Miles for Love Series Box Set, page 115
“Did you sleep with her since she came back?”
“No. We’re not even close to that yet.”
The relief on his face is palpable. “You’ve got a solid head on your shoulders, man. Just like I thought. Don’t listen to Tyler or Christopher, okay, just, keep the peace. It breaks mom’s heart when you and Ty fight.”
“It breaks my heart when we fight, too, man. But he just jumps to conclusions and it pisses me off.”
“Fair enough. I get it.”
“Frankie…this chick that I messed around with…she says that if I love her, then I should try to make things work. But, even when I went to see her earlier, I feel like I take one step towards her, and she takes two steps back.”
“Isn’t she in the middle of a divorce?”
“Yeah.” I nod.
“Well, Grant, no offence, but divorces aren’t easy.”
“That’s also what Frankie said.”
“She’s divorced?”
I nod. “Yeah, just divorced. Her house is still in escrow as a matter of fact.”
“Is this Ripley’s best friend, Frankie? I’ve heard her mention the name a couple of times. I didn’t know if it was her brother or something.”
“No. It’s short for Francesca.” I explain. “I…messed around with her a couple of times…thought that I could try that again, but fuck, man, it never seems to work out that way.”
“Maybe you sleep with them too fast.” Daniel says evenly. “Kayla and I were in love before we slept together for the first time. It helps a lot.”
“Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”
“Maybe put the brakes on with Stacey for a bit. Let her figure things out first. Everything will fall into place, Grant. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Daniel rises. “I should go. I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah. Hey, thanks, man. I appreciate you coming over.” I hug him again. “And tell Kayla congratulations for me.”
“What? You’re not going to do that yourself? When was the last time you paid your nephew Mitchell a visit? You know he has a new Lego set that he’s dying to show off.”
“Maybe I’ll pop by tomorrow then.”
“I look forward to it.”
Chapter 10
Frankie
So, my mother gives me this big honking list of groceries she wants me to buy. Why the hell she can’t get up off her ass and go to the store herself is beyond me. But since I’m shacking up with her, rent free, I don’t complain. This time it’s some weird-ass Mexican thing she wants to make. At least this one won’t be frozen, so we can eat it for weeks to come. It’s like a guacamole thing. As I’m running from grocery store to alternative food store to bulk food store in this strip mall fifteen minutes from my house, some asshole bumps into me as I’m eying mom’s list, and not really paying attention to where I’m walking.
“Hey!” I whine, as my purse nearly falls off my arm. I look up and I smack the guy who bumped into me…purposely. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I laugh.
“Are you stalking me, lady?” Grant barks teasingly. He inspects the bag of unmentionable food items I have in my hand. “What the hell are fava beans?”
“Ask my mother.” I say. “She’s got me on some wild goose chase for weird and hardly ever asked for, for a reason, food items. “I tell you, I’m not eating any of this shit tonight. It’s probably better on the way out from the look of it.”
“You want to ditch mom at my house? I was thinking of ordering one of those gooey sample platters from Barney’s up the street.”
My eyes light up. “How about we make it even better and just go there? Oh my God, I love their sample platter! It’s way better fresh from the kitchen. Take out might not cut it.”
“Cool. Do you have to drop that off at home first?”
“Yeah. You want to tail me and we’ll go in your truck?”
“Tail you? Oh, talk dirty to me, baby.” He winks.
I smack him. “Pig. I just have to pick up some goddamn duck feet or some weird shit for mom first. You want to come?”
“Yeah, I’m out of eggs. That’s why I’m here.”
“Do you ever eat at home?”
“Just breakfast. Between my brothers and my parents, I don’t need to cook.”
“You’re such a catch.” I lift a brow.
“Careful or I’ll make you pay for dinner.” He warns, taking the bag out of my hand, trying to be gentlemanly.
We walk into the grocery store and he follows me to the meat counter. “So, how’s it going with your friend? What’s her name, Stacey?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “It’s a slow boat to China. But Daniel says she’s got a lot of shit going on, so patience is a virtue.”
“I can attest.” I agree. “Divorces take forever. And who knows what kind of shit they’re fighting over, too. I was lucky. My ex and I agreed on everything the first round. We both just wanted out of the marriage. End of discussion. I mean, who knows what’s going on there.”
“Yeah.” He says, pulling the list from my hand and reading it. “What the hell is this?”
“Beats me. We need to corral one of these meat department guys and just give him the list.”
