Rm w/a Vu

by A. D. Ryan

  “And you, as well, Juliette.” Before I am able to, Greyston reaches out and opens the door for me. It’s sweet, just like when he pulled my chair out for me in the kitchen. “Feel free to call me if you need anything in the meantime, okay?”

  My heart skips a beat, and I can’t seem to stop my smile from widening almost painfully. “Yeah, okay. Um, bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Walking down the stairs feels weird, almost like it’s not right. Was this what my mom was talking about last week? I laugh at myself as I approach my car because the idea that I could feel this way after only a couple of hours is silly. It’s just not logical. Maybe I feel like this because Greyston has offered me an incredible opportunity, and I’m seeing him as some kind of white knight.

  Okay, that just invites a whole new rush of fantasies that are bound to get me in trouble.

  Shaking them off, I tell myself that I’m probably just reading too much into it—seeing signs where there are none—but when I see Greyston standing on the porch as I climb into my car, I start to wonder if maybe Mom is onto something. He waves, and I return the gesture, pulling away from the curb and heading for home.

  Dad’s cruiser is in its spot next to Mom’s SUV when I arrive. He’s home early, and I feel dread knotting in the pit of my stomach. There’s no way I’ll walk away sane if I have to see them going at it a third time. Even though I don’t actually want to acknowledge that it’s a possibility, I grab my phone and text my mom to let her know I’m right outside.

  She responds almost immediately. A good sign, for sure.

  Yeah…right. She thinks she’s so funny with that little winky-face.

  Knowing that she probably wants to be caught just as much as I want to catch them—which is not at all—I head for the house. I’m happy to see that they’re sitting in the living room, Dad in his recliner and Mom on the end of the couch closest to him.

  “Hey, honey,” Dad says as I lean down and kiss his cheek first, then Mom’s. “Your mother tells me you went to look at a place today?”

  I take a seat next to Mom, nestling up against her as she wraps her arm around me and hugs me close. “I did. It was beyond perfect…and the price was more than reasonable. I probably won’t even need you guys to help out,” I tell them excitedly.

  “Oh?” Mom inquires.

  “Yeah, it’s only five hundred a month. For a house. It even has a pool…and my room has a balcony that looks out toward the desert. It’s stunning.”

  Dad’s inner-cop suddenly shows. “Sounds a little too good to be true, don’t you think?”

  What I think is he just likes having his baby girl home again. “That’s what I thought, but that’s what the guy said he wanted,” I tell him, shrugging slightly.

  Mom squeezes me supportively. “Well, that’s great, sweethear—”

  “Wait a minute,” Dad interrupts, his voice low and interrogating. “He?”

  Shit.

  Mom must not have caught it until he repeated my slip-up. Slowly, she loosens her grip and sits up. “You told me this person was a woman,” she says, her eyebrows rising. The look in her eyes is the same one I had seen when I was sixteen and lied about sleeping over at Katie’s house so I could go to a party.

  “Technically,” I say, going back to our conversation earlier in the day, “you assumed the landlord was a female, I just failed to correct you.”

  Before she can say anything else, my father launches himself out of his La-Z-Boy and booms, “Absolutely not! It’s out of the question!”

  “Dad, he’s a really great g—”

  “I don’t care if he’s the King of England; you’re not moving in with some guy you found through a classified ad,” he orders. “I raised you better than that, Juliette.”

  I hate when he talks to me like this. There used to be a time when I’d roll over and just submit to whatever he demanded because I knew he loved me and was just looking out for me. But now? Well, I know he still loves me, and that’s where his little outburst is coming from, but I like to think that he’s raised me to be a pretty good judge of character.

  “You’re right,” I tell him, forcing him to stop pacing the floor in front of the flat screen and look at me. I stand up so I don’t feel about three inches tall while I try to tell him how I feel. “You raised me to know better than to just move in with a stranger. But, isn’t that essentially what one does in college when they get a new dorm mate? I didn’t know Delilah from Eve, and she wasn’t cra—” I stop myself mid-sentence when my father crosses his arms and raises his eyebrows in challenge. “Okay,” I continue, “bad example.

