Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128069 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128069 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
His smile burns off, and his face goes stony for a minute. “I like other things besides hockey.” It’s said a little defensively.
I backpedal quickly with a bright, “Of course you do.”
“It’s just…the job keeps me busy.”
I’ve really put my foot in my mouth. “I totally get it.”
Dragging a hand through his hair, he sighs. “Sorry. Sore spot. You would have no way of knowing that.”
I feel a little better that he’s said that, but I’m still somewhat unsteady. “I’m sorry too,” I say, then shrug helplessly. “I just…I’m not sure how to do this roomie thing.”
“Honestly? I feel the same. I’ve never lived with anyone since my freshman year either.”
“So we’re in the same boat,” I say, even though I’m mentally filing away the detail that he’s never had a live-in girlfriend. Is he noting my romantic backstory too? That I haven’t lived with a man?
Get over yourself. Of course he’s not.
“But we’ll figure it out, okay?” he adds.
“Okay,” I say, focusing on food, and navigating our first night together sharing a meal in the house. I turn to the fridge to grab some cheese slices and make a sandwich.
“So…baking?” I ask, returning to my question from earlier today as I slice some bread.
“The ice cream was an exception. I have pretty good willpower in general, so I don’t mind you baking.”
And staying power, I think, remembering his stamina in bed. “But do you have the willpower to resist a cupcake?”
“Depends on how tempting it is,” he says.
I shouldn’t tempt him. Really, I shouldn’t. But as we eat dinner, standing at the counter, two very different people, I start to think about another item on the list and wonder if he might wind up helping me with that one too.
Number Three: Make a friend who’s nothing like you. You learn the most from them.
As we finish, he says, “By the way, whatever happened with your freshman year roommates? You made the most of it since that’s what you do, right?”
I smile, a little evilly. “Actually, I plotted with some other friends and arranged for a room transfer. I traded with a girl who snored. Loudly.”
He whistles in admiration. “Remind me not to cross you.”
We manage the roomie thing easily enough. I’m out all day at work most days and one or two nights a week as well since we’re open at night, and Wesley works most nights. When he is home in the evenings, I try to wander around local bookstores or check out museums not to avoid him, but to be polite. I don’t want to cramp his style. When we do see each other at home, I give him space, and he does the same for me.
But mostly, I don’t run into him since we’re on such different schedules and he’s busy with practice, workouts, and home games most of the first week. By the time the weekend rolls around, he takes off for a stretch of away games for several days.
I have the place to myself after work on Sunday, so I cook and bake, including lavender chocolate chip cookies that I bring to the library and they’re gone in seconds. At night I also read and research the city.
One evening, as I’m on the bus home checking out an online course catalog, my phone pings with a new text—this one from Everly.
Everly: How’s it going? Settling into the city? Living with a hockey player? Don’t trip over any hockey sticks!
The text sends a little zing of happiness through me. I like that she meant what she said the night I met her when she offered survival tactics. I reply right away.
Josie: No tripping yet. So no two-minute penalties either.
Everly: Damn! You know the sport! Impressed.
Josie: It’s hockey by osmosis with me, I swear.
Everly: Whatever it is, it worked. Do you need anything? I’m an excellent tour guide.
Oh, that’s tempting. I slide my teeth across my lower lip, considering. On the one hand, I want to say yes. I’m eager to make new friends. But is that greedy? I have Maeve and Fable. On the other hand, friendship isn’t a thing to be stingy with.
Josie: I love exploring. Also, if you have any recs for grocery stores that don’t charge eight dollars for bread that’d be great. I’m totally not pointing fingers at the PLETHORA of bougie gourmet markets near where I now live. 🙂
Everly: I got you, babe! Will send some recs. And we’ll go check out the Marina or Russian Hill soon!
We chat some more then make plans to visit the Marina neighborhood. It’s gorgeous there in the fall, she tells me.
When the bus arrives at my stop, I walk the few blocks to Wesley’s place, then go into the silent home since he’s not there again. These nights alone feel like ones when I was younger. When I used to babysit for the Murrays down the street. Once the kids were asleep, I’d wander through their home at night, curious about everything. The books on their shelves. The games on their coffee table. The food in their fridge. That’s how I feel at Wesley’s place as I check out a few party games on the table—Cards Against Humanity-type stuff, as well as video games, mostly involving zombies. His record collection is extensive, and I hardly know any of the bands’ names. But I’m not a music person. There aren’t any books, but maybe he’s a digital guy.