Chapter 9 Lane
Ever since Lois got her new haircut and decided she was going to run her way across the entire town, she’s in and out of the apartment every day in her bright pink sneakers and even brighter workout tanks.
She’s committed, I’ll give her that. But I know how people usually roll: There’s a sudden rush of motivation and two days of fasting before they go crashing off the rails with an entire cheat month.
But it’s been a week now, and Lois is still sticking to her stupid hardcore diet, even as I’m digging into an extra-large pizza.
“Not even the smallest sliver of a slice?” I try again through a full mouth.
“Not even that,” she snaps back. “I haven’t put in all this work to screw up over a bit of stringy cheese.”
“There’s pepperoni, too.”
“I know.” She takes a deep breath in and closes her eyes, smoothing back her sweat-drenched hair and clenching her jaw. “I’m gonna jump in the shower, and then I’m out of here.”
“Where you going?”
“I saw an ad for water aerobics classes at the pool.”
“Okay.”
Standing there in the middle of the living room, she falls silent. There’s the strangest look in her eyes.
“What?” I ask, squinting.
“This…” She waves a finger back and forth between us.
“This what?”
“This feels like an actual conversation.” She tilts her head. “It’s weird.”
As she heads off to the bathroom, I toss my pizza crust back in the box and stretch out on the couch.
Lois has a point: Things are weird. It’s been two weeks since she moved in, and I sometimes forget she shouldn’t even be here.
In my defense, she’s super quiet and makes an effort to be nice, even when I try my hardest to get a rise out of her.
It’s a fun little game I’ve really come to enjoy, and I especially love it when she tries and fails to rein in her snarky replies.
I don’t know how far she’s gotten in finding an apartment, but I make a point of reminding her every day that our agreement has an expiration date, simply to see if she’ll bite. It’s just so easy to push her buttons!
“Clock’s ticking, Heartbreak!” I shout as she emerges from the bathroom freshly changed.
“How could I forget?”
She crouches down to stuff her phone into her bag, frowning as she straightens.
“What’s up? Muscles sore?”
“A little,” she concedes, clasping her ankle and pulling it behind her to stretch her thigh. “I forgot I even had any.”
“Where did you say you were going?”
“To the pool at the gym—the one next to the mall.”
“Same. I can give you a ride.”
“You’re heading to the pool?” She shifts to her other leg, raising an eyebrow at me.
“The mall.”
“So would this ride be free?” She lets her foot drop to the floor.
“Stop overthinking everything, Heartbreak.” I drag myself off the couch, slip on my shoes, and grab my keys from the side table. “So?”
“Okay, but drop me off away from the entrance.”
“What, like I’m your father dumping you around the corner from school so you don’t look lame in front of your friends?” I gasp, pausing for dramatic effect, and clamp a hand over my mouth. “Oh my God! I said the D-word. The forbidden word.”
“No, not like my dad, because he was never embarrassing,” she fires back, heading for the stairs.
I have no comeback to that, and it pisses me off. She is so unbelievably annoying. First she took my couch, now she’s coming for my one-liners. I head for the elevator instead.
When I get outside, she’s hovering in front of my car, staring up at the building. I don’t need to ask her what she’s looking for. Or who she’s looking for, to be more precise.
I pat my car roof. “Let’s hit the road.”
She sighs, teasing a lock of hair between her fingers. “Yeah.”
“Let me guess: sweetie pie Kirk has yet to meet the new-and-improved Lois?”
“Nope. I get the feeling he’s avoiding me.” As we settle into our seats, she mutters under her breath. “Do you know whether he’s still seeing Juliet?”
“No idea. We can stop off at the bar, if you want.”
“Together?” She sounds so surprised, it’s borderline insulting.
“Oh, good point.” I roll my eyes at her. “We hang out on the couch like friends, we talk like friends, but you’re so right: going for beers would definitely be a step too far.”
I hit the gas.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“Like what?” I glance at her out of the corner of my eye.
“I can’t put my finger on it. You’ve got this weird grin going on.”
“Just the Heartbreak effect, I guess.”
She shakes her head and turns up the radio, and as the car fills with sound, I’m surprised to hear her singing along to the lyrics. If there’s one thing I like about this girl, it’s her taste in music.
