Page 3 of Too Much In Common
“Now you have an excuse to meet him,” said Brit.
“You should wear your blue sweater. Do you know what box it is in?” Simone ripped the tape off the flaps of the closest unopened box.
“I will not dress up to impress some guy who shares my name to deliver his jury duty letter. It doesn’t matter how cute he is. Can you imagine what a nightmare dating someone with my name would be?”
“Worse than Dad’s fourth wife wanting to name her twins David and Davy?” Brit couldn’t contain the giggle.
“Definitely worse.”
“But you go by different names. It isn’t like you are Chris and Chris or Chris and Chrissy.” Simone pulled Tian’s favorite teddy bear out of a box and put it on her pillow.
Tian yanked her turban off and ran her fingers through her still-damp hair. Her grandmother would tell her she wasn’t presentable. “I’ll take the letter tomorrow.”
“Doesn’t jury duty have a timed response? You should take it tonight,” said Brit.
“Found it!” Simone raised the cobalt blue sweater from the box like a trophy.
Tian wound her hair into a messy bun, using the scrunchy around her wrist to secure it. “I’ll take the jury summons over, but I am not dressing up to do it.”
“But you can’t wear that old shirt...”
“Watch me.” The last thing she needed right now was to impress some guy with her name. Tian slipped her feet into a pair of shoes and snatched the envelope off of the bed.
She passed the burnished stainless steel elevator. While her shadow wasn’t a reflection, it was enough to cause her to look at her form-fitting yoga pants. Not the best first impression outfit, even if he had the same name. Tian hurried down the hall. With any luck, Chris wouldn’t be home.
Javier answered the door.
“Does a Christian Ray Johnson live here?” She held up the envelope.
He opened the door wide and used his thumb to point over his shoulder into the living area.
Brilliant stars and cumulus clouds, a blond man with biceps galore stood near the couch. Standing over an open shipping box, he held a phone to his ear. In his other hand, he twirled her missing order.
Her very private and personal order shouldn’t be in the hands of any man.
Tian dropped the letter and grabbed for the pink silicone cup. “That’s my menstrual cup.”
2
Chris turned to his attacker,dropping his phone and the odd item he’d found in the shipping box instead of the earbuds he ordered. He caught the yelling woman’s wrists and used her momentum to spin her around and pin her on the couch. She tried to kick him, but his grasp on her wrists prevented her.
Large hazel eyes glared at him. “Let me go, you big—”
Across the room Javier laughed. “She — she—” His roommate’s laughter increased with each word he tried to speak. Javier leaned against the wall and waved his arm in meaningless gestures.
A woman attacks him and his roommate laughs? Chris loosened his grip but didn’t let go.
The woman attempted another kick at his shin.
Chris moved back, still gripping her wrists. He had no intention of opening himself up to a groin kick. “You need to calm down and explain why you are attacking me in my apartment.”
“I’m not attacking you. You’re attacking me.” She tried to kick him again. “Please tell him, Javier!”
If she knew anything about self-defense, she could have quickly pulled her arms toward her and down, breaking his hold. He used tighter holds when he taught classes for Hastings Security. She could have easily gotten loose.
Supported by the wall, Javier doubled over, his irritating laughter still coming out between gasps. He waved his hand in an all clear.
Chris dropped his grip and stepped away from the woman. “My apologies. I thought you were attacking me.”
