Chapter 10 The Red Suits You
Dolly, my cat, kneads her paws into my back, causing me to stir. I open my right eye and wince as the sun streaming through the window hits me smack in the face.
“Dolly,” I whine, stretching and flipping over. “Some of us drank too much last night and want to sleep.”
Rubbing my hands over my eyes, I attempt to shake off my hangover and think through my evening. Bits and pieces of my night are blurry, but I’m slowly piecing it all together when it hits me.
Oh. My. Fucking. God. I agreed to live with Tanner last night.
I jolt up in bed at the thought, making my head spin a little and startling Dolly.
What was I thinking?
I wasn’t. I was drunk, and he said something about it being free, and dammit free sounded good, and then…did he order shots? Given the way my head feels, I’d say there were definitely shots.
Moving slowly, I crawl out of bed to get ready for breakfast with the girls.
Shit, did I drive home?
I peek out my blinds and don’t see my car parked in my usual spot. Did Poppy pick me up? I grab my phone and scroll through my texts. The last text I have from any of my friends was Poppy’s offer to pick me up if I needed, so I guess that’s a no. I click on Gray’s name.
Any chance you could come pick me up and then take me to get my car at The Local after we eat?
Gray:
Oh no! Did you get sad drunk last night by yourself? I feel bad I didn’t come.
I wasn’t alone. Can you help me?
Gray:
YOU WEREN’T ALONE?!?!?!
Gray:
OMG! Did you meet someone?
Focus. Can you take me to get my car or do you have to work?
Gray:
Of course. I don’t have to be at the hospital until 1:00 but you need to explain. Did you meet a guy?
It’s a really long story, and I need a shower and caffeine.
Gray:
No, you need to tell me what happened!
I’ll see you soon.
I put the phone down and turn on the water, ignoring the assault of text messages that are now threatening to make my phone vibrate off the counter. I need to shower. I need to clear my head, and then I need to come up with a plan. I can’t really live with him. Can I?
I’m feeling a solid thirty percent better after my shower, and I know coffee will help get me to at least fifty percent before Gray arrives. I wrap my hair in my towel, throw on my bra and thong, and head toward the kitchen.
“Morning, roomie,” a deep voice says behind me, causing me to scream and sending me into the air. The towel topples off my head and onto the floor. Spinning around, I find Tanner laying on my couch, shirtless, playing on his phone.
I have no words. Why is he here? I don’t have any memory—shit, we shared an Uber and he walked me to my door, but he didn’t come in. Did he? Well, I guess he must have because I’m staring at his bare chest on my sofa right now.
A wide, goofy grin spreads across his face. Calm down, Wren. This is totally—
“Special occasion?” he says, the corners of his mouth tipping even more upward.
“What?”
His gaze drops to my tits, and he gestures toward me with his hand. “The red suits you.”
I look down and realize what I’m wearing. Or, rather, what I’m not wearing. My face heats.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I say, bending down to grab the towel. I do my best to cover myself and stomp back to my bedroom as quickly as I can. I hear him laugh behind me.
When I emerge again, I’m fully clothed and ready for breakfast. And in the least surprising turn of events this morning, he’s still here—and still not fully clothed. He’s sitting on the couch, one ankle crossed over his knee, with his abs on full display. A cocky grin is painted across his face.
“I like your cat,” he says.
“My what?”
“Your cat.” He scratches Dolly between the ears. “I didn’t know you had one. What kind is she?”
“A cream point ragdoll. I should’ve mentioned her. You’re not allergic are you?”
“No, I’m definitely not allergic to cats.” He winks at me, and the corners of his mouth tip up. I let out a frustrated breath.
“Can you put on a shirt?”
He flexes his chest and ab muscles. “Why? Are you distracted?”
“Can you be serious for one fucking minute?”
He laughs again, grabbing his white button-up off the other side of the couch. He pulls it on each arm and then stands to button it, slowly.
“Why are you here?” I ask, walking into the kitchen to make my cup of coffee.
“You don’t remember?”
“Remember what?”
“Our night together, Wren. Honestly, I thought I meant more to you than that.”
I stop pouring my cold brew and turn to face him. I was drunk last night, but not so drunk that I would have slept with him and forgotten about it. Is he actually insinuating that we slept together?
“Oh, relax,” he teases. “I’m just fucking with you.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I think it’s kind of funny. You should’ve seen your face.”
“Why are you here?” I ask again, flipping back around to finish making my drink.
