Page 10 of The Temporary Roomie: Extended Edition

I gasp and clutch my heart. The knife hurts so bad. Drew takes his turn laughing while Lucy runs away like a coward.Yeah, you better run!

I turn my angry gaze to Drew and let Lucy’s revelation roll over me like a tidal wave of sweet,sweetrevenge. “So . . . got yourself caught in a bit of a lie, did you, Dr. Stuck-up? Better hope whoever you choose doesn’t stand you up!” I add extra emphasis on thepsound.

“If you hadn’t blocked my number, maybe you would have heard me say I didn’t stand you up.” He pauses and then amends his statement. “Well, not on purpose at least. I had a—”

“Yeah, yeah, Lucy told me. You were sooooo tired that it just slipped your mind that you had agreed to come to my house merehoursbefore. Sorry, I’m not buying it.” Honestly, when Lucy called me back and told me what happened with Drew, I couldn’t decide which explanation made me feel worse—that he stood me up out of vengeance, or that he completely forgot about me because I’mthatunimportant. Not true—I can decide. Being put aside and forgotten hurts the most. And yet, you’d think after having it happen to me repeatedly, it wouldn’t sting so much.

Drew sneers and rolls his eyes, his large hand gripping the side of the armchair like it wronged him.

“You’re impossible.” Drew is looking away and out the window, but finally his eyes slowly magnetize to mine. “What is it you want to hear? An apology? Because I already tried that, and any chance of that happening again flew out the window when you called me a scumbag and then blocked me.”

“I donotwant an apology or anything from you. Not now, not ever. Hence the blocking.”

“Great. Well then, I guess Lucy was wrong and you really don’t need a nice, quiet, restful place to stay for the next few weeks. And I mean it’s too bad really. My house is spacious, and you’d practically have it all to yourself since I’m never home.” He’s gloating now, a self-satisfied smile on his mouth as he leans forward to rest his forearms on his knees. “And I bet you love sleeping on that little twin bed in Lucy’s spare room.”It’s horrible, squeaking every time I turn over, and the room is so small it would never fit my queen bed even if I wanted to move it.“Yeah, I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to stay at my house that has a large empty bedroom perfect for moving your own stuff into, complete with an en suite bathroom and soaker bathtub.”

I dig my nails into the carpet, because dammit that does sound amazing. I want to cry at the beautiful picture he just painted. I want my privacy back. I want to sleep until eightA.M., and Idon’twant to share a wall with Lucy and Cooper anymore.

“Why are you taunting me?” I ask with narrowed eyes.

He tilts forward, getting a little closer. His eyes are such a deep blue. “Because it’s fun.”

I want to smack him. My fingers are all begging me to do it. I bet I could reach.

But then Drew’s eyebrows pull together, and his eyes soften to something more tender and compassionate. If only for a fraction of a moment, I get a glimpse of what other people must see when they look at Drew. Reliable. Safe. A man who would move heaven and earth for someone he loves. But then his gaze clouds over, and he’s once again indifferent, because I am not someone he loves, as I’ve taken great care to ensure.

“And I don’t know . . . maybe I see some merit in Lucy’s suggestion,” he mutters.

“What suggestion?”

“That we help each other. You act like my girlfriend for one night, and I let you stay in my house rent-free.”

I sputter a sharp laugh. “You’re joking! I would never act like your girlfriend after all that’s happened.”

He holds his hands out in front of him. “Hey, I wasn’t the one to suggest it. I know it’s a bad idea, I just . . .” He’s quiet for another moment, claiming control of the conversation and forcing me to wait in anticipation of his impending words. “I think it could actually work.”

I don’t know why, but that statement makes my stomach tumble off the edge of a cliff.

“How do you figure?”

He shrugs, and I don’t notice the way his cotton tee pulls against his muscular chest. Not at all. “As long as we both know upfront what we’re getting into and agree that it will be torture for us both, I think we could make it work. I’ll stay out of your hair, and you stay out of mine.”

My mouth is opening to tell Drew to go lick rust, but my mind clasps a hand over my mouth.Now, now, darling, let’s not be so hasty.There’s no doubting that Drew dangled a lovely carrot in front of my face with all that sexy talk about having a house all to myself. I’m already dreaming of what it would be like to lie in my own bed again.

And then it hits me.

Oh, the revenge I can get on him is too good. Too easy. Too simple. I’m almost afraid my battle plans are projecting above me because they are thatobvious.And yet, as I stare into Drew’s blue eyes, I don’t think he sees it. I think he’s underestimating me—and for that, he will pay.

And it will all go down at his gala, in front of everyone.

“I think you’re right, Andrew. I think we could make a deal.”

CHAPTER 6

Jessie

It’s moving day. Last night Drew and I came to the agreement that I’d be his fake girlfriend in exchange for staying rent-free at his house until mine is finished. It feels sudden to be moving out the next day, but I don’t have much of a choice. All last week they worked on fixing the pipe that burst and getting the water turned back on, but starting Monday they will begin phase two of construction, which is remediating the mold. Step three will be replacing any parts of the house where the wood has rotted away, and apparently the damage is extensive. So, this weekend was the last time I could get in this house to move my things out before the big construction begins.

I came home after dinner at Lucy’s and packed up pretty much my whole house (thankfully, she still had all her boxes from moving to Cooper’s house). I told Lucy I was just going to pack a few things, so she didn’t need to come too, but then I ended up staying awake all night and packing the entire thing since this insomnia is apparently going to keep me from ever sleeping again.

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