Page 16 of Way Too Close

Eight: Big Mistake

Lex

Listening to his overly excited sister talk had Lex smiling and shaking his head as he finished making his sandwich. He should’ve known Vannah wouldn’t just let this go. Knowing her, she’d probably scoured the school’s paper classifieds where students living off campus who were in sudden need of a new roommate would post their ads. Something he’d planned on doing as soon as he got out there. He poured himself some milk and started to take a sip just as his mom walked into the kitchen.

“Xochitl’s dormmate had to transfer back to Georgia last minute . . .”

Whatever she said after that, Lex missed after nearly choking on his milk, spitting it out, and making a mess in the process. He’d put his phone down so he could clean it up and his mom rushed over to help him, wiping his shirt with a kitchen towel too.

As soon as he was able to, he picked up his phone again. “What happened?” Vannah asked.“Xochitl’sthe one who needs a roommate?”

“Yeah, that’s the best part.” As always, Lex could practically hear the big excited smile in his sister’s voice. “I was already excited about you being close enough to see you more often. Now I’ll get to see youbothwhenever I come over. But listen, you gotta talk to your coach ASAP—”

“Wait, hold up. Hold up. Does she know you’re suggesting this?”

“Yes, she’s right here. I’m in your hopefully soon-to-be dorm now,” she added surprising him further.

“And she’s okay with it?” he asked as his mom’s brows furrowed.

“Of course, she’s okay with it. Why wouldn’t she be?”

If his mom wasn’t standing there listening to this, he might let Vannah in on why he wasshockedthat Xochitl would be okay with this. But he didn’t want to get into all of that right now.Whennot if he got out of this, he didn’t want things to get awkward either. His attending the same school as Vannah and Xochitl would certainly have them running into each other at some point. “I-IIwas just wondering.” He shook his head, glancing away from his mother’s inquiring eyes. “You know sharing a place with a guy and all.”

Lex’s dad walked into the kitchen and his mom turned to him with a big smile. “I think Vannah was able to get Taz into the dorms. With her old dormmate Xochitl.”

His dad turned to him brows raised in pleased surprise.Fuckinggreat. Lex knew both his parents had been worried about this last-minute change he decided without running it past them first. But it’d been a necessity. It was such a longshot, he hadn’t wanted them to know he was that miserable at UC San Diego, in case ESU turned him down. They’d probably be beyond relieved now. Their biggest worry when he finally told them, had been getting him settled in somewhere in Los Angeles, and he refused to let them pay an astronomical amount of money putting him up in a condo until he could get into the dorms. “Don’t be silly,” Vannah said with a laugh. “You’re my little brother. She doesn’t see you that way and she knows you’re harmless. You know how mom’s always saying everything happens for a reason?” She explained about her lunch with Xochitl today and how she’d forgotten to give her the extra food she made for her to take. So, she’d driven over to drop it off. “It was perfect timing. She’djustfound out her roommate had to move out.”

This explained it. If Xochitl hadjustfound out she’d need a new roommate, Vannah had likely jumped all over it and put Xochitl just as much on the spot as Lex was feeling now. Both his parents were now leaning against the kitchen counter listening intently. And Xochitl had very likely balked at telling his sister about what happened between them since Vannah’s,she doesn’t see you like that,comment was very telling of how much she knew about any of it.Admitting she’d completely ignored and avoided seeing him for two full years would be admitting not only that shecouldand had seen her little brother like that, even back when he was only eighteen. Until he fucking blew it. So clearly, she was still upset about that night. Not that it would’ve mattered one way or another at back then and especially not at this point if anything would ever happen between them. They’d been adults at the wedding and were even older now. The age difference made less of a difference now. Even back then he’d beensoready for something to happen with her. But he was sure because his shitty luck, without doubt, it’d been a complete slap in the face to Xochitl that night, that she still preferred to keep what happened to herself. “Is it thesamedorm Vannah had stayed in?” his dad asked.

“Dad’s there?” Vannah asked.

“Yeah,” Lex took a deep breath. “So’s mom.”

“Ooh, put me on speaker!”

Grudgingly he did and set his phone on the counter. “You’re on.”

