“I will. Thank you again, Thomas. This is really a huge, huge thing you’re doing. I’m not sure what I would have done.”
I might have had a tiny hero complex. “I’m glad I can help.”
She gave me a strange look and I got the feeling she was trying to figure out what more to say or do. We had yet to touch. Normal friends could shake hands or even hug. I couldn’t do that with her. I could, but it made me nervous.
“Goodnight,” she said and headed toward her room.
With her out of sight, I blew out the breath I felt like I’d been holding since the first moment I saw her on the other side of the door. “Holy shit,” I whispered.
I was going to go to my office to work, but I was afraid her bedroom door would be open. I didn’t want her to think I was stalking her. I waited several minutes, standing as still as a statue in the kitchen. When I was certain I’d waited an appropriate amount of time, I walked down the hall. Her bedroom door was closed, and I could hear muffled music.
I went into my office and quietly closed the door. I sat down and fired up the computer to work, but I had a feeling it was going to be impossible. I couldn’t pull my thoughts away from her. What was it going to be like living with a woman? With her specifically.
I wasn’t even going to try and lie and say there wasn’t an attraction. There was. There most definitely was. I was drawn to her, just like I had been back in school. I liked that she was quiet and calm but still seemed to be having fun. She was nothing like my boisterous sister. Lily had this peace about her. I was certain that was why she and Tamlyn got along so well. Tamlyn needed a little peace in her life. Lily was like Xanax for my sister.
To me, she was more of an equal. “Stop,” I muttered.
I could not go down that road. Me and Lily couldn’t happen. She thought of me as a friend. Not even a real friend. I was the guy that had a spare room, and she was the lady in need of a roof over her head. It was nothing more than that.
“But what if?”
What if we did this whole roommate to lovers thing? I understood how easy it would be to fall into that kind of a relationship. We were going to be living under the same roof. We would see each other first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. We would probably have some downtime together. Maybe we’d watch TV together or go out to dinner.
Wasn’t that basically a relationship?
“Pull your shit together. This is not that. She’s Lily. She’s Tamlyn’s best friend. She’s off limits. Period. No touching. No flirting. No anything.”
The last thing I wanted to do was come on strong and scare her away.
9
Lily
It was time to take action. I had officially moved into Thomas’s luxury apartment. I was unpacked and felt somewhat settled. Now, it was time to find a job before classes started. That was going to be tricky. I was late to the party. A lot of the college students had already snatched up the part-time jobs with flexible hours. They were hard to come by.
I quietly walked into the kitchen to make my first cup of coffee. Yesterday, Thomas had driven me to the store and let me do a little grocery shopping. He insisted on being my driver. It was nice to hang out with him and get an idea of what he liked. I suspected it was the case, but now I knew for sure. Thomas was a healthy eater. He liked fresh fruits and veggies. He preferred skinless chicken and liked fish. It was all information I was filing away. I was going to make him dinner when I could. I just needed to research recipes. I wasn’t exactly an expert in the world of healthy eating and dieting.
I insisted on paying for the groceries, even though he added a few things to the cart. It was one of the few things I could do to contribute to the living situation. I refused to be his albatross. I was not going to make him feel like he had to support me. I didn’t want to be a burden. I refused to be a burden.
I took my coffee and moved to stand on the balcony. The fresh air felt good. I could actually smell my future. This was the next step on my journey, and I hoped it was going to be a great one. I had a newfound hope for the future.
Again, I wished I could call my dad and let him know I was okay. That I had found an excellent roommate and I would be safe in the city. Things a normal father would be interested to know. It was strange to think of myself as an orphan, but I essentially was. It wasn’t fair, but it was the life the universe decided to give me.
I heard shuffling behind me and turned to see Thomas. He was wearing a pair of sweats that were very basic and yet incredibly sexy at the same time. His sandy hair was mussed, and he wasn’t wearing his glasses. The shirt he had on was loose, but it was impossible not to notice the definition of his arms.
I opened the door and smiled. “Good morning,” I said.
The man looked rough. I heard him last night in his office and knew he had worked late. He rubbed a hand over his face. “Morning,” he mumbled.
“I’ll make you a cup of coffee,” I told him.
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll make you some coffee,” I told him. “Have a seat.” The poor man looked exhausted. He flopped down in a chair and had a bit of a zombie stare. “Did you work pretty late last night?”
He let out a wide yawn. “Till about three,” he answered.
“Why don’t you sleep a little more?”
“I’ve got to go to work.”
“I guess all of this comes with a price,” I said with a sigh. “Is it worth it?” I handed him his cup of coffee.
“It is. I don’t always work this much. I just have a lot of work right now with a deadline.”
“Aren’t you the boss? Can’t you change the deadline?”
“Not this one,” he said. “It’s a big deal.”
“But it will pay off in the end, right?” I asked in an attempt to be upbeat for him. I felt bad for the guy. He looked like he was really struggling.
He slowly nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“Will you be working late?”
He nodded again. “Yes. I imagine so.”
