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She tilts her head and looks at me long and hard. We both know that’s a lie. “We can coexist. I have an idea. As soon as something happens that turns you on, write it down.”
I arch a brow. “Write it down?”
“Make it a rule and write it on the board.” She smiles as if a marker and whiteboard are powerful enough to deny our libidos.
My first thought is that I should write down that she can’t wear those pajamas, but the truth is that I love the spank bank material. I’m not some guy who can’t control myself, but I’m going to have to be satisfied with jerking off to thoughts of Brinley since I won’t have the real thing. I can’t afford to do something that will make her run off again. Especially since I have no idea where to find her.
Eleven
Brinley
The next morning, I wake up to the sound of puking.
I throw off the covers and tiptoe to my door, opening it slightly. Sure enough, it’s coming from the bathroom and the door to Van’s bedroom is wide open. I peek in and see that other than the sheets being a rumpled mess in the middle of the bed, the room is immaculate. There are no clothes on the floor or decorative items or pictures he may have added, just his wallet and keys on the dresser in a small leather organizer.
Another bout of puking draws my attention to the bathroom door. The toilet flushes, and I scurry to my room, slowly shutting the door with a light click as the bathroom door opens.
“Fuck me,” Van’s gravelly voice says from the hallway, then his feet hammer on the floor back to the bathroom. The door slams shut, and the puking sound commences.
I sit on the edge of my bed, picking up my phone to call Kenzie. I’ve yet to talk to her about everything going on here because she recently got engaged and I figure she must be busy. The truth is that since she moved to New York years ago, we’re not as tight as we used to be. I tend to turn to my cousins for support since they’re here in Lake Starlight. But other than Calista, I’ve been keeping anything to do with Van Adler to myself.
“It’s been weeks since we’ve talked!” she says by way of answering. “I called you this weekend and you never answered.”
“Well, hello,” I whisper.
“I’m your best friend and I’m getting the silent treatment. What’s up?”
“Remember how I needed a roommate because of Calista?”
“Yeah.”
“I found one, but it turned out to be a guy.”
“A guy?” she screeches, then there’s a muffled voice on the other end. “Sorry, sweetie. Yeah, I’ll go to the other room. Hold on, Brin.” I hear her shutting some doors, then I hear the traffic of New York City. She must have stepped out onto their balcony. “Sorry, he had a late night with a client and is going in late today. Anyway, you’re living with a guy and I just heard about this now?”
I rub the sheet on my bed between my thumb and forefinger. “Well, I mean… I don’t know.”
“I bet Calista knew.”
And this is kind of why I hadn’t told her. She’s been so hell-bent on competing with Calista or whichever cousin knows something before her. She was the one who never returned to Lake Starlight after graduating college.
“Come on. That’s not fair,” I say gently.
“Sorry. It’s the wedding planning. Both our moms are up our asses about everything.”
“I’m sorry. I could fly out…”
“Oh no you don’t, Brinley Kelly. I know your game. You’ll come out here just to get away from this guy.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because if you’re calling me this early in your time zone, it means you’ve been over and over things on your own and can’t figure out what to do. So how hot is he?”
I fall back on the bed and sigh. “Superhot.”
“I need more details.”
“Short brown hair, muscles bulging everywhere, tattoos peeking out of clothing, rides a motorcycle, and cooks. He cooks for me.”