Grant summons a guy in the back and hands him the list. I can’t help but notice how polite he is when he speaks to the middle-aged man behind the counter. He even calls him ‘sir’. So nice. When the man brings me a package from the back, all wrapped in that brown paper that butchers use, I thank him and Grant thanks him, and the man walks away. “Wow.” I say. “I never took you as the gallant type, Grant.”
He shrugs. “Nothing wrong with being courteous. It’s something I picked up from the military. You speak out of turn to your Sergeant and you’ll know it.” he says pointedly.
“No doubt.”
“So how come you swear so much? Is that allowed in the military?”
“I don’t swear that much.”
“Uh huh.” I nod emphatically. “I should get you a swear jar.” We walk towards the dairy section and he picks up a carton of eggs.
He laughs. “You’re making this stuff up. Sure, I curse every now and again, but if I swore that much, my mom would have my balls.”
“I’d like to meet your mom.” I say, changing the subject. “She’s probably way more normal than mine.”
“Yeah, my mom’s sweet. I’m her favorite.”
I laugh out loud. “I’m sure.”
He tucks the eggs under his arm, grabs me playfully by the neck and squeezes, making us both sway from side to side. “Keep it up, lady. I’ll make you carry all your stuff and walk home.”
“I have my car.” I blink quickly.
“Oh yeah.” He smiles. I smile at him. God, he’s so cute. I bend upwards and peck him on the lips. He gives me a look like I just flashed him. “What was that for?”
“Because you’re adorable. And adorableness should be rewarded.” I’m matter of fact as I grab his hand and force him to walk quickly through the store.
“You taste like mint.”
“I ate one just before you slammed into me.”
We get to the cash and he looks at the assortment of mints at the counter. “What kind was it?”
I giggle. “Why? Did you enjoy that?”
“Yeah, actually. You taste good, Miss Nosey Pants.”
I show him which one and he grabs one. “You need more?” he asks.
“No. I just bought a pack. I keep them in my car.”
“Why not in your purse, where everything except the kitchen sink is kept, based on the size of this mother.” He says, taking my purse off my shoulder.
“Because I keep everything in the free world in there. Imagine trying to look for a pack of mints in a pinch.”
The cashier enters the code into the register and presses a button, and then gives me the total. “Oh, add these, too.” I say, grabbing the mints and eggs from Grant.
“Thanks.” He says. “Maybe I’ll share with you now.”
I tap him with my hip, making him move slightly. He smiles at me. When the items are paid for and bagged, we head out to the car. “You remember where I live?”
“Dude, I used to travel through the desert in pitch darkness. You think I can’t remember an address or find a chick’s mom’s house?”
I yawn purposefully as he speaks and he pushes his lips together, trying like hell not to laugh. “You bitch.” He chuckles.
“I thought I was Miss Nosey Pants.” I say, reaching into his back pocket, where I know he keeps his phone. “Now, unlock this damn thing so I can show you where I live…however temporarily.”
“Quit trying to feel me up. You already kissed me in there.” He says as he unlocks his phone.
“You wish.” I say, taking his phone from him as he hands it to me. I type in my contact information, and then point him to where I live. “Try to keep up.”
He lifts his leg, kicking me in the butt, with this huge grin on his face.
“Now that I think about it, I’d love to meet your sister Mallorie, too. I bet you used to bust her chops a lot as a kid.”
“Still do, actually.” He brags. “Alright. I’ll try to keep up. Lead the way Miss Nosey Pants.”
A half hour later, we’re sitting at the bar in Barney’s, waiting on our sample platter. We both have a beer in hand, and Grant is checking out a chick bending over the table oh-so-obviously. She gives him bedroom eyes even though she’s tending to another table. “She likes you.”
“She’s not my type.” He says.
“Then why were you looking at her ass…and her chest.” I ask, taking a look at what’s around for me. There’s a guy in a suit in the back. He’s with two other guys in suits. They look like they’re either having a dinner meeting or they’re coworkers meeting up for beers after work. Either way, the blonde one is sweet looking.
“You see something you like over there?” Grant asks, following my gaze.
“The blonde guy looks like he’d go well with my bathing suit.”
“You like the beachie type do you?”
“Not especially. He’s just kind of cute.”
Blondie looks my way and our gazes lock for only a second. Then I realize it’s because I’m with Grant. Grant is built like a football player. He probably thinks I’m with him and doesn’t want to risk an ass kicking by ogling his date. “I see the problem here.” I say.
