Page 19 of Accidental Roommates

“I like it loud too when I cook.”

“Then find some music and crank it.” I get up from the couch. “I’ll get the steaks out of the fridge. They’re supposed to warm to room temperature before you cook them. I learned that online.”

She laughs. “You really did do your research. I thought you were kidding.” She follows me to the kitchen. “You sure I can’t help?”

I take the steaks from the fridge. “Music first. My speakers are in the cupboard next to the sink.”

“Why are they in the cupboard?” she asks as she takes them out.

“Because Carter was a slob and kept splashing water on them when I had them on the counter.”

She gets her phone out. “What kind of music do you like?”

“You pick.”

“I will, but tell me what you like so I can at least find something we’re both okay with.”

Nikki would never ask for my input on music, or anything else. She just did what she wanted, which I was okay with because I loved her and wanted her to be happy. I want Kenzie to be happy too. After what she’s been through today, I want to make her feel better.

“It really doesn’t matter to me,” I tell her. “I like a lot of types of music. Just pick what you want.”

She scrolls through her phone, then syncs it with my speakers. Country music fills the room.

“You okay with country?” she asks.

“Are you kidding? I love it. But none of my friends do so I can never play it around them. Carter used to yell at me to turn it off. And Nikki hated it. She refused to let me listen to it.”

“Liam didn’t like it either. I never listened to it when he was around. He likes classic rock so that’s what we’d always listen to.”

“Sounds like I made a good choice in roommates.” I smile at her as I grab a cutting board. “Turn it up.”

She does, and then comes up beside me. “I really want to help. I don’t like just standing here.”

“You drink?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“You can be the bartender.” I nod toward the last cupboard. “Booze are over there. Pick what you want. I’ll take a whiskey on ice.”

“Straight whiskey? Nothing else?”

“After today? Straight whiskey. And keep it coming.”

She pours me some, and then pours a little for herself.

I down the first glass but slow down on the next one, realizing it’s not a good idea to be getting drunk. It could lead to things happening. Things roommates shouldn’t do.

“You got cheesecake?” she asks as she looks in the fridge.

“Not just any cheesecake. That’s Vinilli’s Bakery cheesecake.”

“Is that good?”

“It’s more than good. It’s the best. That cheesecake cost fifty bucks.”

“You paid fifty dollars for cheesecake?”

“I got it for Nikki. It’s her favorite. You like cheesecake?”

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