“Nope. It’s been quiet.”
We all get out of the vehicle and head upstairs to the apartment. Rylan scopes out the apartment since he’s never spent any time there, then he picks up the boxes.
As the sound of a motorcycle makes the windows shake, we all look at each other. It sounds as if it stops right in front of my building. A few seconds after the rumble of the engine cuts off, then the sound of footsteps on the stairs begins.
“Did someone new move in next door?” Calista asks.
I shake my head, not sure what that racket is all about.
Rylan walks over to the window and looks down at the street. “Smokin’ Harley down there.”
A knock sounds on the door and Calista answers as though it’s still her place. My family is still so protective of me. A familiar-looking man wearing a T-shirt and jeans and tattoos all down his arms stands in the doorway, looking around the apartment as though he’s wondering if he’s in the right place.
Oh my god. It’s him.
“Hey, I’m Carey.” He holds out his hand to Calista. She glances at me for a second. “Are you Brinley?”
She shakes her head and points at me.
He smiles and holds out his hand to me as if we’re strangers. Does he not remember we met only two days ago? If not for my dad pulling me away, I would have given him my number. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“I thought it was Carrie with an i-e?” I say in a small voice.
“People get that wrong all the time. Ends in an e-y actually. Which room is mine?” He spots Rylan across the room and nods at him. “What’s up, man? Carey.”
He nods back. “Rylan.”
“Point the way, and I’ll be out of your hair,” Carey says.
Are we really pretending?
“Um. Just around the corner to the right is your room.”
He smiles and disappears down the hall.
I look at Calista with wide eyes.
“Nice guy. Let’s go.” Rylan comes to stand next to Calista.
Do I want them to leave? Especially when he doesn’t remember me? I doubt this is a twin situation like with my uncles.
“You can’t leave me here. She is a he!” I whisper-shout, admittedly panicking a bit. I figure there’s safety in numbers.
“Actually, he’s always been a he. Sounds like a mix-up with the paperwork,” Calista says, and I stick my tongue out at her. “We can stay a little longer, right, babe?”
Rylan groans. “Fine.” He drops the boxes and goes to sit on the couch.
“What do I do?” I bring my nails to my mouth.
We both look in the direction Carey went.
“I have no idea,” she says.
Ten minutes later and the three of us are still sitting on the couch, pretending to watch television. Well, Rylan probably really is watching the sports channel, but I wait for Carey to walk out of his room.
I have so many questions. First, why did the agency not think it was important to mention that it was a male and not a female who answered the ad? I think most people would assume it was a female when they say the name Carrie. And second, why did he act as if we’re strangers?
I’m not sure why, but I get up and take my wedding pictures out of the drawer I shoved them in and put them back on the shelves. I took them down to stop any questions from my new roommate, but tat boy, or Carey as I now know him, needs to know I’m not available like I suggested the other day.
“What are you doing?” Calista whispers.
“Just putting the pictures back up. I took them down, but…”
Calista stares at the bedroom door, which is shut. “And it’s a good thing you packed them away.”
I didn’t pack them away, not really. I just hid them in drawers for the time being.
“I don’t want him to get any ideas.” I put out my favorite one of Sawyer and me by the lake on our wedding day. My gaze roams over my smile… I’m not sure I’ve shown that many teeth since that day.
“You’re crazy.” Calista picks them up one by one, shoves them back in the drawer, and shoves some other things on top of them. “This was a good thing you did. And a picture of a dead husband does not make you off-limits.”
“Calista!”
She rests her hands on my upper arms. “What do you want to do? I’ll have Rylan go in there and tell him there’s been a mix-up and he can’t stay here if you want.”
“I’ll what?” Rylan perks up on the couch. “Um… babe, did you see the size of that guy?” I’m not sure he’s that concerned though, because he never tears his eyes away from the television.
“No, it’s just…” I let my confession die on my lips. Do I want Calista to know that I’ve already met him? That I was going to take Easton’s advice and maybe hook up with him because I thought he was a drifter and was going to be in and out of Lake Starlight, so no one would know I slept with him? But I’m too embarrassed to tell her, so even with her wide eyes, I shake my head. “It’s my responsibility to tell him. In fact, you guys can go.”
“Perfect.” Rylan stands and grabs the boxes again.
“Ry!” Calista whisper-shouts.
“She said we could go.” He nods at me.
I laugh because Rylan isn’t a bad guy; he just wants to be alone with his new wife. If he felt I was in any real danger, he’d stick around, but I’m not nervous about Carey because I think he’s dangerous.
“Really, go. I’ll call you.” I push Calista toward the door.
“But… Rylan.” She glances at her husband.
“Haven’t you ever seen Single White Female? Just because he’s a guy doesn’t mean he’s dangerous. A girl could try to kill her too.”
“Thanks for that.” I cross my arms.
“I’m just saying I think you’ll be fine.” He shifts the boxes in his hands. “Let’s just go take these over to Dion’s and have him drive us home.” He questions me with his eyes, asking if that’s okay, and I nod.
Calista bites her lip and looks at me, then at the door. “I don’t know. Maybe you should talk to him first, Ry.”
He scoffs. “What am I going to say?”
Her arms flail. “I don’t know. Like, don’t mess with my cousin, she’s delicate.”
“Delicate?” I ask with exasperation. “No, you both need to go.”
Calista gives Rylan a look and he groans, then puts down the boxes and stalks over to Carey’s bedroom door.
“No!” I say a little too loudly.
Rylan knocks and he must be told to come in because he walks in and only leaves the door open a sliver. The television is just loud enough that I can’t hear anything they say. My cheeks heat from embarrassment.
“I cannot believe you had Rylan go in there,” I say through my teeth, seething.
“I have to make sure you’re safe.”
“You are aware that Carey could beat the shit out of Rylan, right?”
She puts her hand on my forearm. “It’ll be fine. I’m not worried about that. Hopefully they’ll just come to an understanding that as long as he’s staying here, he needs to be respectful.”
I roll my eyes. “I should’ve had you leave immediately. You’re making this situation so much worse.”