“Yeah, what’s that.” Grant says, taking another sip of beer as our platter is served.
“He thinks you and I are an item. And no offence, but you look like you could take him with one hand tied behind your back.”
“That could be the problem.” he pauses. “How interesting is that, huh. Tyler was right. Chicks dig a man who’s taken. This little honey here is making no bones about checking me out, even though presumably we’re here together.”
“I don’t look intimidating enough I suppose.”
“You’re pretty small, yeah. I mean, you’re hot, but you’re small.”
I crane my neck. “I beg your pardon?”
He grins mischievously. “Remember, babe, I’ve seen you naked.”
“And you think I’m hot?”
“I wouldn’t have slept with you if I didn’t think you were hot, Frankie.” He says honestly.
“Can you say that louder?” I encourage teasingly. “So Miss Big Boobs can hear you?”
He laughs. “Eat.”
We eat and finish our beer. “So, what do you think…you want to crash at my place again?” Grant asks me when the waitress takes our platter away.
“You’re just the cutest.” I smile, shaking my head. “You’re lonely.”
He shrugs. “Kind of. I’ve never lived alone. I don’t like it.”
“Why don’t you find a roommate?”
“Well, I thought I had one, but you don’t seem to want to take me up on the offer.” He barks, chuckling. “I mean, geez, what’s a guy gotta do?”
I give him a look. “Grant…”
“Come on, man. Seriously.” He puts his hand on my thigh, giving it a rub. “Don’t make me beg. I hate living alone. None of my guy friends need a place, Stacey’s all fucked up and doesn’t want to leave her brother, so that leaves you. I don’t want to get some asshole I don’t know to live with me, you know…with all my money, it makes me worry, and then my mother won’t fucking sleep at night if I have a stranger living with me. I don’t know what else to do. Can you at least give it some thought?”
I hesitate, digesting what he just said. “You really want me to live with you.” I say, as if I can’t believe it.
He looks at me with eyes that are shaped like dinner plates. “Yeah. You’re really cool and we get along great. We’ve already slept together, so that…sexual tension and shit is gone. You don’t play fucking mind games with me, you’re straight up, I mean, it’s like being with a buddy when I hang around you.”
“Hanging around me and living with me are two different things, Grant.” I point out. “And besides, what happens when you bring Stacey over? We’ve already had this discussion.”
“Well…so…you’re my roommate.” He says, grasping at straws. My heart breaks for him. He’s so sweet, and clearly missing the hell out of his brother.
I’m deadpan. “That you’ve slept with.”
“She doesn’t need to know that.” He says as if to say, ‘so what?’
“What are you going to do if she asks? Are you going to lie to her?”
“Well, why would she ask that, anyway? I mean, why would that even come up?”
“It could.” I say, my voice raising an octave.
“Remote…very remote possibility.”
“You’re telling me that you’re so adamant on having me move in with you, that you’d take a chance on making the woman you…care about….love…whatever you want to call it…feel uncomfortable or awkward because you’re living with another girl? Come on, Grant. Have some sense.”
“Fine.” He harrumphs. “But just know that I’m going to invite you to stay over every night. Just the nights that I have Stacey over you’re on your own.”
“Nice.” I smirk facetiously. “Who doesn’t love being second fiddle.”
He rubs my back. “Come on. I was just joking.” I’m looking down at the marble bar. He lifts my chin so I have to look at him. “It could be months before Stacey and I are at a place where I even need to worry about this kind of shit, man. Come on. You hate living with your mom. I hate living alone.” He searches my eyes. “What do you say?”
“And what happens if we hate living together?”
He shrugs. “Well, we come up with some ground rules before we take the plunge.”
“Like what?”
“We share the chores; you pick what you like and I’ll take the rest. If either of us has company over, the other goes out for the night, we split the utilities fifty fifty, and we either take turns doing groceries or we do them together.” He spews out, like he’s counting each item on his fingers. “That’s how Tyler and I did it and it worked.”
“What about cooking?”
“I eat at my mom’s or either of my brother’s places most of the time. I only ever have to worry about breakfast or lunch. You can have the kitchen, but if there is a night here or there that I need food, we’ll share.”
“So I can just go over to my mom’s place for dinner the nights that you’re at your folks’ place.”
His face brightens. I lift a finger. “I didn’t agree to this yet.”
He smiles. “Come on.” He says it like I’m being totally ridiculous.