“We were both pretty drunk last night and shared an Uber. You offered me the couch, and I passed out. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
I place the cold brew and creamer in the fridge.
“Okay, but why did we share an Uber?” I ask, moving into my small living room to join him.
He shrugs. “I told you last night I’d get you home safely, so I did.”
I don’t know why his statement makes my heart flutter.
We’re friends. Friends want their friends to get home safely.
Right? Like if it was Gray, I would’ve seen that she made it home.
“Do you have any hot coffee?” he asks, standing from the couch and stretching dramatically, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Oh, um, no. I drink iced year round.”
“Really? Cold coffee even when it’s cold?”
“Yes, cold coffee. It’s currently September in Georgia. It’s not that cold.”
“I’m more of a hot coffee year round kind of guy.” He plops back down on the couch and yawns. “So, should I call us an Uber?”
“Oh, actually—” A knock on the door interrupts me. “That’s Gray. We have breakfast with the rest of the girls this morning,” I explain, swinging the door open.
“Are you really not going to text me back? Who did you meet?” She pushes past me, stopping abruptly when she sees Tanner.
“Morning, Gray,” he says, a little too chipper.
“Tanner?” Her eyes find mine in a slow but very dramatic movement. The look on her face is borderline psychotic.
“Tanner was just leaving,” I say. “Right?” I shove my hand in the direction of the door.
“Oh, yeah. Uber should be here any minute,” he says, walking toward us.
He stops before walking out, wrapping his arms around me. My whole body stiffens under him, and he lets out a loud chuckle. “Talk to you later,” he says, releasing me and winking. “Bye, Gray.”
“Bye?” she says in disbelief.
“You want to tell me why he was at your apartment this morning?” she asks as soon as the door is closed.
“It’s not what you think.” A rush of heat covers my face. “I’ll explain in the car. We’re going to be late.”
We walk out of my apartment in silence, and I spot Tanner a few feet from Gray’s car, standing on the curb, grinning from ear to ear.
Of course he’s still here. It was obvious he hadn’t ordered a car yet, and a tinge of guilt pulls at my heart for kicking him out, but it quickly disappears when I remind myself that him being on my couch this morning was insane.
I offer him a wave and then climb into Gray’s car.
“Should I offer him a ride?” Gray asks, following right behind me.
“We’re gonna be late if we stop by The Local first,” I say, guilt still hitting me square in the chest. “He’s a big boy; I’m sure he’ll find his way.”
“Is he a big boy? I wouldn’t know,” she says, trying to hold back a laugh.
“Stop it and just drive.” My head falls against the back of the seat, and she honks her horn as we pass by him.
We immediately get stopped at the first red light when she turns out of my complex’s parking lot. “Tanner was at your apartment this morning,” she says.
I let out a grumble, and my friend begins to laugh again. “Please explain. Because my imagination is running wild, and I have to say I don’t hate the idea of you and him.”
“There is no me and him. The short version is that you all abandoned me last night. He showed up at The Local. We drank too much, and then he made sure I got home safely.”
Her head whips in my direction. “He made sure you got home safely. That’s sweet.”
It is sweet, and I don’t know how I feel about it.
“The light’s green,” I say, and she begins to drive again. “Yes, because he’s our friend. He slept on the couch, and he was still there because he thought we were going to go get our cars together. He didn’t know about breakfast.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed. There’s more.”
“Oh?” The corners of her mouth lift into a devious grin.
“I might’ve agreed to live with him.” I cover my face with my hands and peek through my fingers.
Laughter begins to bubble out of her, tears streaming down her face.
“It’s not funny. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking,” I say.
“Have you told anyone else?”
“No. Because I think I’m going to tell him it’s a horrible idea. He caught me in a bad moment. Yesterday was stressful, and I was drunk. I can’t live with him.”
“Wait, why was yesterday stressful? Everything okay with your brother?”
“Oh, yeah, Cody’s fine. My parents need more help. My dad hurt his back helping my brother into bed the other day. I offered to move home, but they said no. I can’t find anywhere affordable to live. My mom actually suggested that I stop saving money for my camp idea, and you know I can’t do that.”
“Is Tanner’s place affordable?”
“I don’t know. He told me he wouldn’t charge me rent.”
She pulls into a parking spot in front of the restaurant and turns off the car. She unbuckles and flips toward me. “He offered you the room for free?”
“Yes, and don’t look at me like that! It’s not that big of a deal.”
“I would argue it’s a very big deal. Like I know you’re friends, but I’m your best friend, and I'd probably charge you something.”