6. Zoey
CHAPTER 6
ZOEY
Cole gives me yet another apologetic look, mouthing, “I’m sorry.”
Our apartment is crowded with guys. Apparently, Teddy took it upon himself to have a “First Day Back Get Together” as he called it. So far, I’ve been introduced to guys named Murphy, Jude, Cree, Daire and one who introduced himself to me with, “Caesar, like the dressing, not the dead guy.” Both him and Teddy cackled over that one. There are a few others who’ve since joined, packing into our small apartment that I haven’t been introduced to yet.
“Give me one of those.” I tell Teddy, waving my fingers at one of the beers in his hand. Something called Three Floyds Zombie Dust. Never heard of it, but if I’m going to have to deal with this much testosterone, I’m going to need actual alcohol. Cole’s root beer and my water just aren’t going to cut it.
“Here you go pretty lady.”
“No flirting.” I glare at the pretty boy as I take the beer from him and grab the bottle opener, popping off the top.
“I bring you beer and food and this is how you treat me. Shame, Zoey.” He actually rubs his right index finger on top of his left.
“Boohoo.”
Not only do I help myself to his beer, but I pile a plate with two slices of pizza and some of the chicken wings he brought.
Squeezing past some of the guys in an effort to get to my room, I bump into one, spilling a little of my beer on his shirt. “Shit, I’m sorry, Murphy.” I cringe at the stain on his shirt.
He laughs. “It’s fine. It’s just a shirt, it’ll dry. And it’s Murray.”
I cringe at having messed up his name. I could’ve sworn I heard him say Murphy earlier, but with a thick Australian accent it’s apparent I misheard.
“Murray,” I repeat. “I’ll remember that.”
Cole appears out of nowhere, fire in his eyes. “He’s not bothering you is he?”
Murray snorts at the accusation. “Nah, man. She bumped into me by accident.”
He turns that fiery caramel gaze to Murray. “Didn’t ask you.”
“Are you okay?” He addresses me again.
“It’s just like he said. I’m on my way to my room to get out of your way so you guys can do whatever.”
Cole’s face instantly softens. I don’t think he even realizes it, but he reaches down, holding my wrist. “Don’t go to your room. Stay out here and get to know everybody. I told Teddy not to do this, but … well, you already know how he is.”
I crack a smile. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Hand still on my wrist he pulls me away from Murray and back toward the kitchen where he’d taken up residence before. Lowering his mouth to my ear, he whispers, “These guys can get rowdy, but I promise they’re all decent.” I believe him too, because Cole’s a good guy, that much is obvious to me, and I can’t imagine him hanging out with anyone that’s not okay. “You weren’t here when I got home, so I haven’t had a chance to ask you how your first day went?”
Pulling a piece of stringy cheese away from my mouth— how attractive , not that I’m trying to attract Cole or anyone—I finish chewing my bite of pizza before I answer. “It was good. Only got lost once. This campus is massive, but beautiful. I love the old buildings.”
He grins, raising his root beer to his lips. “The buildings are one of my favorite things. Don’t laugh at me, but it reminds me of a fairytale. You know, like old castles covered in ivy.”
I smile at his comparison. “It totally is.”
“Where did you go after classes? To your dad’s?”
I shake my head. “No, I was job hunting. I have an okay amount of savings, but I’ll go through it fast with rent and other necessities so I need to find something.”
He rubs his jaw. “I might be able to help you with that.” I hesitate, because I hate taking favors from anyone, even if I don’t owe them for it. I’m a go-getter and like to do things by myself. “I work at a mechanic shop and Joe, the owner, is in need of a receptionist. Taylor who used to do it had a baby and decided she wants to stay home now.”
Answering phones and taking care of files wouldn’t be so bad, but it would put me around Cole even more than we already are as roommates. Sure, he’s a nice guy, but I don’t want to spend so much time with him that we get sick of each other and things get awkward.
“I’ll think about it.” It’s a non-answer, but it isn’t a flat out no, either.
He grabs a slice of pizza, leaning against the kitchen counter. He’s wearing a t-shirt and sweats that leave nothing to the imagination. Guys can’t really be that oblivious to the sweatpants thing, can they? I mean we can see the entire outline of their penis, and from what I can see of Cole’s … the dude’s packing.
Not that I was looking.
Absolutely not.
“There are plenty of other places if an auto shop isn’t your kind of place.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I have no idea why I sound so defensive over it.
“Nothing bad. Just that, like this,” he waves his hand around the room, “it’s mostly guys.”
“Oh, that doesn’t bother me. I was a manager at a gym before I moved here.”
“Why did you move here?”
My chest deflates at his question. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” He looks genuinely apologetic about it.
I exhale a breath. “It’s a normal question, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Maybe one day you’ll tell me.” His eyes are warm with understanding.
“Maybe,” I reply, but in my mind, I’m thinking not likely . I finish my plate of food and the beer. “I’m going to bed this time. Can you have them out of here by eleven?”
“Shit,” he grins, “I’ll get rid of them now.” He wraps his hands around his mouth. “Get your shit and get out of my house! I’m going to bed!”
Teddy stands up from the couch. “Are you kicking me out too?”
“Yes, even you.”
“B-But I’m your favorite.”
“Out.”
“I brought you food and beer. I?—”
“And you also ditched on being my roommate.” Cole grabs up the pizza boxes and shoves them in Teddy’s arms. “Thanks for dinner, dude, but it’s time for you to go.”