I look at him and almost cave. “And what about the fact that I was going to buy a house? Is that somehow a non-issue?”
Another shrug. “Well, you said yourself that you’d have a mortgage. This way you won’t.”
“Grant, seriously, I’m not going to go through my entire life not owning anything of my own right. My ex and I shared our house. That’s why I had to sell it. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable in wanting to be independent. I really hate turning you down, but I think it’s for the best.” I pat his leg. “Why don’t you give it some time…maybe Stacey will want to live with you.”
“I get it.” he says reluctantly. I feel like crawling into a corner and crying. He’s so goddamn cute, and for a guy who’s six foot two and built like a brick shithouse, he’s so needy it’s adorable. “Doesn’t mean I’m giving up on you though.” He says, looking up at me even though his head is down, almost sulking.
“Fine.” I smile, giving his hair a tousle. “Do you want to go try and pick up that waitress?”
“Na. She doesn’t do much for me to be honest.”
“Really? She’s got a great rack.”
He gestures with his chin. “Why don’t you go hit on her then?”
“What would you do if I did?” I ask, my eyes are dancing.
His eyes bulge, but his smirk says that he knows I’m joking. “Then I’d beg you both to come and live with me.”
We both laugh. The waitress brings us our bill and Grant pays for it. “Come on. Are you at least staying over tonight? I’ve got more beer at home.”
“Yeah, that I brought over, I’ll bet.”
“Well, yeah, but still.”
“Okay, but just for tonight. Tomorrow night I’m home and I assume that you’re going to do something with Stacey.”
“That remains to be seen I suppose.”
“For someone who’s in love, you sure don’t seem to be going over there a lot.” I point out.
“Just giving her space.” he says fairly. “The last time I was there, she cried. I felt so bad.”
“Was it because of something that you said?”
He smirks. “I asked her to live with me.” he tries to stifle a laugh but fails. “I guess it’s catching. You’re not going to cry, too, are you?”
“Are you serious?” my eyes bulge but I’m smiling.
“Kind of. But it was more an offer to help her out with a start up business.”
“And what about the offer for schooling?”
He waves. “That’s out. She’s not up for that.”
“Why not? I’d jump at the chance to go back to school.”
He looks at me as if I’m a unicorn. “Really? Why don’t you?”
“No. We’re not even close to that yet.”
The relief on his face is palpable. “You’ve got a solid head on your shoulders, man. Just like I thought. Don’t listen to Tyler or Christopher, okay, just, keep the peace. It breaks mom’s heart when you and Ty fight.”
“It breaks my heart when we fight, too, man. But he just jumps to conclusions and it pisses me off.”
“Fair enough. I get it.”
“Frankie…this chick that I messed around with…she says that if I love her, then I should try to make things work. But, even when I went to see her earlier, I feel like I take one step towards her, and she takes two steps back.”
“Isn’t she in the middle of a divorce?”
“Yeah.” I nod.
“Well, Grant, no offence, but divorces aren’t easy.”
“That’s also what Frankie said.”
“She’s divorced?”
I nod. “Yeah, just divorced. Her house is still in escrow as a matter of fact.”
“Is this Ripley’s best friend, Frankie? I’ve heard her mention the name a couple of times. I didn’t know if it was her brother or something.”
“No. It’s short for Francesca.” I explain. “I…messed around with her a couple of times…thought that I could try that again, but fuck, man, it never seems to work out that way.”
“Maybe you sleep with them too fast.” Daniel says evenly. “Kayla and I were in love before we slept together for the first time. It helps a lot.”
“Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”
“Maybe put the brakes on with Stacey for a bit. Let her figure things out first. Everything will fall into place, Grant. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Daniel rises. “I should go. I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah. Hey, thanks, man. I appreciate you coming over.” I hug him again. “And tell Kayla congratulations for me.”
“What? You’re not going to do that yourself? When was the last time you paid your nephew Mitchell a visit? You know he has a new Lego set that he’s dying to show off.”
“Maybe I’ll pop by tomorrow then.”
“I look forward to it.”
Chapter 10
Frankie
So, my mother gives me this big honking list of groceries she wants me to buy. Why the hell she can’t get up off her ass and go to the store herself is beyond me. But since I’m shacking up with her, rent free, I don’t complain. This time it’s some weird-ass Mexican thing she wants to make. At least this one won’t be frozen, so we can eat it for weeks to come. It’s like a guacamole thing. As I’m running from grocery store to alternative food store to bulk food store in this strip mall fifteen minutes from my house, some asshole bumps into me as I’m eying mom’s list, and not really paying attention to where I’m walking.
