Page 49 of Release Me

“Hey, if you weren’t with her last weekend after the club, where were you? I came to your room.”

Shit. “Went out for a smoke.”

“At two in the morning?”

I shrug. “I needed one, and you said I couldn’t smoke inside.”

His eyes narrow suspiciously while he digs for his keys. “You really need to quit that shit. It’s not good for you. And you missed out because of it.”

“Yeah, too bad.” With a smirk, I trail him in.

25.Ryan

Kyle is emptying his mailbox when I walk into our building on Wednesday night, struggling with my overloaded backpack. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hey, stranger.” He reaches for the strap. “Let me help you.”

Normally I’d decline the offer, but I’m too tired and it’s too heavy.

He grunts under the weight. “God, I don’t miss these days.”

“Trust me, I can’t wait until it’s over.” Do Ireallyneed my MBA?

He presses the button for the elevator. “It’s been four years since I graduated and I still sometimes wake up in a panic, thinking I’m late for an exam.”

“Is that what I have to look forward to?” Four years. That would make him around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, if I had to guess. Not that much older than me, but older. I like that.

The door opens and he hangs back, gesturing for me to go first. An older gentleman. I like that too.

“So, when do you write?” he asks.

“First one’s next Wednesday.”

Kyle hits the button for the fourth floor. But not the one for the second floor,hisfloor, I notice. “Are you ready?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I work full time, I just broke up with my boyfriend, I’ve been …”Fucking my roommate every single night. “The last couple weeks have been distracting.”

The elevator opens. Kyle holds the door for me and then steps out behind.

I reach for my backpack but he’s already moving around me and down the hall. “If you’re free on Friday night, you could come over and I’ll help you study. We could order in Thai or something.”

He says it so casually. Is he being a nice, helpful fellow building dweller or did Kyle just ask me out on a date?

“Actually, my roommates are leaving for Alaska and they’re having a goodbye party that night.”

“Alaska. Wow.” His eyebrows pop with genuine amazement.

“Yeah, for the summer.”

“Oh.” He nods. “Well, you probably don’t want to miss that.”

“Actually, I probably do. It’s liable to get out of hand, knowing my brother.” I peer up into kind, blue eyes. Kyle really is handsome. “Can I let you know?”

He grins, revealing deep dimples. “Sure. I’ll be home, reading about statistical probabilities or something equallywild.”

I giggle as I collect my bag from him. “Thanks for carrying this.”

“No problem. Maybe I’ll see you Friday?”

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