“Mom, daddy, Xochitl’s roommate had to move out totally at the last minute.” Lex pinched the rim of his nose as they all listened to Vannah excitedly explain the whole thing, everything happening for a reason, waiting list and all. “Xochitl hasn’t contacted administration to let them know there’s an open room in her dorm, but I’m sure her roommate had to have told someone she was transferring out, cancel her fall classes and whatnot. It’s just a matter of time before they know there’s an availability and reach out to anyone on that waiting list. But Lex said his coach could pull strings for him because we all know how incredibly talented my little brother is. No surprise the coach is falling all over himself to make sure he’s happy. So, you have to call him ASAP, Lex and let him know there’s an opening.”

“Oh, my gosh.” His mom brought her hands to her mouth. “First, the last-minute acceptance to the team and scholarship with all the bells and whistles, and now this.”Once Vannah had told them everything they wanted to know, his mother leaned into the phone “Call me on my phone, Savannah. I wanted to talk to you about something else.” He hung up with his sister, but not before Vannah once again urged him to call his coach ASAP. Not two seconds after hanging up with him, did his mom’s phone ring. “I’m gonna take this in the other room.” His mom winked at them both. “Girl talk.”

His dad walked over to the sink and started washing his hands as Lex eyed the sandwich, he wasn’t sure he had the appetite for anymore. “So how do you feel about moving in with a girl?”

Lex picked up the sandwich because who was he kidding? After taking a big bite, he grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. “I’m not moving inwithher, we’ll be sharing a dorm.”

Even as he said it, his stomach swarmed with a mixture of anxiousness, excitement, and dread. Was he really going to do this? After two years, was Xochitl going to go from the princess who got away, to one he was now living in the same dorm with? Then he remembered. She was still back with her boyfriend—her first fucking everything. His dad eyed him again as he dried his hands with a kitchen towel. “Thought I picked up on something while your sister was talking. You two might just be sharing a dorm, but you’ll be living together. Running into her as she rushes out of the shower in a towel or having breakfast with her and staying up late to watch a movie together often, just the two of you, won’t be the same as when all that happened with one of your sisters.”

“She has a boyfriend, dad. I doubt too much of that will happen as often as you’re thinking.”

“I remember how much fun you had with her at the wedding, son. Uncle Sal even asked if she was your girlfriend. I know it’s been . . .” His dad stopped to think about it. “Shit has it really been two years that Vannah’s been married?”

Lex nodded chewing his food. He knew all too well just how long it’d been since he’d last heard from her.

“Damn.” His dad shook his head. “Anyway, I know she hasn’t been around since. I just don’t want this to be an issue that’s gonna mess with your grades. We can get you a condo, Taz. And it’d make everyone happy. If you’d just stop being so damn stubborn.”

Feeling stupid because he should’ve known how obvious he’d been that night, Lex smirked but shook his head. “I haven’t been in touch with her since.” Of course, he’d leave out that it wasn’t for lack of trying. “I’m good.”

With a shrug, his dad handed him his phone. “Then get on it and call that coach.” His dad leaned against the counter as if to wait for him to do it. “If you’re okay with this and this gets your mom off my ass with all the worrying she’s been doing, Vannah said you need to call ASAP.”Fuck.Lex had hoped to talk to Vannah again before he called the coach. He needed to ask if she’d gotten any more information about Xochitl’s relationship. Despite it being two years and nothing ever really happening between them, he was certain his ass couldn’t deal with having to be witness to or even being forced to listen to anything that went on if her boyfriend ever spent the night.The very thought, nearly had him hitting the end button before his coach could answer, but then he did. “Hey, coach. It’s Alex Moreno.”He explained everything as his dad listened. In spite of the eager coach acting like this was very doable even with the waiting lists being so long, a part of Lex was hopeful the desperate bastard was just talking out of ass.

