Page 46 of Resisting my Roommate

“I told you from the beginning this wasn’t permanent. I’m not so sure having a roommate is a good idea for me.”

“But—”

“I’m not going to throw you out onto the street. Just…try to find somewhere else. I’ll even help pay for it.”

“You’ll pay my rent so I don’t have to live here?”

He hesitates, as if reconsidering. Then he shakes his head. “I can’t have you here anymore.”

The finality in his statement stings more than it should, wrapping around me like a weighted chain.

Then he turns, his footfalls heavy as he walks out of the house. When the door slams closed behind him, I release a shaky breath, feeling like I’ve been kicked out of a place I was just beginning to think of as home.

But even as I wipe away the tears that have escaped, I can’t stop thinking about the nursery, the baby that was supposed to be…and the man who’s still tormented by her absence.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ABBEY

“Are you going to tell me what happened between you and my brother?” Dylan asks as I pour a few lagers for a handful of golfers. “Or do I have to get you drunk to finally get you to come clean?”

“What are you talking about?” I ask dismissively, purposefully avoiding so much as stealing a glance in the direction of the brewhouse.

It’s been almost two weeks since the nursery incident, and I’ve spent every minute of them doing my best to avoid Jude.

Truthfully, it hasn’t been difficult.

He’s been just as eager to avoid me, spending his days locked away in the brewhouse and not coming home until long after I’ve already gone to bed. Hell, some days I’m not sure if he’s even come home. In fact, I’m certain he hasn’t, since I’ve shown up to work more than once, only to find him wearing the same clothes he wore the previous day.

I don’t know what hurts more — him telling me to find somewhere else to live or the fact that I feel like an intruder all over again. Like I don’t belong.

“I’m not stupid.” Dylan narrows her gaze on me. “Or blind. Up until last week, my brother was smiling. He was happy.”

I part my lips to argue, but she cuts me off.

“And I know it’s because of you,” she continues, her voice dropping.

“We’re not. We haven’t?—”

“I’m not saying you were sleeping together or anything, but he’s definitely been more tolerable. At least he was. Now he’s back to the way he used to be. Since all I’ve been able to get out of him are a few grunts mixed in with the occasional ‘fuck off’, I’ve decided to come to you instead.” Her expression softens with genuine concern. “What’s going on, Abbey?”

I stare at her for several long moments and chew on my bottom lip, unsure what to tell her.

Will she be just as upset about my actions as Jude was?

She’s the closest thing I have to a friend, and the idea of losing her because of this guts me. It’s one of the reasons I told Danielle I couldn’t get together for coffee this week.

But I don’t know how much longer I can carry this weight. I need to tell someone.

I look around to make sure none of the other servers are eavesdropping, then admit, “I found the nursery.”

My confession hangs in the air, echoing around me, drowning out the music playing in the background.

She straightens, her eyes wide and mouth agape. Based on her response, she knows exactly what room I’m talking about.

“You… How?”

I lick my lips before answering in a hushed tone, “I was cleaning and couldn’t find a mop, so I went upstairs to look in what I thought was a closet. But it wasn’t a closet.”

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