Chapter Eleven
Friday Morning, November 4
Dallas, TX
Kami
“ C offee? Soda?” I offer to Mia as she drags herself through the threshold of the apartment. Her hair in a loose bun, she’s wearing a pink, baggy sweater with black yoga pants and tennis shoes. A casual outfit similar to my high ponytail, tie-dyed tank top, gray leggings, and sneakers.
Around the time Kiera moved out, Mia just so happened to be looking for a place to live. Kiera and I suggested she should move in with me since I was looking for a roommate. I also can’t imagine myself living alone. I mean, who am I going to yell at the TV with when watching some of the best reality shows with hot and horny fuck boys?
After work today, Mia and I made a plan to meet at the apartment once she had the rest of her stuff packed.
“Coffee and water would be awesome, thanks. Rush hour traffic was terrible.” Mia’s shoulders slouch as she sits at the kitchen table. She looks exhausted already.
“Don’t worry. After we’re done, we’ll order pizza and get drunk,” I comfort her.
“You’re the best roomie in the world already.” After brewing a hot cup of joe, I set it in front of her alongside a cold bottle of water. She takes the coffee in hand, gulping it down as though gasping for air. “I’m alive, thank god.” She gives an appreciative smile.
Since she’s become my bestie’s future sister-in-law, she and I have started to become close. All the more reason to move in together.
“Take your time. We can start unloading everything when you’re ready. I’m happy to help.”
She sighs. “I wish my ass of an ex was just as considerate. But no. He all but pushed me out the door when I was packing the rest of my stuff.”
What an asshat. “I could go kick his ass for you.”
Mia chuckles, shaking her head. “Not right now, but I’ll let you know.”
Ten minutes later, we make our way down to her SUV. Attached to the rear of her car is a U-Haul.
“We’ll have to take a couple of trips, if that’s all right with you.”
“All good. I could use the workout.” I smile.
I could also use the distraction from constantly thinking about what happened between Ian and me at the Brick. There’s nothing I can do to get out of our agreement without compromising myself. He pinned me into a corner, and I was left with no choice but to give in. Then again, there are worse things than making a deal with the sexiest man I’ve ever met.
While I find the fact that he’s a man of action incredibly attractive, I worry I’ve put myself in a difficult position. The only way I can save myself now is to shove down my emotions, all the while learning as much as I possibly can about him, act like the most doting girlfriend he’s ever had, and then run for the hills the moment it’s over.
“Same here,” Mia replies as she lifts the hatch of the U-Haul. A first glance inside tells me Mia is not only meticulous with her packing and organizing, but she also has a larger-than-life wardrobe. I count six large bins filled with clothes.
Her closet will put mine to shame.
“The purple bins contain my casual clothes like jeans and T-shirts, and my dresses are in the pink,” she explains as she points to each bin.
Every other box and bin has an identifying sticker on the sides. Some have yellow, while others have blue or green stickers. Her color-coded organization is insane.
“Is there a separate bin where you keep your lingerie?”
Mia and I turn to the sound of a deep, masculine voice. Jake. The sleeves of his dress shirt are bunched up, his collar is open, and his tie and dress jacket are gone.
What’s he doing here?
He walks up to us with his focus solely on Mia. He looks at her like all he wants to do is devour her. I look from him to her suspiciously. For a moment, her expression is one of surprise. Okay, clearly, she didn’t invite him. If that’s the case, then why is he here? And why do I feel chemistry between them that’s off the charts?
“Hi, Jake.” I greet.
“What part of ‘I don’t need your help’ do you not understand?” Mia snaps, crossing her arms.
Wow…quite the chilly welcome. Why is that? All he did was show up. I feel like I’m missing something here.
“Is it that you don’t want any help, or rather you don’t want my help? Because clearly you had no problem asking Kami,” he points out.
“Kami lives here. This is—”
“Different?” he interrupts her. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.” He looks at the mountain of stuff inside the U-Haul, then back to Mia. “If you think you two can haul this bulky and heavy furniture by yourselves up the stairs, you’re sorely mistaken. You could—”
“What? Hurt ourselves? My, that’s awfully sexist of you,” Mia bites back.
He does have a point though.
Mia and I could carry a headboard or mattress by ourselves, but it’d be more difficult, and take longer, without Jake’s help. So why is Mia, as logical as she is, refusing to see this? Why the pushback? Jake, a very tall and muscular guy, is offering his help, yet she still says no.
“Baby doll, this isn’t about sexism, and you know it.”
Could it be…No way.
I’d be curious to see how this plays out if it weren’t for the nagging question in the back of my mind. Does Jonathan know his best friend is pining after his little sister?