If this had been something he’d been praying for, Lex was sure it wouldn’t have happened. Of course, he got the call just two days later that it was all set. He’d be rooming with XochitlEtzliin less than two weeks. He hadn’t called Vannah to inquire more about Xochitl’s relationship situation because he seriously thought it was such a long shot it just wouldn’t be necessary. But Lex had no idea now how he’d be able to deal with being around her and her boyfriend. It was stupid he knew. They’d had a few moments over twoyearsago. But just seeing her in that video and replaying the conversations he’d had with her in his head, he knew this was going to bemorethan just a challenge—it’d be pure torture. How could one fucking evening with a girl, years ago, have him feeling all this, damn it? As if this wasn’t bad enough, the coach had asked if he could report to practice a week early. So, he’d be moving in the week before the fall semester started. That was of course if Xochitl was okay with that, but Vannah had said asking her would be just to give her a heads up. She’d been certain Xochitl wouldn’t have a problem with it. But this meant he had to leave today instead of next week. Vannah answered on the first ring. “Taz I was about to call you. Just got off the phone with Xochitl, she’s fine with you moving in this soon. Just said she probably won’t be there. It’s the last week off she has until Thanksgiving break, so she’s going home for the week.” Lex nodded in relief. At least he could relax a little now. He’d have a week to ease into this without having to be around her. He could prepare himself as best he could. As if anything could prepare him for being around the one girl he’d ever been so inexplicitly sucked into. His ass hadn’t been lying when he told her he’d never forget that night. He’d already looked into transferring into another dorm in the winter because, despite him trying to think positive, he already knew this might very well turn into a torment. Two years or not, he could admit it now, this wasn’t the first time he hadn’t been able to get Xochitl off his mind even months after being around her. The first time had been for norealreason other than his bruised ego had something to prove after her dismissive attitude the first day they met. This time he hadn’t been able to stop wondering what could’ve been if those lights hadn’t been turned on when he was just getting the nerve to kiss her on that dancefloor. Though he’d since decided maybe those lights coming on when they had, was a blessing. For one, more than once despite his crazy schedule, he’d considered driving out to LA and just knocking on her dorm door so he could explain himself. That is until he found out she was back with her ex.

But if he had gotten the chance to kiss her that night, seeing him in that compromising position with Angela later that night, would’ve been that much worse. As it was, up until the shock of her not balking at him moving in with her, he’d been sure she hated him. Now here he was fully packed and ready to go. “So, you all set?” Vannah sounded as excited as she’d been from the moment she first told him about Xochitl needing a new roommate. “I can’t believe how everything worked out. As soon as you know what your schedule is going to be like, let me know. We’ll make a date for me to go down to your dorm and I’ll cook for you and Xochitl.”

Him and Xochitl.

He shook his head as he finished the last of his suitcases and totes into his car. If only. Yep. He’d be transferring out of that dorm as soon as he got the chance. Unlike when Vannah first moved into her dorm and his parents fell all over themselves to get her all set, they wouldn’t even be taking the drive out with him today. “I got this,” he’d told his mom when she’d begun to insist, they needed to make sure he was all set. “All set? I’m just moving my bags and totes from the car to the dorm room. You already know my roommate. There’s no need to gofeel her out, like when Vannah moved in.”

They saw him off and he promised to be in touch. Maybe not as often as he knew his sisters were, but often enough. The drive to LA didn’t feel as long as he thought it might. Maybe because he knew he wouldn’t have to face Xochitl just yet. He could get there, unpack, and unwind without the stress of having her there yet. After picking up his key at the security kiosk, he grabbed a tote and a few of his bags and started the first of his trips from his car to the dorm. It took him a second to get the door to the dorm open, because it had a weird wiggle to it, but he finally did. He pushed it open and bent over to pick up the tote with the two bags on it. Picking them up, he started inside and . . . froze. Xochitl was leaned over the kitchen counter her body facing the other way, though her head was turned in his direction. She wore shorts that hugged that beautiful ass in a way Lex shouldn’t remember so vividly but did. The dude on the other sideof counter who eyed him now, no doubt appreciated those snug shorts just as much as Lex did. Those big beautiful, somewhat startled, eyes were of course even more amazing than he remembered.

Out of nowhere, the weak bark of a dog pulled Lex out of the stupor he hadn’t even realized he’d fallen into. He turned to the huge dog on the doggie bed near the corner of the room. He barely lifted his head from where he lay, barking again in a way that appeared more obligatory than demanding to do his part in defending the place from theintruder. The guy behind the counter walked around it toward the dog, smiling. “Easy there, killer.” Hearing Xochitl chuckling at the guy’s comment had Lex glancing back at her but did a doubletake when he noticed the barefoot assed guy lookedwaytoo comfortable. He was likely spending the night. Something that happened often? Feeling an unreasonable and utterly irrepressible annoyance heat his insides, something was instantly clear. This shitwas notgoing to work.

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