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Nico: Only if you flee to Canada with me.
Dark, long-haired Isaiah plopped onto Nico’s bed, smelling like he’d had an extended yoga session. Or indulged in marathon sex. “Go shower, pretty.”
“Who are you texting, smiling like you put Icy Hot in Tomas’s underwear?” Isaiah lunged for Nico’s phone.
Nico snatched it away, shielding the screen. “Child, didn’t your nonna teach you it’s not polite to read your friend’s phone when he’s flirtexting?”
“Flirtexting?” Isaiah’s eyebrows rocketed. “Is that foreplay before sexting?”
“Pfft.” Nico flicked his hand in front of his face. “Is that what you and Darren do when he’s away?”
“Oh no, you’re not turning this on me.” Isaiah pulled out his hair tie, and thick locks fell to his shoulders. “You said you were flirtexting, not me.”
“Yes, well, that isn’t real flirting. Just being silly.” Nico peeled off his T-shirt and shrugged into a black satin button-down.
“Not flirting, but you’re wearing that to meet the guy?”
“I need to make a good impression. He’s interning at the accounting firm of Stuffy & Staid, which means he’s smart and cultured.”
“Of course. No one at Stuffy & Staid would be anything else.”
“Your Mr. Downer Pants attitude is noted.” Nico refused to let it spoil his mood. “Luke sounds like a nice guy. He’s funny—”
“In his texts.”
“—smart, and plays baseball for Harrison. What could be more yummy?”
“You’re thinking of rooming with a jock? You? Mr. Go Hard or Buy Viagra?”
“That would be a problem if we were living on campus and he was playing.” He checked his outfit in the mirror. “It’s half-season now. None of his friends will be dropping in.”
Isaiah rolled off Nico’s bed. “First, it’s off-season, not half-season.”
“Look at you, dating Harrison’s star soccer player and up on all the lingo.” He stuck out his tongue at Isaiah before fixing his belt.
“I’d take offense at that, but Darren is the star of the team. I can’t embarrass him by being ignorant.”
“As if. That boy worships you.” Why couldn’t Nico find someone like that? Who looked at him like he was everything? Who looked at him and didn’t want to change a single thing?
“I’m just saying, you answered an ad for a roommate, not a boyfriend.”
“I get it. But a) it doesn’t hurt to look nice and b) there’s nothing wrong with having a hot roommate. Being with me seems to have done you some good, no?”
Isaiah snorted and shook his head. “So wrong.”
“Seriously, ’Saiah. You know me. I won’t jump the guy or ask if I can put my tongue down his throat to see if we’re a match.”
“Fair enough. But maybe be a bit nicer to him. The first time we met, you told me I needed a haircut.”
“Yes, I did.” He winked as he opened the door. “And you still do.”
Luke
Landlord: Yes, I can do a second lease once you find a roommate. Good luck with it. And sorry your original roommate didn’t work out.
Luke: Thanks so much. This is really a big help.
Hopefully Nico in person was as cool as virtual Nico.
“That the lady you’re renting from?” Coury never looked up from his video game.
“Yeah, she’s pretty cool. She’ll do a second contract if I find someone.”
“When you find someone. Think positive.”
“I’m trying, but people aren’t beating down the door to spend the summer in Philadelphia.” How big a fool was he, turning down spots in Boston, Chicago, and D.C. so he could spend the summer with Kent?
“Hey now, don’t be dissin’ on the City of Boy-on-Boy Love.”
Luke smiled until he remembered Coury first used that when he learned Luke and Kent were sharing a one-bedroom this summer. “There will be none of that this summer for me. I’m only looking for a roommate. And, I may have found one. Maybe.”
“Maybe? What’s wrong with this Nero guy?”
“Nico. At least that’s what he says his name is.”
“You don’t believe him?”
Luke shut the laptop screen. “I searched social media for him and came up empty.”
“Lots of people don’t use their name for social media.” Coury shrugged. “Future employers don’t need to see me drunk in a toga or flipping off the camera.”
“There is that, but what if this is Kent or one of his stupid friends trying to catfish me?”
Luke didn’t think that was the case. At least, he certainly hoped not.
“That’s always possible.” Coury set the laptop down. “What’s also possible is this guy who has you smiling at your phone as you text and laughing when you read his, who’s helping out his sister because his boyfriend dumped him too, is legit. In which case, you’re going to spend the summer with another funny, smart, normal guy from Harrison. The only differences are he won’t be as incredibly good-looking as your current roommate, and he’ll be gay.”
“You’re practically gay, so not much change there.”
“Don’t be hating on the bi guy just because he’s dating a girl and off the gay-boy menu.”