The other guys say their goodbyes and throw away the trash before heading out the door. Teddy ends up leaving a box of pizza behind saying if Cole and I want leftovers then we have it.
Even though the guys did an okay job cleaning up after themselves, a few cans and napkins were left behind. Neither of us say a word to each other, but Cole picks it all up while I wipe everything down.
Shutting off the lights in the living area, he gives me a tired half-smile. “Goodnight, Zoey.”
I open my mouth to say goodnight back, but for some reason I can’t get any words to form. He goes into his bedroom, the door clicking quietly closed behind him.
I take a moment to steady myself, trying to wrap my head around the insane effect he has on me. Taking a bottle of water from the fridge, I gulp down half of it, hoping it’ll help cool down my suddenly flaming hot skin.
Changing into my pajamas, I crawl into my bed trying not to think about the gorgeous man sleeping only a wall away.
“Are you seriously eating leftover pizza for breakfast?”
Cole looks up from his plate and swivels the barstool around to face me. He’s shirtless, showing off his incredible abs and the ink on his left arm and across his chest. I bite down on my lip, so I don’t whimper, squeezing my thighs together. I’m blaming the pulsing in my vagina on the fact that it’s been nearly six-months since I got laid. It definitely doesn’t have anything at all to do with my gorgeous roommate.
Did I say gorgeous?
Average.
He’s mediocre at best.
Who the hell am I kidding? Cole Anderson is runway worthy. He has the kind of face that makes you stop and look and the personality to draw you in and make you stay. It’s taken me only a few days to learn that.
“Leftover pizza is the best kind of pizza,” he argues. “Especially when it’s cold.”
I wrinkle my nose. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.” I open the fridge, pulling out a jar of the overnight oats I made the other day.
“You’re going to eat that mush when you could have this?” He holds up a half-eaten slice.
“Um, yes.” I grab some blueberries and sprinkle them on top along with a little bit of granola.
“Suit yourself.” He shrugs while I take a spoon from the drawer, hip checking it closed.
Sitting on the other stool, I swivel to face him. “So, Cole, you’re a senior, right?”
He stifles a grin and finishes chewing before answering. “Yes.”
“And what’s your major?”
His eyes sparkle with humor. “Journalism.”
“And what are you going to do with that?”
This time his head falls back with laughter. “What is this? A job interview?”
“Sorry,” I wince. “I’m trying to get to know you better, but you’re right, this does sound like an interview.”
“What are you studying?”
“I plan on becoming a physical therapist. I’m getting my bachelor’s in health sciences before I enroll in my DPT program.”
“Wow. I’m impressed.”
I bristle at that. “Do I not look smart enough?” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. I know I shouldn’t have said it, but it’s an insecurity of mine. All my life I’ve been underestimated by people because I don’t look a certain way.
He rears back like I’ve slapped him. “Fuck, no. That’s not what I meant at all, Zoey. It’s just … that shit is hard, and I know I could never do it, so yeah, I’m impressed.”
“It’s a sore subject for me,” I whisper, stirring my oats. “My … ex,” I settle on, instead of ex- fiancé , “was constantly telling me it would be too hard for a woman and require too much studying.”
“Fuck him. Or her.”
“Him,” I laugh.
A moment of silence passes before he adds, “I’m sorry he acted like you were inadequate.”
“Yeah, well,” I shrug, licking my spoon clean, “I think it’s just because he was lacking in inches, so he wanted to make me feel just as small.”
Cole chokes on his pizza and starts coughing. I reach over, beating his back. “Damn, girl,” he gasps when he’s recovered slightly, “warn a guy before you make him laugh that hard.” Recovering, he asks, “How small did he make you feel?”
I know he’s being serious, but I can’t stop myself when I answer with, “Micro-sized.”
“Oh, Jesus.” He starts laughing all over again and I smile. I like his laugh a lot. It reminds me of syrup or honey. Rich and thick. “You’re something else, Zoey. You know that.”
“So, I’ve been told.” I shrug my shoulders and finish my oats, hopping up from the chair to clean my jar. Leaning against the counter facing him it’s impossible not to miss the way his eyes dip to my chest, barely held in my tank top. I’ve always been a curvier girl and used to guys checking out my assets, but there’s something almost innocent in the way Cole does it. As soon as he realizes he’s ogling my tits, his eyes dart away and he clears his throat. “Do you really like cold pizza?” I ask him. “Or were you too lazy to make an actual breakfast?”
His eyes come back to mine and I can see him fighting not to look down. It’s kind of admirable how much of a gentleman he wants to be. But boobs.
“I don’t mind cooking. I truly love cold leftover pizza.”
“That’s…”
“That’s what?” He prompts, finishing his second slice.
“Interesting. I guess I’ve always been fascinated by every person’s little quirks. Those tiny details of our personality that set us apart from the rest. Lots of people have the favorite color blue, but not everyone eats cold pizza for breakfast.”
His eyes crinkle with a smile. “What’s a quirk of yours?”
I think for a moment. “I never wear matching socks. Not because I’m lazy and can’t match them, but because it feels like this tiny secret rebellion of mine. Society likes to put us in boxes, and most people always wear matching socks, but not conforming to that makes me feel like I’ve taken back a tiny bit of control.”
“That’s…” He pauses, shaking his head. “Fascinating. I wasn’t expecting that explanation.”
I smile, walking around the counter to head back to my room. “I’m full of surprises.”
I feel his eyes trail after me. “Yes, you are.”