“Hey!” I whine, as my purse nearly falls off my arm. I look up and I smack the guy who bumped into me…purposely. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I laugh.
“Are you stalking me, lady?” Grant barks teasingly. He inspects the bag of unmentionable food items I have in my hand. “What the hell are fava beans?”
“Ask my mother.” I say. “She’s got me on some wild goose chase for weird and hardly ever asked for, for a reason, food items. “I tell you, I’m not eating any of this shit tonight. It’s probably better on the way out from the look of it.”
“You want to ditch mom at my house? I was thinking of ordering one of those gooey sample platters from Barney’s up the street.”
My eyes light up. “How about we make it even better and just go there? Oh my God, I love their sample platter! It’s way better fresh from the kitchen. Take out might not cut it.”
“Cool. Do you have to drop that off at home first?”
“Yeah. You want to tail me and we’ll go in your truck?”
“Tail you? Oh, talk dirty to me, baby.” He winks.
I smack him. “Pig. I just have to pick up some goddamn duck feet or some weird shit for mom first. You want to come?”
“Yeah, I’m out of eggs. That’s why I’m here.”
“Do you ever eat at home?”
“Just breakfast. Between my brothers and my parents, I don’t need to cook.”
“You’re such a catch.” I lift a brow.
“Careful or I’ll make you pay for dinner.” He warns, taking the bag out of my hand, trying to be gentlemanly.
We walk into the grocery store and he follows me to the meat counter. “So, how’s it going with your friend? What’s her name, Stacey?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “It’s a slow boat to China. But Daniel says she’s got a lot of shit going on, so patience is a virtue.”
“I can attest.” I agree. “Divorces take forever. And who knows what kind of shit they’re fighting over, too. I was lucky. My ex and I agreed on everything the first round. We both just wanted out of the marriage. End of discussion. I mean, who knows what’s going on there.”
“Yeah.” He says, pulling the list from my hand and reading it. “What the hell is this?”
“Beats me. We need to corral one of these meat department guys and just give him the list.”
Grant summons a guy in the back and hands him the list. I can’t help but notice how polite he is when he speaks to the middle-aged man behind the counter. He even calls him ‘sir’. So nice. When the man brings me a package from the back, all wrapped in that brown paper that butchers use, I thank him and Grant thanks him, and the man walks away. “Wow.” I say. “I never took you as the gallant type, Grant.”
He shrugs. “Nothing wrong with being courteous. It’s something I picked up from the military. You speak out of turn to your Sergeant and you’ll know it.” he says pointedly.
“No doubt.”
“So how come you swear so much? Is that allowed in the military?”
“I don’t swear that much.”
“Uh huh.” I nod emphatically. “I should get you a swear jar.” We walk towards the dairy section and he picks up a carton of eggs.
He laughs. “You’re making this stuff up. Sure, I curse every now and again, but if I swore that much, my mom would have my balls.”
“I’d like to meet your mom.” I say, changing the subject. “She’s probably way more normal than mine.”
“Yeah, my mom’s sweet. I’m her favorite.”
I laugh out loud. “I’m sure.”
He tucks the eggs under his arm, grabs me playfully by the neck and squeezes, making us both sway from side to side. “Keep it up, lady. I’ll make you carry all your stuff and walk home.”
“I have my car.” I blink quickly.
“Oh yeah.” He smiles. I smile at him. God, he’s so cute. I bend upwards and peck him on the lips. He gives me a look like I just flashed him. “What was that for?”
“Because you’re adorable. And adorableness should be rewarded.” I’m matter of fact as I grab his hand and force him to walk quickly through the store.
“You taste like mint.”
“I ate one just before you slammed into me.”
We get to the cash and he looks at the assortment of mints at the counter. “What kind was it?”
I giggle. “Why? Did you enjoy that?”
“Yeah, actually. You taste good, Miss Nosey Pants.”
I show him which one and he grabs one. “You need more?” he asks.
“No. I just bought a pack. I keep them in my car.”
“Why not in your purse, where everything except the kitchen sink is kept, based on the size of this mother.” He says, taking my purse off my shoulder.
“Because I keep everything in the free world in there. Imagine trying to look for a pack of mints in a pinch.”
The cashier enters the code into the register and presses a button, and then gives me the total. “Oh, add these, too.” I say, grabbing the mints and eggs from Grant.
