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He reaches out to shake my hand and his eyes meet mine.
“I know I don’t have to tell you how important this is to me and Kasey. If Lindsey needs anything at all or if you see her going further into herself without her sister here, let me know. Kasey won’t be able to stop worrying for a while, but I want to reassure her you’ll be keeping me updated.”
“Of course. She’s safe with me. I’ll look out for her as if she were my own sister.” Hopefully I can do a better job than I did with my sister, but I don’t tell him that.
The girls file out of the apartment building looking a little less teary and more resigned to the fact that this is goodbye. Kasey walks over to Donovan and wraps her arm around his waist, looking up at him with a smile.
“Ready?” she asks.
“Always.” He gives her a soft kiss before she turns to me.
“Take care of my sister for me. I won’t be far away. If she needs anything, no matter the time, please call me.” She seems nervous about leaving. When I joined the military, it was the same for me. Leaving the people you love is never easy, even when you’re not going far. I give her what’s hopefully a reassuring smile.
“She’ll be fine. If anything comes up, I have your number and promise to use it.”
Kasey comes in for a hug and I feel uncomfortable with the physical display of her emotion. Donovan chuckles as I pat her back in my stiff and abrupt way. I’m really not a fan of hugging. She seems to get the point when she pulls away with an apologetic look on her face.
“Okay, if we don’t leave now, the movers are going to dump your things on the sidewalk.” Donovan leads Kasey toward the car and opens the door for her. She’s waving like a loon as they drive away while Lindsey laughs at her sister’s antics.
“She is such a goof.” Lindsey shakes her head, a wide grin stretching across her face and turns to Abigail.
“Okay, honey bunny, time for me to hit the road. We’ll talk later.” Abigail leans in and hugs Lindsey again. She gives me a look over Lindsey’s shoulder, pointing two fingers at her eyes and back at me. I get it. She’s looking out for her friend and wants to make sure I know it. She really has nothing to worry about, but after being around Jackson recently, he probably has her thinking the worst of most men. I’m sure it will wear off eventually. Hopefully.
Lindsey pulls away from Abigail. “Don’t forget about me,” she tells her.
“Pfft, not possible. You’re my sister from another mister, same as Kasey. Call if you need me.” She gives Lindsey a loud kiss on the cheek, just as over-the-top as the woman herself, and leaves us on the stairs of Lindsey’s, and I suppose now mine too, apartment building.
Lindsey turns to me with wide eyes and an uneasy smile.
“Well, it’s just us now. I think I’m going to go in and have another mimosa.” She turns on her heel and rushes into the building, leaving me alone. The fact this may have been a bad idea runs through my head again. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable in her own home, and I don’t want to feel like I have to walk on eggshells in mine. I take a deep, cleansing breath, determined to make the best of this situation.
I head back into the apartment just as Lindsey takes a sip of her fresh mimosa while standing in the narrow galley kitchen and decide the best course of action will be to tackle the awkwardness head-on. It’s still early in the afternoon and I don’t want to waste it tiptoeing around each other.
“Listen, Lindsey, I know this is a little awkward, seeing as we don’t know each other well and all, but I promise not to step on your toes or act like I’m here as some sort of favor to Donovan. I won’t be reporting your every move to your sister. That’s not what I’m here for. I want us to be comfortable around each other.”
She lets out a breath she seemed to have been holding since I got here.
“Honestly, Aiden, it’s a relief having you here. I love my sister, and Donovan was nice enough and all that, but I was feeling a little stifled with us all together. Having someone here who isn’t going to constantly worry about what I’m doing or how I’m feeling will be a nice change.” Her shoulders relax as her posture slumps a bit, like she’s finally comfortable with my presence. “If you thought my awkwardness had anything to do with you, I’m sorry. It was just kind of an emotional morning, and I don’t really like dealing with that stuff these days. It had nothing to do with you. Promise.” Her face splits into a wide smile. I can understand the freedom she feels of no longer being under her sister’s watchful eyes. That seems like a lot of pressure to deal with on top of everything else.
Hearing her tell me that her awkwardness isn’t related to our new living situation, I relax and lean against the counter a few paces from where she stands. “So, I’ve never lived with another person as an adult, aside from when I was in the Royal Marines. What do you usually do when you’re both home with nothing else going on?”
“I don’t know, really. Millie and I were hardly home together. I guess we would just chitchat and drink wine. Occasionally order pizza or something.” She shrugs her shoulders and sips her mimosa.
“No pillow fights? Or brushing each other’s hair in sexy lingerie? I feel like I’ve been lied to my whole life.” I shake my head, pretending to be despondent over the idea that I was wrong. She barks out a laugh, almost spilling her drink.
“Where the hell did you get those ideas from? Porn?” she chokes out.
“Maybe.” I tilt my head to the side and give her a sheepish look, which just makes her laugh harder. That was my goal, though. I’d rather her laugh at me than be uncomfortable around me, thinking I’m keeping track of her every move to report back to Kasey and Donovan.
“Well, sorry to dissolve you of your pubescent teenage fantasies today.” She chuckles. “How about I show you your room? I made sure they bought a new bed for you.” She lets out an exaggerated shiver.
“See, we’re already looking out for each other,” I say, giving her a warm smile as she walks into what will be my room.
“Bathroom’s right here.” Lindsey points down the hall. “I’ve never shared a bathroom with a guy before, but I promise not to leave toothpaste in the sink if you don’t leave beard shavings everywhere.”
“I’ll be careful not to.” I chuckle. She’s obviously feeling a little more comfortable with my presence already.
“I used to share a bathroom with my mum and sis. They trained me well on the dos and don’ts of using the same bathroom as girls. I also always put the toilet seat down. I’m as thoughtful as they come.”
