Page 7 of Rewind It Back

“Have you ever heard of Tyler Braden? He’s a famous interior designer. Local to Chicago.”

I shoot her a deadpan glare.

“Well, I don’t know. He’s got a line in Target and his own show on HGTV. You have a mother and about a thousand friends who are women. I thought maybe you have.”

“That’s who you hired? Cruz threw down that much cash for a flip?”

“Well, I wanted to because I’m obsessed with Tyler Braden and that would be a dream, but the budget my brother gave me was definitelynota Tyler Braden budget. However, it was enough for me to hire one of his interns and as it turns out, she’s amazing at her job and now my new friend who I will absolutely bribe into taking me to the Tyler Braden Interiors holiday party this year. So, it’s a win-win.”

I chuckle. “And how doIgo about hiring her?”

“I’ll send you the design firm’s contact.” She pulls out her phone to text me. “Shit. Study break is over.”

“I’ll let you get back to it. Good to see you, Wren. Thanks for taking care of my place all summer.”

“Of course. So, are you going to do it? Hire the same designer?”

“I just might.”

There are two outcomes here. I’m putting my house on the market next summer or I’m planting long-term roots. Either way, the house isn’t ready to sell and if I happen to meet someone serious, it sure as hell doesn’t look like the kind of place I want to bring a woman home to.

“Oh, hey!” Wren smacks my arm. “How’d the date go?”

And then there’s that. The reminder that I’ve been in Chicago for six years, and there’s a good chance my person isn’t here.

Chapter 2

Hallie

“And you remember where the laundry room is?”

“Wren.” I chuckle. “I only stopped working on your house a couple of months ago. Of course I know where the laundry room is.”

“You’re right. I don’t know why I’m being so weird. It’s just that I haven’t lived with someone else in a long time and I want to make sure you’re comfortable.”

If she saw the state of the apartment I’m moving out of, she wouldn’t be worried about my comfort. Before it was renovated, this house would’ve been a major step up from my previous living situation, and now that it’s had a makeover... well, now it’s far nicer than what Wren’s brother is charging me for rent.

“And areyoucomfortable?” I ask, setting my duffel bag on my new bed. “I know you don’t need or probably want a roommate, so if this is making you—”

“I’m happy you’re here. Truly. It’ll be fun.”

I offer her a grateful smile as I unpack my clothes. “I think it will be too. And shoot, if we end up hating each other by the end of it, at least it’s only temporary. You can forget I ever existed come May.”

Wren laughs. “I don’t think that’ll be an issue. And besides, I need a Tyler Braden introduction, so if worse comes to worst, I’ll just fake as if I like you.”

“Works for me. I have a feeling you’re going to be the best fake friend and roommate I’ve ever had.”

The truth is there’s nothing about Wren that’s fake. She’s a sincerely nice and thoughtful person. She always provided coffee and homemade desserts to the contractors who were working at the house this summer. She’d offer me rides when my car was acting up, which was initially embarrassing, seeing as I work for a luxury interior design brand and my vehicle doesn’t exactly scream “extravagance and style.” And when she learned about my second job and the hours I was pulling just to make ends meet, she offered me a room to rent in a price range that was much more manageable than what I was paying to live downtown.

Over the months, we learned that we both have brothers—her three to my one. We bonded over the fact that we’re both transplants to the area—her from the West Coast and me from the East Coast and a different part of the Midwest, depending how you look at it. And we quickly learned that we’re both so busy, between her school and my work, that living with each other will probably feel a whole lot like living alone.

So no, there’s nothing fake about our friendship. And it’s been a bit of a confidence boost knowing that as a twenty-five-year-old, I was able to make a new friend in a new city. I was quick to make friends when I was younger, but that’s not always easy to do as an adult.

Even though Wren is moving back to her hometown after graduation, Chicago is where I’m planning to stay long-term, and I’m hopeful that she’s simply the first in a long line of new friendships I make here.

“Hey, did my neighbor ever reach out to the firm about hiring you?” Wren asks.

“He did! Thank you so much for the referral. I need one more big project before my internship is done, and living so close now, this will be perfect.”

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