“Thanks.” He says. “Maybe I’ll share with you now.”
I tap him with my hip, making him move slightly. He smiles at me. When the items are paid for and bagged, we head out to the car. “You remember where I live?”
“Dude, I used to travel through the desert in pitch darkness. You think I can’t remember an address or find a chick’s mom’s house?”
I yawn purposefully as he speaks and he pushes his lips together, trying like hell not to laugh. “You bitch.” He chuckles.
“I thought I was Miss Nosey Pants.” I say, reaching into his back pocket, where I know he keeps his phone. “Now, unlock this damn thing so I can show you where I live…however temporarily.”
“Quit trying to feel me up. You already kissed me in there.” He says as he unlocks his phone.
“You wish.” I say, taking his phone from him as he hands it to me. I type in my contact information, and then point him to where I live. “Try to keep up.”
He lifts his leg, kicking me in the butt, with this huge grin on his face.
“Now that I think about it, I’d love to meet your sister Mallorie, too. I bet you used to bust her chops a lot as a kid.”
“Still do, actually.” He brags. “Alright. I’ll try to keep up. Lead the way Miss Nosey Pants.”
A half hour later, we’re sitting at the bar in Barney’s, waiting on our sample platter. We both have a beer in hand, and Grant is checking out a chick bending over the table oh-so-obviously. She gives him bedroom eyes even though she’s tending to another table. “She likes you.”
“She’s not my type.” He says.
“Then why were you looking at her ass…and her chest.” I ask, taking a look at what’s around for me. There’s a guy in a suit in the back. He’s with two other guys in suits. They look like they’re either having a dinner meeting or they’re coworkers meeting up for beers after work. Either way, the blonde one is sweet looking.
“You see something you like over there?” Grant asks, following my gaze.
“The blonde guy looks like he’d go well with my bathing suit.”
“You like the beachie type do you?”
“Not especially. He’s just kind of cute.”
Blondie looks my way and our gazes lock for only a second. Then I realize it’s because I’m with Grant. Grant is built like a football player. He probably thinks I’m with him and doesn’t want to risk an ass kicking by ogling his date. “I see the problem here.” I say.
“Yeah, what’s that.” Grant says, taking another sip of beer as our platter is served.
“He thinks you and I are an item. And no offence, but you look like you could take him with one hand tied behind your back.”
“That could be the problem.” he pauses. “How interesting is that, huh. Tyler was right. Chicks dig a man who’s taken. This little honey here is making no bones about checking me out, even though presumably we’re here together.”
“I don’t look intimidating enough I suppose.”
“You’re pretty small, yeah. I mean, you’re hot, but you’re small.”
I crane my neck. “I beg your pardon?”
He grins mischievously. “Remember, babe, I’ve seen you naked.”
“And you think I’m hot?”
“I wouldn’t have slept with you if I didn’t think you were hot, Frankie.” He says honestly.
“Can you say that louder?” I encourage teasingly. “So Miss Big Boobs can hear you?”
He laughs. “Eat.”
We eat and finish our beer. “So, what do you think…you want to crash at my place again?” Grant asks me when the waitress takes our platter away.
“You’re just the cutest.” I smile, shaking my head. “You’re lonely.”
He shrugs. “Kind of. I’ve never lived alone. I don’t like it.”
“Why don’t you find a roommate?”
“Well, I thought I had one, but you don’t seem to want to take me up on the offer.” He barks, chuckling. “I mean, geez, what’s a guy gotta do?”
I give him a look. “Grant…”
“Come on, man. Seriously.” He puts his hand on my thigh, giving it a rub. “Don’t make me beg. I hate living alone. None of my guy friends need a place, Stacey’s all fucked up and doesn’t want to leave her brother, so that leaves you. I don’t want to get some asshole I don’t know to live with me, you know…with all my money, it makes me worry, and then my mother won’t fucking sleep at night if I have a stranger living with me. I don’t know what else to do. Can you at least give it some thought?”
I hesitate, digesting what he just said. “You really want me to live with you.” I say, as if I can’t believe it.
He looks at me with eyes that are shaped like dinner plates. “Yeah. You’re really cool and we get along great. We’ve already slept together, so that…sexual tension and shit is gone. You don’t play fucking mind games with me, you’re straight up, I mean, it’s like being with a buddy when I hang around you.”
