Page 61 of Riverside Reverie

“No, not right now,” I rushed to explain. “I don’t want him thinking I have a bunch of expectations for things. Having him take me to a furniture store seems really couple-y.”

“You’re not picking out furniture together, you’re going to pick out furniture for your own room here.”

“True, I guess. But isn’t it weird that I’m having sex with my about-to-be-landlord?” I frowned.

“So long as you aren’t getting a deal on rent because of it, we don’t care,” Talia laughed.

“Actually, if you could get us a deal on rent too, I wouldn’t be mad,” Jasmine teased, setting off another round of giggles.

Once they subsided, Talia looked at me with a deep understanding. “I think you’re worrying too much about everything. Let the chips fall where they may and enjoy life as it’s happening. Do something spontaneous for the sake of spontaneity.”

“Can you do that, Lux?” Jasmine challenged.

She knew me better than most, and she knew I had a hard time letting go of my meticulous need for control. My tendency to over-analyze everything was often more of a fault than a perk. Sure, it meant I was pretty organized and thorough with schoolwork, but it didn’t exactly translate to a peaceful mindset in the rest of my life.

“I can try,” I managed, finding a timid smile for her.

20

DINNER GUESTS

Theo

It was hard to let Lux walk away, especially when all I wanted to do was carry her like a Neanderthal back to my bed. I was in uncharted waters, already craving more of her time and attention than I should.

Desmond watched me watch Lux disappear with a bemused smile. He shook his head, opening our door and disappearing inside.

“What was that look for?” I demanded, following in after him.

“Nothing,” Desmond raised his hands innocently.

“That was not the look of nothing. That was the look of you having an opinion.”

“Not an opinion, just a thought.” Desmond corrected, putting his shoes in the front hall closet and standing.

“What thought?”

“That it’s refreshing to see you this interested in someone. Usually I’m the one pining.”

“I’m not pining, I’m—I don’t know,” I let out a heavy sigh, flopping down on the living room couch. Desmond disappeared in the kitchen, grabbing two pops for us before joining me in the living room. “I wasn’t expecting her, and now…I don’t know what to do with her. It’s crazy, I know, but I’m already so into her.”

“And why wouldn’t you be?” Desmond asked, popping the tab. “She seems great. Jasmine has always spoken highly of her.”

“Yeah, I know,” I nodded. “I don’t want to freak her out with how much I’m into her. I’ve only known her for a few days, and she’s agreed to be our new tenant. This could get messy.”

“It will only get messy if you don’t communicate. Be honest with each other, and you’ll avoid any messes. Did you tell her you were into her?”

“In more or less words,” I lifted a shoulder and took a heady sip of beer. “I mean, I haven’t officially asked her out on a date or to be my steady girlfriend or anything. I told her I liked spending time with her and being with her.”

I’d wanted to make things official between us, but I didn’t want to rush her into anything. I figured there would be plenty of time for that when she moved to Sudbury.

I was worried that I might need to tone it down a little, let her have her space to think over everything before I frightened her away. She’d just gotten out of a long-term relationship, and while she seemed like a relationship girl, she needed a little space to breathe and figure things out for herself. Especially with the mess she was dealing with back home.

I was reluctant to be a rebound, too. I felt in over my head with this girl—but what if I was just a rebound, a good time after a shitty relationship? Already, I wanted to mean more to her than that, and that could be dangerous if she wasn’t on the same page as me.

So, I let her have her space. I didn’t bother her for the rest of the afternoon, which she spent next door, hanging out with Jasmine and Talia. I could hear music pumping through the shared wall and laughter.

Desmond and I hung out for a bit, then he went to his room for a power nap. I unpacked the camping gear and got caught up on laundry. Then I cleaned a little, not that the house needed it, Desmond was a neat freak and I hadn’t been home much in weeks. But the near empty status of our refrigerator suggested we would need to go to a grocery store soon.

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