Page 14 of Accidental Roommates

“Call in sick. Or just quit. You only got that job so you could buy stuff for Nikki. With her gone, you don’t need the money.”

It’s true. I got a job at the gym so I could afford to take Nikki out and buy her flowers and presents. She was always wanting stuff, and no matter how much I got her, it was never enough. She was just using me. Using me to buy her stuff and using me to make herself popular back when I was a star athlete. I see that now, but why didn’t I see it before?

CHAPTER FOUR

Jace

“I’m not going to quit the gym,” I say. “I like working there. It’s easy, and when it’s slow they let me study.”

“And it’s a good place to meet women,” Dax adds, finishing off his whiskey.

“I’m not looking to meet anyone. I’m taking a break from relationships.”

“Relationships yeah, but sex? That’s exactly what you need right now, and there are plenty of girls looking for the same thing. You just need to find them.” He pours himself more whiskey. “Why don’t you blow off work tonight and go out with us? We’ll go to the party, and if it sucks we’ll hit the brewhouse on Lantham. It’s ladies’ night.” He smiles.

“I don’t feel like it. Maybe some other time.”

“Jace, I’m telling you. The best way to get over a girl is to get another one, even if it’s just for a night.”

“That doesn’t work for me.”

“How would you know? You’ve never tried it.”

“It’s just not what I want to do, okay?”

“Jace?” Kenzie appears, holding a t-shirt. She’s still wearing that short skirt and tiny tank. Damn, she’s hot. Those long legs. That beautiful face. Those big brown eyes. How could her ex even think about cheating on a girl like that?

“Sorry,” she says. “I didn’t know you had company.” She turns to leave.

“Kenzie, wait. What did you need?”

She turns back. “I was putting things in the dresser and noticed there’s still stuff in some of the drawers.”

“Hold on.” I get up and go to the kitchen and grab a garbage bag from under the sink.

“I’m Dax,” I hear him say.

“Kenzie,” she says.

When I return to the living room, Dax gives me a questioning look.

“She’s my new roommate,” I explain.

“That was fast,” he says.

I hand Kenzie the garbage bag. “Throw anything you find in this. I’ll toss it out later.”

“I can give it to him,” Dax says.

“Seriously?” I glare at him. “Whose side are you on here?”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “Hey, I’m not taking sides. I still gotta play with him on the team and you know how pissed Coach gets when we’re not getting along.”

“You can fake getting along with him on the team. But being friends with him, knowing what he—”

“So how’d you guys meet?” Dax asks Kenzie, interrupting me to avoid a fight. It’s probably not fair for me to expect him to end his friendship with Carter but it still pisses me off that he won’t.

“My housing plans fell through,” Kenzie says.

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