“Hanging around me and living with me are two different things, Grant.” I point out. “And besides, what happens when you bring Stacey over? We’ve already had this discussion.”
“Well…so…you’re my roommate.” He says, grasping at straws. My heart breaks for him. He’s so sweet, and clearly missing the hell out of his brother.
I’m deadpan. “That you’ve slept with.”
“She doesn’t need to know that.” He says as if to say, ‘so what?’
“What are you going to do if she asks? Are you going to lie to her?”
“Well, why would she ask that, anyway? I mean, why would that even come up?”
“It could.” I say, my voice raising an octave.
“Remote…very remote possibility.”
“You’re telling me that you’re so adamant on having me move in with you, that you’d take a chance on making the woman you…care about….love…whatever you want to call it…feel uncomfortable or awkward because you’re living with another girl? Come on, Grant. Have some sense.”
“Fine.” He harrumphs. “But just know that I’m going to invite you to stay over every night. Just the nights that I have Stacey over you’re on your own.”
“Nice.” I smirk facetiously. “Who doesn’t love being second fiddle.”
He rubs my back. “Come on. I was just joking.” I’m looking down at the marble bar. He lifts my chin so I have to look at him. “It could be months before Stacey and I are at a place where I even need to worry about this kind of shit, man. Come on. You hate living with your mom. I hate living alone.” He searches my eyes. “What do you say?”
“And what happens if we hate living together?”
He shrugs. “Well, we come up with some ground rules before we take the plunge.”
“Like what?”
“We share the chores; you pick what you like and I’ll take the rest. If either of us has company over, the other goes out for the night, we split the utilities fifty fifty, and we either take turns doing groceries or we do them together.” He spews out, like he’s counting each item on his fingers. “That’s how Tyler and I did it and it worked.”
“What about cooking?”
“I eat at my mom’s or either of my brother’s places most of the time. I only ever have to worry about breakfast or lunch. You can have the kitchen, but if there is a night here or there that I need food, we’ll share.”
“So I can just go over to my mom’s place for dinner the nights that you’re at your folks’ place.”
His face brightens. I lift a finger. “I didn’t agree to this yet.”
He smiles. “Come on.” He says it like I’m being totally ridiculous.
I look at him and almost cave. “And what about the fact that I was going to buy a house? Is that somehow a non-issue?”
Another shrug. “Well, you said yourself that you’d have a mortgage. This way you won’t.”
“Grant, seriously, I’m not going to go through my entire life not owning anything of my own right. My ex and I shared our house. That’s why I had to sell it. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable in wanting to be independent. I really hate turning you down, but I think it’s for the best.” I pat his leg. “Why don’t you give it some time…maybe Stacey will want to live with you.”
“I get it.” he says reluctantly. I feel like crawling into a corner and crying. He’s so goddamn cute, and for a guy who’s six foot two and built like a brick shithouse, he’s so needy it’s adorable. “Doesn’t mean I’m giving up on you though.” He says, looking up at me even though his head is down, almost sulking.
“Fine.” I smile, giving his hair a tousle. “Do you want to go try and pick up that waitress?”
“Na. She doesn’t do much for me to be honest.”
“Really? She’s got a great rack.”
He gestures with his chin. “Why don’t you go hit on her then?”
“What would you do if I did?” I ask, my eyes are dancing.
His eyes bulge, but his smirk says that he knows I’m joking. “Then I’d beg you both to come and live with me.”
We both laugh. The waitress brings us our bill and Grant pays for it. “Come on. Are you at least staying over tonight? I’ve got more beer at home.”
“Yeah, that I brought over, I’ll bet.”
“Well, yeah, but still.”
“Okay, but just for tonight. Tomorrow night I’m home and I assume that you’re going to do something with Stacey.”
“That remains to be seen I suppose.”
“For someone who’s in love, you sure don’t seem to be going over there a lot.” I point out.
“Just giving her space.” he says fairly. “The last time I was there, she cried. I felt so bad.”
“Was it because of something that you said?”
He smirks. “I asked her to live with me.” he tries to stifle a laugh but fails. “I guess it’s catching. You’re not going to cry, too, are you?”
“Are you serious?” my eyes bulge but I’m smiling.
“Kind of. But it was more an offer to help her out with a start up business.”
“And what about the offer for schooling?”
He waves. “That’s out. She’s not up for that.”
“Why not? I’d jump at the chance to go back to school.”
He looks at me as if I’m a unicorn. “Really? Why don’t you?”
