Page 167 of Show Me

“Lindsey is….” Clingy? Whiny? Annoying? Persistent? She’s all those things, and I’d hate to see one of my roommates get dragged into a mess with her. “Not someone you want to spend time with.”

Sam's eyebrows climb. “You know that how?”

“The gym.” I shrug, glancing toward the house and then back at him. “Around town.”

I should’ve never talked to her in the first place because once I did, she kept coming around and never taking the hint. Hell, I flat out told her I wasn’t interested. That I didn’t want to be with her, and she still followed me around.

“You know I wouldn’t get in your business if I weren’t concerned.”

Sam tips his head. “Okay. I’ll get rid of her.”

“I think that’s a good idea.

Lindsey smiles and strolls up to us, slinging her arm through Sam’s. “What’re you guys talking about? Me?”

“Nothing that concerns you.” I rake my hand through my hair. I’m no longer in the mood for football or pumpkin pie.

She tilts her head sideways, studying me. “You coming back to the gym?”

“Probably not.”

Her eyes narrow as her smile slips. “I thought you liked to work out?”

“I do.” I did. I haven’t been back since Ruby quit, and I haven’t thought about going once.

Shit. Was I only going because Ruby worked there? Even back then? What am I supposed to do with that? Relationships and I don’t go together.

I’m the guy girls love because I’m fun. Entertaining. Charming. And when life gets serious, when everything isn’t perfect, they bail on me. It’s the way it is. Because who would leave a guy when his mom ghosted him if he was worth fighting for?

Lindsey’s smile returns. “I'll see you this week anyway.”

I inhale as a pain lodges behind my eye. The next thing I know, it’ll be twitching. “How’s that?”

Sam shuffles his feet, stepping back from Lindsey as if he’s questioning the same thing I am. Did Lindsey only hang out with Sam to see me? The thought doesn’t settle well for either of us.

“My deck.”

Right. Her renovation job. “Travis should be starting in a couple of days.”

She opens her mouth like she's about to say something else. Before she can, Ruby’s voice comes from behind me. “Xavier?”

She's already walking toward me, Bella and Emily hanging back on the porch. She stops a few feet away.

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Give me a minute.” The last thing I want to do is continue a conversation with Lindsey, but she is a client, and Dad would frown if I blew off one of our customers.

“Okay.” She doesn’t linger. Doesn’t push. Just turns and walks back toward her friends. My attention never leaves her.

Lindsey notices. “So....” She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “You two spend a lot of time together.”

I shrug. “We work together.”

“That's all?”

“Yes, that’s all.” The answer comes automatically. Simple. Clean. Exactly what I’ve been saying for weeks. All I’ve considered being capable of since Claire.

Lindsey nods. “Good.”