She plays on her phone as I drive, pulling faces, sniffling, so focused on her screen she doesn’t notice when I pull into the main parking lot.
I turn the engine off and slip an arm around her backrest for a closer look at what she’s doing.
“Stalking your ex is not a good look,” I whisper in her ear.
She startles, dropping her phone and cussing at me under her breath as she fishes it off the floor.
She gets out and heads into the gym, shooting me dirty looks as she goes, and the urge to follow her into the building is too strong to resist. I’m in the mood to get under her skin.
“Now who’s the stalker?”
“Maybe I’m really interested in synchronized swimming,” I drawl.
“I knew I should’ve walked. Don’t you have anything better to do on a Saturday afternoon? Seriously?”
“I want to support you in living your best life, Heartbreak.”
“You could start by getting your own life,” she snaps. “Just any kind of life would do.”
Now we’re on a roll!
I take a step closer, bringing my face inches from hers. “And you could start by getting your own place.”
She meets my gaze head-on. Doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t blink. It’s like she’s daring me to look away first. There’s a spark in her eyes I can’t tear myself away from. Before I can stop myself, I’m leaning even closer.
She tilts her head. “Is it me, or are you slightly cross-eyed?”
A burst of laughter escapes me. And as she turns back to the gym’s front desk, I catch the faintest trace of a smile tugging at her lips.
The receptionist straightens as we draw closer.
“I saw an ad for water aerobics classes,” Lois starts. “I was hoping to sign up. I figured if I came in today, I could maybe jump into a class right away.”
“Sorry, but registration opened at the start of summer. You’re too late, the only slots left are for senior citizens. And you’d need to bring a medical certificate, anyway. We can’t let anyone in the pool until those are cleared.”
“Karma,” I murmur.
Lois’s brow furrows. “What if I attend the senior classes and give up my spot if you end up needing it?”
The receptionist looks taken aback by Lois’s idea, but I’m not. If there’s one thing this girl is, it’s stubborn.
Lois flashes her an eager smile.
“I’m not sure, we’ve never been asked before. But the instructor is right there, let me ask him.” She calls across the room. “Ethan, can you come over here a second?”
I turn my head and watch as a beaming guy walks across the room to join us. I roll my eyes as I take in his khaki tank and tiny swim shorts. He’s openly checking Lois out and reeks of chlorine and testosterone. I get the sudden urge to trip him right out of his dumb slides.
“How can I help?”
“This young lady wants to take your class, but the only slots available are with the senior citizens. She’s suggesting she attend anyway, and says she’ll free up her spot if needed.”
“Is it just you, or will your boyfriend be joining?” He juts his chin at me.
“My what?” Lois swings around to me, her eyes widening as it clicks. “Oh, he’s not my boyfriend. I actually have no clue who this guy is.” She smirks at me before turning back to the pool dude.
I cross my arms.
“I’d really love to take the class. Please?”
He’s a good foot taller than her. In fact, he’s exactly my height, which means I have a front-row ticket to how creepily he’s staring at her. He’s leading a fucking water aerobics class, and he’s giving her the once-over like he’s holding a girlfriend audition.
“I don’t see a problem with that.” He scratches his chin. “Fair warning, though—the grandmas definitely won’t be letting you into the front row, so as long as you’re not worried about going head-to-head with some badass retirees, then welcome!”
“I’ll stay at the back; they won’t even notice I’m there.”
“That’s for sure.” He laughs, his eyes trailing her from head to toe. “They’re pretty into me—no lie,” he adds with a sorry-not-sorry pout.
Real smooth…
He claps his hands. “I’ll let you get on with the paperwork, then. See you soon!”
“Thank you so much, I can’t wait to get started!”
While Lois and the receptionist run through the details, I replay the scene in my head. That guy was such a douche. When she turns away from the desk, she slams into me and takes a step back, scowling.
“ ‘I can’t wait to get started!’ ” I parrot back to her in a high-pitched voice.
“Oh, give me a break! This is a full-body workout, I’m about to get ripped.”
“Doing baby squats in a pool full of seniors three seconds away from breaking a hip?”
She frowns. “You are so…”
“Wise?”
“Definitely not!”
“Incredible?”
“Try again.”
