Page 7 of Clueless Romeo

He finally glanced up from his phone. "I've told you this a thousand times. My priorities have changed since we graduated. Christa and I aren't planning a long engagement, and we're starting a family after we're married. You know I love playing ball, but not enough to be running all over the country and leaving my family behind. I don't want to be away from her."

The idea of Caleb as a father was terrifying, but I kept the thought to myself. Instead, I focused on the fact that hehadbeen listening, just blatantly ignoring me. I gritted my teeth.

How the hell had my playboy idiot twin become so wrapped up in a pint-sized firecracker named Christa that he willingly changed the entire direction of his life? The question was one I'd asked myself often. I'd never planned on going pro, but Caleb had. It was all he talked about for as long as I could remember.

I held back a frustrated sigh. "Seriously, it's not going to kill you to help, and there's no way I can get the furniture upstairs alone. I need you to get off the damn phone and help me get the truck unloaded. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Fuuuck, you're annoying." Caleb let loose a drawn-out sigh, and by sheer determination alone, I managed not to strangle him on the spot. "You should have just hired a moving company to do all of this. It would have been so much easier."

Sometimes, it felt like I was dealing with a toddler when I talked to my brother. "We can't afford to spend money on things we can do ourselves, dumbass. I already had to pay movers for the commercial equipment that'll be here tomorrow. And it wasn't cheap."

Caleb muttered something under his breath, but at least he shoved his phone in his pocket and pushed off the wall. He lifted a box—probably the lightest of them all—and sighed. Again.

Before the conversation ended in bloodshed, I decided to stop talking to him altogether. With one last glance around the empty room, I lifted a heavy box and headed for the stairs at the back of the suite. Caleb's footfalls echoed mine as he followed me to the second floor. The staircase was narrow and squeaked with each step, making me wonder how secure the aged commercial property really was.

When I entered the living room of the two-bedroom apartment above our new store, I took in the air that held the scent of the wood polish used on the original oak floors. Yet, an underlying stale smell lingered and was nearly impossible to get rid of in older homes. Even though it was clean and several updates had been made to the building, a few kitchen cabinets were still missing doors, and the once white appliances had discolored to a dingy-yellow.

"I'm calling the main bedroom," Caleb called over his shoulder as he beelined for the short hall. "Since Christa will be living with us, it only makes sense because it has the en suite bathroom."

"Whatever." I didn't care about which room was mine. As soon as I got enough income flowing into my bank account, I planned to move into my own place anyway. I loved my brother, but he also drove me insane. I couldn't even room with him in college with the constant parade of girls he'd snuck into our dorm room. Luckily Archer had made room for me across the hall. I decided that year that living with Caleb long-term was not on my list of goals.

Blowing out a deep breath, I set my box down in the center of the living room. I opened a few windows just enough to let the cold wind dilute the strong smell from the cleaning chemicals, then looked around the small space. A bubble of pride bloomed in my chest. It wasn't much to brag about, but it was mine, or rather ours.

Over the next hour and a half, we finally emptied the moving truck. My arms and legs ached by the time we'd hauled in every box and piece of gently used furniture we'd scored good deals on.

My room had been outfitted with a black dresser, a matching nightstand, and a California king-sized bed that almost stretched wall to wall. My feet would hang off anything smaller.

The living room now held a gray cloth couch and mismatched coffee and end tables. A flat-screen TV sat on the ground, waiting to be mounted on the wall, and a four-seat wrought-iron table was centered in the open concept dining nook. I hoped Christa would take over the task of adding personal touches that would make the apartment feel more like home.

We needed so many more practical things, like a toaster and microwave, but at least we had enough to start this next chapter of our lives.

Exhausted, I flopped down on the couch and leaned my head back against the cushion. From down the hall I could hear Caleb on the phone, as usual, leaving me alone with my thoughts for the first time all day. They immediately shifted to my new neighbor.

Roman.I'd tried to force myself to think about anything other than him since we met this afternoon, but now that my mind wasn't spinning with distractions, I couldn't help but picture the guy. I'd immediately been attracted to him. And I hoped he hadn't noticed me checking him out. He hadn't seemed interested. At least, I didn't think he was. I was looking forward to hanging out with him tonight, even though the awareness that he'd only be a few steps away every single day both excited and scared me a little. He was a fucking matchmaker, but I just couldn't see him playing that role. I wanted to know more about him.

"I need to go help Christa pack before we meet her parents for dinner." Caleb's voice startled me, and I jerked upright.

Did I look guilty of something? I sure as hell hoped not but felt guilty anyway.

Schooling my features, I frowned up at him. "I thought that was tomorrow."

Caleb shrugged. "Plans changed. You mind if I bail on drinks withCupid?"

Roman had no idea what he was getting into when he invited himself into our lives. Caleb was a pain in the ass. And I was a confused mess.

"I'm sure he'll survive without your royal presence." I lifted my hips, pulled my keys from my jeans pocket, and tossed them to him. "Put a scratch on her and—"

"You'll gut me and use my intestines as garland for the Christmas tree next year. I know." Caleb rolled his eyes.

I scrunched my nose becausegross. "I never said that, you twisted idiot."

Caleb smirked. "We'll be back sometime tonight, probably pretty late. Tell Roman I'll catch him another night. Seems like a cool dude."

There was a time Caleb would have scoffed at the whole idea of a matchmaker thing. He would have rather died than shackle himself to one woman. My brother was now whipped over a girl and thought everyone should settle down and start mapping out a future filled with diamond rings and a nursery fit for endless babies.No thanks.I had other things to explore. Starting with the matchmaker next door.

"He does seem cool," I agreed because it was true. From the moment Roman had elaborated on what he did for a living, a niggling thought floated around in the back of my mind that I couldn't quite grasp. It was bothering the shit out of me.

"I mean, I get that it won't be the same without me because it would be more fun if I was there," Caleb continued, unprompted, "but I'll make it up to him."

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