Page 49 of The Temporary Roomie: Extended Edition

He’s quiet. So quiet I think he walked away. Heshouldwalk away. There’s no reason for him to continue to be kind to me, and maybe on another level I’m trying to force his hand, force him to show me he’s just as terrible as my dad and Jonathan and he will put his own needs over mine forever and always.

Of course Drew doesn’t work that way though.

“Fine. We have a deal. But I’m done after this one. No more deals.”

Drew walks away, and I sit on the edge of my bed for a full twenty minutes just staring at the wall. I put my hand on my belly and feel the baby kick. I think he or she is telling me I made a mistake, but I can’t be certain.The little traitor.But honestly, I don’t blame him or her. I would take Drew’s side too.

I finally get myself up, change into my PJs, and leave my room, on tiptoe all the way down the stairs. I like to eat when I’m upset, and right now I plan to scoop up the entire contents of the pantry and carry it upstairs like I’m a chipmunk preparing for winter.

At the bottom of the steps, I pause. Drew is in his room with the door shut, but I can still hear his voice. Maybe it’s just in my head because I know the conversation we just had, but he sounds like a sad man trying to convince someone he’s happy.

“Hey, Mia. This is Drew Marshall. You wrote your number on my coffee cup the other day at the coffee shop.” Wrote her name on his cup?! Who does that! “Yeah, sorry it took me so long to give you a call. I had kind of a busy week.”

I’m not spying. I’m not. My ear is only pressed to his door because I thought I heard an evil spirit in the wall and I might need to call someone about purging it.

Drew chuckles at something she said. “Cool. Yeah, so I was wondering if you’re free sometime this week for dinner? I’d love to take you out.”Oh, would you, Drew? Would you justloveto?

I bet this is all a ruse. A sham. He knows I’m eavesdropping and is making this all up just to make me regret turning him down.Well tough, buddy.I’ve never felt better. Lying to Drew about not flirting with him was the best decision I ever made. I’m happy to not have to worry about fighting him off anymore. He can go out with Coffee Shop Woman and have a fabulous time for all I care!

Good riddance!

Drew’s voice is a mumble after that, too quiet and far away to hear what he’s saying, and I wonder if I can go get a glass to help me listen through the door before he hangs up. Nope, too late.

The door opens and Drew stands there without a smile, expressionless. “Eavesdropping?”

“Yes. Planning a date twenty minutes after getting rejected by me?”

“Yes.” Not even a hint of shame from this one. “Is there a set amount of time I’m supposed to wait after being rejected?”

“Not at all.”

“Great.” He steps slightly closer. “Because I’m going out with a woman later this week.” I try not to flinch at his words. He must notice something, though, because his demeanor softens a little. “Jessie . . . I’ll ask you one more time if there’s something between us. If you say yes, I will gladly cancel with her. But if you say no—”

“No,” I say quickly, ripping the Band-Aid off. It’s going to leave an ugly red mark on my skin, but it’s what I had to do.

Drew gives a final nod. That’s that. We’re done here. Show’s over, folks.

CHAPTER 26

Jessie

“Oh, hey, girl!” I greet Lucy when she hops into the passenger seat of my car. “You look adorable in your sparkly little cocktail dress!”

Her bright-blue eyes beam over at me. “Thanks! Oh my gosh, I’m so excited you want to go out tonight. I have needed a girls night forsolong.”

“Yeah, you have! And you deserve it.” I sound like a valley girl in an old nineties movie, but I’m not sorry.

She clicks her seatbelt in the latch and swivels to look at me as I put the car in drive. “So where are we going? Dinner? Dancing?” She shimmies her shoulders, and knowing what I do about Lucy, I bet she regrets it instantly. But then she really takes in my outfit for the first time and hesitation is in her expression.

“Oh my gosh, better!” I say, wagging my eyebrows.

Her eyes narrow. “Where?”

“Get this: we are going to enjoy a nice relaxing evening of finishing off a fabulous bag of Twizzlers while sitting outside Bask.”

Her head tilts in suspicion. She’s on to me. “Isn’t that the place Drew is taking his date tonight?”

I morph my face into innocent shock. “What?Is it? I had no clue.” But really, I had no clue Drew would tell Lucy about his plans. It’s inconvenient they are so close.

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