She starts walking, and I pick up the pace to match her stride.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be, Lane?”
“Sure thing.”
“So what are you waiting for?”
I point ahead of us. “It’s this way.”
“Oh, really? In that case, I’ll head the other way. Have a great day!”
She slips out the front doors, aiming straight for the mall, and disappears into the thick Saturday afternoon crowds.
I think she’s the first girl to ever stand up to me like that.
And kind of the first I have this much fun with.
When I think back to all her teary meltdowns, I can hardly believe this is the same Lois.
A group of kids jostle me as they pass by, and I suddenly realize I’m in the way, frozen in place and staring at the space she left behind. I drift around the mall, grab a coffee to go, and pick up a couple of T-shirts without even trying them on.
On my way back to the car, my phone buzzes with a new trip request. When I pull up outside the building, the girl who ordered the ride hasn’t arrived yet.
I get out of my car and lean against the shining hood, watching clusters of students as they walk by, checking out girls as they come and go, and it’s at this point I realize I haven’t slept with a girl for a while now.
Not since Lois forced her way into my place, actually.
Oh man, that absolutely won’t do. I look down. My phone is ringing.
“Carter,” I drawl as I pick up. “Been a while.”
“Shane Winfield has invited us to a party.” He can barely contain his excitement. “You, me. His house, tonight.”
It’s like my best friend has read my desperate mind.
“Works for me.”
“Sweet! Pick me up at nine?”
“Let’s do it.”
“Dress to impress, dude. All his latest actresses will be there.”
Winfield is a huge producer. Massive. He just won an award, and hanging out with him is a fast-track ticket to some amazing opportunities. His parties are always next-level, too: I already know I won’t be going home alone tonight.
“My ride is here, Cart. Catch you later.”
I slip the phone into my pocket, head back around the car, and open the rear door.
My passenger is a cute redhead, and she’s looking at me strangely.
“You’re good?”
“Yes!” she squeaks, clambering into her seat.
I laugh to myself as I slink into the front. I glance in the rearview mirror, watching her get tangled in her backpack straps, yanking too hard on the seat belt, making it catch. When she finally gets herself buckled in, she’s blushing hard.
“First time?” I quip, turning the key in the ignition.
“Ummm… yes.”
She can’t meet my gaze, and so I turn my attention back to the road without a word. I’m used to Campus Drivers newbies—the ones who unfailingly crush on their driver.
When I pull up outside her dorm, she seems a little disappointed I got her home so fast, babbling something I don’t catch on her way out. I wink in response to her wave and screech off into the night.
Pushing open my front door, the apartment is silent and still.
I have no idea what time Lois plans on getting home.
I hope she remembered to take the spare keys I gave her last week, after she spent two hours locked out in the hall, clenching her jaw when I implied that she must be used to hanging around in stairwells by now.
I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with me, but pushing her buttons is just too fucking satisfying.
I tell myself it’s payback for letting her crash on my couch, but the truth is I’m not so sure.
I pull on my go-to outfit, the one that works for both impressing big-deal producers and picking up actresses.
My friends can make fun of me all they want.
Deep down, I know they’re just jealous of the bombshells I bring home.
The kind of girls I can hook up with and forget—and that’s exactly what I want.
I HAD A FEW DRINKS at Winfield’s, but I’m not drunk. The only reason my head is spinning is April and the breast she’s been trying to feed me since we stepped into my building. She spent the whole evening sniffing around me and then planted herself in my lap. Now here we are in my elevator.
“We’re going to have fun,” she breathes into my ear as I lift her up against the elevator wall.
She wraps her legs around my hips, and I slowly ease my hand to her ass.
“You’re not wearing anything…” I moan into her mouth.
“I left a souvenir in your car,” she purrs, pressing herself into me.
“Smart move.”
I grapple for my keys with my other hand and throw open the door, watching as it batters the hallway wall, kicking it shut with my heel as April carries on, sucking my tongue.
The living room is pitch black. My hands are on her ass, sliding her skirt up over her hips.
She’s so wet my fly is soaked through. My head is spinning.
All I can think about is the sweet moment I finally get to slide into her.
I’m not thinking straight, and that’s really too bad.
Because just as I lay April down on my couch, I forget it’s already taken.