“Is there anything you need me to do for you today?” I asked him. I wanted to help the poor guy. He looked so stressed. I couldn’t do his work. I couldn’t pay bills, but I could run errands.
He continued to sip his coffee. “No,” he said. “I don’t have anything I need done. What are your plans for the day?”
I took a seat at the table. A quick thought crossed my mind. Would this be our new normal? Would we have coffee together and talk about our day? That felt very much like a boyfriend. I dismissed the idea as soon as it popped in my head.
“I’m going to start my job hunt,” I said.
“What kind of job are you looking for?”
“Anything with a flexible schedule,” I told him. “I need the hours, but I also have to be available to study or participate in any extracurricular activities. My priority has to be school.”
“You may have mentioned this, but what are you going to school for?” he asked.
I smiled and took another drink from my cup. “Marketing and communications.”
His brows perked up. “Like marketing as in you sell stuff?”
“Yes, basically. The idea is to come up with a plan to market a product or service. The communications aspect is part of the marketing game. It involves using social media and putting together press releases. I know it doesn’t sound exciting, but I love the idea of taking something from nothing to a major hit. I think it’s the gratification I’m seeking.”
“Gratification?”
“I’m not like you,” I said. “You’re creative and smart. You can make something. You can develop a product. I don’t have that kind of brain. I don’t do crafts or projects. So, I crave gratification by making other people’s handiwork into something marketable.”
I was worried his eyes were kind of glazing over. It was hard to explain the career I hoped to have. “Marketing?” he repeated the word.
I could tell his brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders. “Y
es, marketing. Ad campaigns. Market research to target ads.”
“That is awesome. It sounds like a lot of fun as well.”
“It is!” I exclaimed. “I’ve done a few internships with various firms, but I’m excited to get onto a big project.”
He looked thoughtful, but I wasn’t sure what was on his mind. I imagined he was probably thinking about work. “I think that sounds like a fun job,” he said.
“I hope so,” I said with a laugh. “I’m going to be pissed if I just wasted six years of my life for nothing.”
“I have no doubt you are going to get a great job,” he said with a smile. “I have to get ready for work.”
I decided to make him a quick breakfast. It was nothing fancy, just one of his smoothies in his to-go cup. I left it with a post-it note on it telling him to have a good day before going into my room to shower. I put on a professional outfit. Nothing fancy. Black slacks with a white blouse that I didn’t have to tuck in.
“Thanks!” I heard Thomas call out before I heard the door close.
I smiled and continued putting on my makeup. It wasn’t exactly enough to make up for free room and board, but I hoped the little things would help. I wanted him to know just how much I appreciated what he was doing for me.
I quickly finished getting ready before heading out the door. I wasn’t really picky about the job I got. I was willing to do just about anything. I enjoyed trying new things. I liked experiencing new things. I had been doing odd jobs for years.
I started with the restaurant we had dined at the other night. They weren’t hiring. I wasn’t going to be dismayed. I stopped at every shop, restaurant and coffee shop as I walked away from the building. I filled out applications and left them with the hope I would get a call. I must have walked five miles by the time I gave up.
I was disheartened and beginning to panic a little. I had to have a job. I needed money to feed myself. I needed money to buy shampoo and makeup. I had to have some kind of income. It was bad enough I was living rent-free in a virtual stranger’s home. I couldn’t expect him to support me in every way.
“Hey!” I heard someone call out.
I turned to see a guy sitting outside a pizza joint. “Yes?”
I knew I wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers, but it was daylight, and I was in a busy public space. I felt safe enough.
“We got scammed,” he said with disgust.
I wasn’t sure how he expected me to help him. “Sorry?” I said and started to walk away.
“We’re selling large pizzas for five bucks!” he called out. “We’ve got six pepperoni and ten combos. Please help us out. We’re going to be so screwed when our boss finds out. We’re not supposed to make big orders without payment, but we thought we were helping someone out. One pizza. Please. It’s five bucks.”
I was hungry and feeling very sorry for myself. The combination was dangerous. I sighed and figured five bucks was a hell of a deal for pizza. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll take a combo.”
The guy’s face lit up. I was guessing he was a student at the university. “Thank you! Those assholes at the frat I was going to pledge totally screwed me.”
My assumption was right. “First year?” I asked.
“Yeah. My dad went here and said I was going to love it. I hate it so far.”
“I’m sure it will get better,” I told him. “Word of advice, choose where you pledge wisely.”
“My dad was a part of this fraternity,” he grumbled and pushed a box toward me after taking my money. “I don’t have a choice.”
“I’m sorry,” I said and truly felt for the kid.
“Thanks.”
I walked out with the pizza and heard my stomach growl. I was going to go back to the apartment and stuff my face with pizza in an attempt to drown my sorrows. I was going to hit the pavement tomorrow morning. I was hoping to stay within walking distance of the apartment, but that didn’t seem to be an option. I was going to have to expand my horizons, which meant I was going to be reliant on public transit, which was a real pain in the ass.