  “My point is, I asked this guy all sorts of probing questions. I think I know more about him than I even knew about Ben, for crying out loud.” My dad still doesn’t look convinced, so I cross over to him and look up into his stern brown eyes. “Daddy,” I say softly, and I can see his resolve beginning to break. “I’m twenty now. A grown up. I need to do this. I don’t know how everything will turn out, but isn’t that kind of the point of life? We wouldn’t learn anything if we knew what was going to happen next.”

  “I just… Juliette, if anything ever happened to you because I failed to protect you…” The poor guy looks absolutely terrified. Will he stay up nights worrying that my new living situation is dangerous? I don’t want that, and I start to wonder if my moving in with Greyston is something he can even handle.

  “Cam,” Mom says, interrupting my thoughts before I start to seriously consider calling Greyston and telling him I can’t move in with him. “Maybe we should trust that she knows what she’s doing. You did educate her on everything she needs to know to keep herself safe.”

  She does it. She breaks his resolve.

  With a sigh, he flops back down into his chair, propping his arms on his knees as he looks up at me. “I’m going to want to meet him. If I am going to be able to trust that he’s providing a safe place for you to live, I’m going to want to get to know this guy.”

  My head bobs up and down quickly. “Yeah. Obviously. I’ll give him a call and set it up.” Relieved, I look between my mom and dad. “Thank you for being so cool about this…eventually.”

  Dad laughs, making me feel a little more at ease. “That’s me. Cool.”

  Since the situation has been diffused, Mom suggests ordering a pizza for dinner to celebrate. I’m not sure if we’re celebrating my new digs, the fact that I came home for once and didn’t catch them getting coital on a new piece of furniture, or that Dad’s head didn’t explode when he found out about my new roommate. Maybe all three.

  Pizza night also means we eat in the living room and watch a movie. It’s been a tradition ever since I can remember, and one of my favorites. After we all finish eating and our movie ends, I clean up before excusing myself to go and do my homework. I still have to finish up my paper before class tomorrow, and I am not going to let Drayke down again after my last grade.

  Just as I am putting the finishing touches on my paper, Daphne calls. I tell her I’ve found a place, and she has a hard time containing her excitement. Her enthusiasm is contagious as I tell her about the place. She’s sweet to offer to help me pack up when I ask if she’s seen Ben loitering around my room. It annoys me that he’s apparently been hanging around almost every day; I may have to take her up on her offer, even if just to utilize her as some sort of buffer.

  After saying goodbye, I set my phone on my nightstand, move my laptop over to my desk, and get dressed for bed. Opening my door, I pad into the hall, sure to walk heavily—just in case—and stop at the top of the stairs. It’s been pretty quiet down there, so I’m confident I’m not interrupting anything as I call down—because I’m not dumb enough to risk going downstairs. “Mom? Dad? I’m turning in now. Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, sweetheart,” Mom says back.

  “Sleep well, Jules.”

  I turn off my light, slip back into my room, and slide beneath my thin comforter, nestling in for a solid night’s sleep. It’s still
early, but the previous night’s lack of sleep finally catches up with me.

  I’m in such a deep sleep that I miss my alarm and start the morning late. The morning is a blur as I run around my room, dressing and gathering up my things. Thankfully, Mom has been up for the last two hours and has prepared me a breakfast sandwich to take with me on the way. I make it to school with just enough time to slip into my first class without the professor noticing.

  At lunch, I call Greyston and let him know that I’d like to bring a few things by. He doesn’t answer, but I leave a message, assuming he must be working. I tell him to give me a call by the end of the day if that poses a problem; he doesn’t, so I suspect he probably won’t mind. Plus, he did give me a key and tell me to start moving my stuff over whenever was convenient.

