knox laugh like it’s the funniest damn thing they’ve ever heard.
“Why the fuck would they suggest you?” Cole questions, wiping the tears from his eyes.
Fucker.
“She apparently doesn’t want to live with any of you,” I shrug. “Something about not wanting to listen to everyone else get laid.”
“So you’ve got yourself a roommate, huh?” Knox smirks.
“The fuck I do,” I chide. “She explicitly said she’s not living with me.”
Cole rubs the back of his neck. “What’s her plan then?”
“Fuck if I know,” I breathe. “She’s too prideful to accept help, so I told her I’d get her a nice cardboard box.”
They stare at me in disbelief, but Knox is the first to speak. “I can’t believe you did something nice for Lucia.”
I scoff and roll my eyes. “I offered her a cardboard box.”
“But you’ve not once told us that you said you didn’t want her to live with you.”
“I don’t want her to live with me,” I sigh. “But I’m not a complete asshole. I don’t want to see her out on the street either.”
Cole’s smile widens across his face. “Holy shit, I think you actually like Lucia.”
Like her? No.
Is she hot as hell, though? Fuck yes, she is.
I like her looks, not her personality.
“I don’t like her,” I finally reply, “but it’s not like it matters anyway. She doesn’t want to live with me.”
Which is exactly what I want.
I don’t need a roommate, least of all Lucia fucking Torres.