Page 31 of Hate You, Maybe
I cringe a little. Guess I actually care about what Sayla thinks. “That sounded different in my head. I’m not saying there’s a revolving door of women in my bedroom at night. I just always had my own room growing up. And I live alone now, so I don’t have a roommate to report back to me. That’s all.”
“I couldn’t care less who’s in your bedroom,” she says. But the crease on her brow softens a touch. “How about we just agree to keep our ears to ourselves?”
“Done.”
“Rule number four,” she says. “We both wear full pajamas overnight. It wouldn’t be fair for you to walk around bare-chested in just bottoms.”
Well, crap. I clear my throat. The more rules she wants to add, the worse I keep looking. “What if I didn’t pack pajamas?”
Her lips fall open. “Ewww. Don’t tell me you’re planning to sleep naked.”
“First of all, my naked body is not an ewww. And second, I sleep in a T-shirt and shorts. Not pajamas.”
She takes a beat, tips her chin. “How about we just promise to stay fully clothed at all times?”
“Except in the shower?”
“Except in the shower,” she agrees.
“Should we make one more rule, and call it an even five?”
“Five isn’t an even number, but sure.” She returns her focus to the list, scanning for what we missed. “We could agree to give each other privacy when we talk on the phone. Good with you?”
“Hmmm.” When she looks up, I let my mouth quirk. “You got a boyfriend I should know about, Kroft? I don’t want some jealous guy pounding on our cabin door in the middle of the night. And me in just a T-shirt and shorts.”
She blinks at me, clearly not interested in playing along. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was talking about work-related calls. Or in case Loren needs to reach me. Or maybe my mom. She just got engaged.” She takes a beat. “Yesterday, in fact.”
“Your mom got engaged yesterday?” My eyes widen, a genuine reaction to the news. “Wow. That’s big.”
“Yep.” She runs a finger along the edge of the clipboard. “She asked me to be her maid of honor.” There’s something in her voice. A hesitation.
“Do you like the guy? Her fiancé, I mean.”
“Eugene’s fine.” She lets out a breath, averts her eyes. “I just want them to like each other.”
“Of course you do.”
My instinct is to ask more, dig a little deeper, but she gives her head a quick shake and says, “Anyway.”
Right. Time to change the subject, Dex.
“About the boyfriend thing.” I clear my throat. “I was only kidding around, Kroft. Not that you couldn’t or shouldn’t have a boyfriend. To be honest, I’m kinda surprised you don’t.”
She snaps her gaze back to mine. “Me?”
I offer her a crooked smile. “Your clipboard obsession is a bit over the top, but you’re not horrible to look at.”
Her cheeks pink up, and she bites back a scoff. “Yeah, well. I’m not Tori, either.”
Uhhh. Okay. “Who?”
“The brunette,” Sayla says, but my mind’s an empty gas tank. “Victoria? The one in the Lulu leggings. With the big … teeth.” When my stare is still blank, she adds, “The woman who offered to trade cabins with me.”
“Ah. Tori. Got it.” She and I had barely spoken when she jumped in and suggested the switch. Which was nice of her, I guess, trying to help Sayla out. But also kind of a lot for someone I’d just met. “I didn’t pay much attention to her.”
“Really?” Sayla fights a smirk. “You two sure seemed awfully friendly, even before she offered to sleep with you.”
“That’s just it.” A sprinkle of defensiveness rises in me. “I was beingfriendly. And there’s not much else I can do if she or you or anyone else thinks there’s more to it than that.”