  When my classes are over for the day, I decide to head down to the dorm. I know Ben should be in his pop culture class, so I should be able to get in and out without seeing or hearing from him. Walking through the quad, I decide that I don’t feel like lugging my backpack around as well as tote boxes to and from my vehicle, so I toss it onto the front seat before I go off to pack.

  As I make my way through the lot, I start to feel really good about the new direction my life has taken. I never thought that Ben’s cheating on me would turn out to be a good thing.

  Nobody really pays attention to me as I make my way through the hall; it would seem that steering clear of this place for the last two weeks has made everyone forget the drama that had unfolded here. I was definitely a little nervous that people would remember everything and stare while pointing and gossiping about me. Needless to say, it’s a relief when they all let me walk by without so much as a glance.

  I round the last corner to go to my old room and stop dead in my tracks, slowly backing up out of view and pressing my back against the wall.

  Even though I am certain he should be in class, Ben is pacing the hall in front of my door. I thought I would be able to face him, but seeing him makes me realize I can’t. It’s not that I think I still have feelings for him—I don’t. I honestly just that I don’t really enjoy confrontation, and I definitely don’t want to get into it with him when there are students milling around in the halls. And there’s no way in hell I’m going to close myself in a room with him.

  Without thinking, I grab my phone from my pocket and blindly select a recent contact.

  “Hello?”

  Relaxing a little, I exhale softly. “Hey, I need a favor.”

  Chapter 6

  I know I shouldn’t have made that call, and honestly, I didn’t even realize what I was doing until it was already done. Sure, there were several other people I could have asked for help, but none of them came to mind in that moment.

  For some reason, all I wanted was him.

  “Juliette?” I turn toward the main doors and see a familiar head of brown hair. Just the sight of him relaxes me a little, and I smile.

  He’s making his way toward me, and I don’t fail to notice how every pair of female eyes is on him as he passes by. He doesn’t seem aware of any of them, though; his eyes are locked with mine.

  “Hey,” I say to him when he stops in front of me. He looks good in another pair of jeans and a light grey sweater, and I’m finding it hard to focus for a split second, suddenly caught up in the same fog as yesterday. Finally, I find my voice. “Thank you so much for coming. I’m sorry if I pulled you away from something important.”

  Grinning, Greyston shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you felt you were able to take me up on my offer to call if you needed anything. Packing a few boxes seemed much more appealing than paperwork anyway,” he jokes, making me laugh. “So, which room is yours?”

  All I do is look at him for a moment, still kicking myself for not being completely forthright with him over the phone. “Um, before I take you there, I should probably tell you something.”

  Even though it probably shouldn’t be possible, Greyston’s smile widens, his blue eyes sparkling. “Don’t tell me you have a cat.”

  I’m momentarily confused until I remember the “no pets” stipulation in the ad. “Oh, no. It’s nothing like that. It’s just… I, um…” I can’t seem to say what I have to.

  This seems to concern Greyston. “Juliette, what is it?”

  “My boyfriend,” I blurt out, causing his brow to furrow in confusion. “Well, more accurately, my ex.”

  “Oh.”

  It’s obvious he doesn’t know what else to say, so I continue. “We broke up last week, and he’s been trying to find a way to talk to me ever since. But I really have no interest in hearing anything he has to say.” I take a deep breath, because I’m starting to ramble. “Well, he’s supposed to be in class, but he’s not. He’s right outside my room.”

  Realization shines in Greyston’s bright eyes. “Ohhhh. So you wanted me to tag along because—”

  “Because I’m hoping he won’t air our dirty laundry in front of others. Especially not a stranger,” I admit, ashamed that I’m basically using him. I’m a terrible person. “God, I’m sorry. That sounds pretty crappy, huh?”

  Greyston shakes his head like he understands. “Nah. It just sounds like you want to put this part of your life behind you without any drama. I get that.” He’s possibly even more attractive to me now; I’m so screwed.

  “So, which room is yours?”

