Page 102 of Roommating

It’s my turn again. “When you came to my room to say goodbye, I was too afraid to ask you to stay, but I wish I had.” I swallow hard. “If you’re settled here, would you consider trying a long-distance relationship?”

Adam reacts to this with a shake of his head. “I don’t want to do long distance.”

The air whooshes out of me like a faulty tire. “Does that mean that you don’t—”

“I’m moving back to Manhattan.”

My breath hitches. “You are?” His words warm my heart like a cozy wool sweater. I have so many questions, but he’s still talking.

“Moving back here didn’t magically change my dad’s relationship with my grandma or who he is and likely always will be.”

“Marcia filled me in. I’m sorry it didn’t work out the way you hoped.” I reach for his hand and lock it with mine.

“Win some, lose some.” He rubs a finger along my knuckle. “But in the meantime, you’re not the only one who has been regretting things they didn’t say that night in your bedroom. I also want to date for real, and I’ve finally figured out what I want to do when I grow up.”

My mouth drops open. “And?”

He smiles.

“Wait.” My body hums with excitement. “Do you want to be a librarian too?”

His gaze wanders the length of my body. “We’d make a very sexy pair of librarians, no doubt, but as much as I enjoy being a page, theanswer is no. I want to be a middle school English teacher… like my grams. It’s not a whim this time. Going back to school is not just an excuse to avoid another job. I mean it. MaybeThe Outsiderswill be in the curriculum,” he says with a crooked grin.

My hand flies to my mouth. This fills me with so much joy, I could burst. There’s a round of applause from the event room, almost like they’re happy for Adam too. It’s perfect. Adam always enjoyed the tween and teen programs at the library best and is an advocate in the fight against book banning in schools.

“I’ve already applied to the master’s programs at Fordham, Hunter, and Columbia.” He grins sheepishly. “I haven’t even told Grams. I was planning to do my own grand gesture if I got accepted somewhere.”

“Of course you’ll get in somewhere!” The man already has an Ivy League education. I’m positive he’ll make a brilliant teacher—as long as his students are able to put aside their crushes long enough to listen to his lessons. I stroke the soft skin of his arm below the sleeve of his T-shirt.

“I should know in a few weeks. After that, there’s only one thing left to figure out.”

“What’s that?” I lower my hand and move out of the way to give a customer access to the books on the table.

Adam gestures for me to slide closer to the bookshelves. “My living arrangements. You think I can find something on RoomBridge?”

I cluck my tongue. “Possibly, but I have a better idea.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“Marcia thinks she might move in with Sharon at some point.”

His eyes widen in mock horror. “My grandma? Living in sin? No!”

I giggle. “You’re missing the point. If they shack up, I’m goingto need a new apartment and roommate. Are you interested? Or is it too soon? It’s not happening immediately so we have time to date like regular people who don’t live together first.”

He lessens the distance between us and takes both of my hands in his. “We’ve already lived together, so not too soon. But I have some conditions this time around.”

I lace my fingers through his and squeeze. God, how I love holding hands. People underestimate how electrifying it can feel when you’re in love.We’re in love!“Lay them on me.”

He strokes my thumb. “We share a bed.”

Heat pools down my stomach and lower. “No brainer. What else?”

He shrugs sheepishly. “Actually, that’s it.”

“Well, I have a few conditions of my own.”

“Do tell.”

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