Not my monkey, not my circus.
“I told you to stop calling me that.” She looks cautiously over at me. This is more awkward than being a third wheel. Whatever is happening between them, Jake is clearly not hiding it.
I don’t know whether to intervene or let them hash it out. I don’t want to get caught in the middle, but at the same time, saying nothing isn’t going to make the boxes and bins move themselves.
I look to Jake. One thing is for sure: I need to keep the peace. “Since you’re here, why don’t we get the heavy stuff out of the way first and go from there. We’ll do it all together.”
Mia grips my arm. “Why are you agreeing with him?”
“Because he’s here, willing, and we could use the help.”
“Kami’s right.” Jake turns to us as he successfully gets the headboard out of the trailer. “Why argue with someone who’s only trying to help?”
I see the fire in Mia’s eyes as she stares daggers into him. I can’t tell if she wants to kill him…or kiss him. Maybe both. One thing is for sure, this argument isn’t about sexism or moving furniture.
Mia groans. “Fine, he can help.”
“Thank you, ladies,” he says cheerfully as he makes the climb up the stairs with the headboard.
“How did you know where I was moving anyway?” Mia asks as she grabs the other side of the piece of furniture.
He smirks. “Kiera couldn’t make it, so she had me step in for her.”
That would explain why she hasn’t shown up. But why didn’t she tell me ahead of time? She said she was available. Could that be the reason why she didn’t have anything to do with Mia and Jake’s…confrontation? I hope for Kiera’s sake it isn’t. Mia would have her head if Kiera was playing matchmaker for them.
A few hours and multiple trips back and forth later, we’re all in Mia’s bedroom. Jake assembles the queen-sized bed, Mia arranges her closet, and I fill out an online order for a large deep-dish pepperoni and mushroom pizza.
The contemporary elegance and modern feel of Mia’s room is fit for a queen. The wall just above her bed shows a picture of lilacs. Her bedspread is a light taupe color, complementing well her white, fluffy pillows and beige bedroom furniture. A chaise is at the foot of her bed.
Just as I finish ordering, my phone begins to vibrate in my hands. The screen shows an incoming call from Ian. But rather than feeling a sense of dread, I feel excited, anxious, even happy to see his phone number.
I’m stuck playing pretend with a man who has single-handedly ruined all my plans, yet I feel giddy at the fact that he’s calling me? I need to get a grip on myself.
“I’ll be right back,” I mutter to Jake and Mia as I leave the room, and head straight to my bedroom. I close the door behind me.
I accept the call. “You rang?”
“Pumpkin! I’m so glad you answered.” No doubt he’s grinning from ear to ear.
Pumpkin? Seriously? Could he be any cringier?
“What do you want?” Let’s get to the point.
“Buttercup, aren’t you happy to hear my voice?”
“I’ll be happier when I stop hearing your cringy nicknames for me.”
“You. Me. Dinner. Wednesday night. I’m thinking Mexican food. What do you say?”
I know what I want to say. I want to give him a very adamant no. But delaying the inevitable isn’t going to help. “Fine with me. Will that be all?”
“Just can’t wait to take you out.”
“Where should I meet you?”
“Text me your address, and I’ll pick you up.”
No. That’s way too close.
“No thanks. I’ll meet you there.”
“No can do, darling. Like I said before, I was raised as a gentleman. Ladies should always be wined and dined in my opinion.”
I sigh. After experiencing his wining and dining firsthand, I’m now finding it difficult to say no. “I’ll send you the address.” I type in my location and hit send. “Happy?”
“Much. How was your day?”
Is he for real? Why does he want to know about my day? He already got what he wanted. But still, I play along. “Jonathan’s sister, Mia, is moving her stuff in today. We’re almost done, so I’m ordering a pizza for dinner.”
“That’s great. What do you think of Mia as a roommate so far? I hear from Jonathan she can be a bit…uptight.”
“She’s a bit of a perfectionist but harmless as far as I can see.”
“Well, enjoy your night, and I’ll pick you up at seven on Wednesday.”
“You, too.” What else could I say?
“See you soon.”
My stomach tightens as his sultry voice says those words. I feel my cheeks flush, while my stomach flutters.
No. Pull yourself together.
Before I can scold him again on his incessant nicknaming, he ends the call and I’m left in the dead silence of my room.
It’s quiet, too quiet.
I know that Mia and Jake are in the other room, but this silence is…stifling. It’s strange how when I was talking to Ian, I felt a rush of happiness. And then the moment he hung up, this wave of loneliness takes over. A loneliness I haven’t felt in a long time.