  After taking a few deep breaths, I lead him back around the corner. Ben is still there, even though at least a half hour has passed since I called Greyston. My step falters when he turns and sees me. It isn’t until I feel a warm hand press against the small of my back that I proceed. I try to breathe normally while Greyston’s hand remains on me, but butterflies have taken up residence in my stomach, and my entire body feels like a crackling live wire.

  Ben notices the innocent touch, and his eyes leave mine to find Greyston. I’m barely able to contain an arrogant smirk when Ben’s stare hardens angrily, and his hands ball into fists at his sides. He looks like he’s about ready to punch something…or someone.

  “Where have you been?” Ben demands, still staring at Greyston but clearly talking to me. “I’ve been calling you and calling you… I even stopped by the coffee shop.”

  “I know. Katie told me,” I tell him, surprised by how icy cold my voice sounds as I push past him and slip through the door with Greyston hot on my tail. “I was out. I thought she told you.”

  Ben laughs dryly. “You don’t go out,” he states like he knows me so well. “You’re too busy studying these days.” Okay, so maybe he does.

  The ridiculous accusation of his cheating being my fault haloes his statement, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing just how much it stings. “Maybe that’s just what I told you.”

  “Juliette?” Greyston interrupts softly, drawing my eyes to his. A wave of calm passes through me, casting the nerves aside as I get lost in a sea of blue. “Where do you want me to start?”

  “Um, that’s my stuff there. I think I still have a few boxes in the closet from when I moved in,” I tell him, my voice smooth and controlled, and point to my side of the room. “I should be able to fit most of it in my car.”

  While Greyston puts together one of my broken-down boxes, I start stripping the bedding off the single bed. Greyston and I are working together to fill a couple of boxes with my belongings, and I’m trying really hard to ignore Ben, but I can feel him standing right behind me.

  “Look, Ben,” I say without turning to face him, “I have nothing left to say. Honestly, I don’t even care anymore.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” he snarls, grabbing my arm lightly and forcing me to turn around.

  Before I even know what’s happening, Greyston has pushed his way between us, forcing Ben to break his hold on me. He stares directly into Ben’s eyes. “I believe she told you she had nothing to say. Why don’t you run along to class now, boy, and leave us to pack up her things?”

  Something goes throug
h me when Greyston stands up for me. I don’t know what it is as I’ve never experienced anything like it before. My entire body tingles, my knees feel weak, and my breathing deepens as he stares Ben down.

  “And just who the hell are you?” Ben demands. He doesn’t give Greyston a chance to respond before looking behind him at me. “Is this the clown you went out with the other night?”

  “So what if it is?” I ask snidely. I know it’s wrong to lie about something like this, but I can’t help but let Ben believe that Greyston and I were together in some way.

  He sneers at Greyston and then me. “Didn’t take you long to move on.”

  I can’t control the maniacal laughter that suddenly fills the room. “You’re joking, right? You’re accusing me of moving on too soon? You’ve decided to play the pot today, then?”

  Ben’s nostrils flare, and he focuses solely on me. Whatever he’s about to say won’t be pretty, but I’m ready for it.

  Greyston doesn’t let him get a word in edgewise, though, turning to me and holding my upper arms lightly. Slowly, he runs his hands over the length of my arms, and I sigh when they clasp mine. “Why don’t you take the first box out to the car while I finish up here, then we can head home.”

  “Home?” Ben repeats. “You’re living together?”

  I narrow my eyes angrily at him. “Not that it’s any of your business, but—” Before I’m able to finish telling him that I’m just Greyston’s tenant, Greyston shakes his head, silently telling me I don’t have to say anything. Why?

  “I’ll meet you out by the car after I’m done here, okay?” he says, tilting his head toward the door.

  Glancing once more at Ben, I nod before grabbing the box on my bed, and heading for the door. “I’ll see you outside,” I say to Greyston.

  “Juliette,” Ben calls after me, but I don’t turn around. “Juliette!”

  I keep ignoring him and continue down the hall. People are looking at me again, and I try to pretend not to notice. Instead, I focus all of my energy on not dropping the box or having the bottom of it break apart, spilling its contents in the hall.