I walked into the apartment and dropped the pizza on the counter. I headed to my room to change out of my job-search clothes. I wanted to be comfy. I was going to continue my job search, but I was going to do it from my computer. My feet could not handle another five miles. I wasn’t that kind of person. I didn’t do marathons.
I returned to the kitchen to grab my pizza. I didn’t dare risk getting sauce on his pretty gray couch and opted to sit on the floor in front of the coffee table. I took a bite and stared out the window. There had to be a job. The few job openings I did come across were for full-time positions. I couldn’t commit to that.
I was on my second slice when the door opened. I immediately felt guilty. I couldn’t explain why, but I felt horrible for sitting on the floor and stuffing my face. “Hi,” I said around a very large and embarrassing bite of pizza.
Thomas looked down at me sitting on the floor. “Uh, hi.”
“Want some pizza?”
“No thanks,” he answered. “Why are you on the floor?”
“I didn’t want to risk staining the couch,” I answered.
He looked confused. “Oh.”
“It’s pizza,” I said. “You never trust pizza. Please eat some of this. If you don’t, I’m going to end up eating this whole thing. Save me from myself.”
“I don’t really eat pizza,” he said with a look of fear on his face.
I suspected as much. He and his green smoothies didn’t exactly scream pizza-fiend. That was why I felt guilty. I should make better choices.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I would make better choices. Today, I was going to stuff my face with cheap pizza.
“Please?” I whispered.
He smiled and put down his bag and keys. “You’re a bad influence.”
I smirked, tore off a slice, and handed it to him. “I’ve never been a bad influence. That sounds fun.”
10
Thomas
“This is from the place on the corner?” I asked as I delved into the pizza.
She nodded and reached for a napkin. “I guess they got pranked. They made a big order and the people never showed. Frat shenanigans and what not. They were selling them for five bucks.”
“Damn, that’s a good deal.”
“I agree,” she said. “I was having a shitty day and the man found my weak spot. I love pizza. I figured I was going to stuff my face and wallow.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“What?”
“Why are you having a shitty day?”
She blew out a breath. “I cannot find a job. I looked and nothing. At least nothing around here. I wanted to stay close.”
“I’m sure there are other places,” I said.
“I’m going to go back out tomorrow. I was being lazy. I wanted to be able to walk to work. I might look around campus. Then I can go to class, work, and then home.”
“What kind of job are you looking for?” I asked.
“Anything flexible,” she answered.
“Do you want a job in the marketing world?” I pressed.
In the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if she would be a good fit for my needs. I didn’t think I could afford her. She was educated. She was the kind of person that could get a job just about anywhere and get paid a lot. I wasn’t ready to offer a full-time, high-salaried job.
“I would love to get a job in the marketing world, but that’s not exactly something I can get in on with a very limited availability. My goal is to get a parttime job and hopefully do some interning at a marketing firm. I might even be able to find a paid position, but it would be very entry-level stuff. I could learn more working for free as a marketing assistant than I could getting paid to answer phones or file.”
She definitely seemed to have a plan. I liked that she was motivated. She knew what she wanted and she wasn’t going to let anything get in her way. She was even willing to accept a less than ideal liv
ing situation to make sure she got what she wanted.
“That sounds like a double-edged sword,” I said and took another bite.
“It’s part of the process,” she said nonchalantly. “I’ll get there one day. I just have to keep working toward the goal. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Again, I was tempted to float my current job need in front of her. I couldn’t. She would assume it was charity. I didn’t want her to feel obligated to take the job and I didn’t want her to feel like it was a pity offer. It was a sticky situation. She wanted to be independent and I respected that.
“It’s good to stay positive,” I told her. “I think it’s remarkable you have a goal and you are sticking to it. A lot of people would have given up.”
“Thanks,” she said and then waved her hand at the pizza. “Not giving up comes with a price.”
“Pizza seems like a good price to pay,” I said with a smile. “You earned it.”
She let out a groan before leaning back against the couch. “I don’t know if I earned half a pizza.”
I laughed and grabbed another slice. I told myself I was doing it for her. I didn’t want her to feel guilty for enjoying a splurge. It had been too long since I enjoyed my own splurge. I wanted to chow down. I was due for a little cheating.
I slid to the floor beside her. “I’m in now,” I told her. “All in. Go big or go home. Don’t stop eating on my account. Pig out. I plan to.”
She nervously laughed before grabbing a third slice. “I’m so going to regret this.”
“Where all did you go today?” I asked her. “Did you try that little coffee shop?”
She grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth. I tried not to stare at her plump lips. Her pink tongue darted out and licked away a dab of sauce at the corner of her mouth. I had to pull my head out of the gutter. I was suddenly thinking all kinds of things that were extremely inappropriate.
“I did go to the coffee shop, and they had a five-to-ten shift available during the week only,” she answered. “I have a class at eight on Mondays and Wednesdays. They didn’t have anything for the weekend.”
Match Me Up Page 6
