Bedhead: A Romance

by Kayt Miller

  So I went ahead and took it, adding ten thousand dollars to my bank account. I’m uncomfortable taking the money, but it’s needed since I won’t be able to work for at least a couple more weeks. It also gives me the courage to do what I’m about to do.

  “Ladies,” I say from my perch in one of the side chairs. “I’m moving out.”

  “What!” comes from everyone.

  “I’ve heard more than one of you talk about how cramped it is upstairs and how the bathroom situation sucks. It does. Not only that, Tayler needs a roommate. She can’t afford to live alone, and her lease is up on the fifteenth.” I breathe in and out. “I won’t leave you in the lurch money-wise. I’ll pay my rent until—”

  “No. You shouldn’t have to pay rent for a room you don’t have anymore,” Patsy says with a frown. “I understand. I should’ve tried harder to get the asshole landlord to do something about your bedroom.” She sighs.

  “It’s not your fault he’s a jerk, Pats.”

  She wipes a tear from her cheek. “I don’t want you to move out.”

  “I know. I love you guys.” I really do. “We’re looking at places close by so we could still do our morning walks, and I’ll definitely go out with you when you want. I….” A wave of emotion comes over me. “I really love you guys.”

  “We love you too.” Robbi isn’t crying, but she does look angry. “I’m sorry I complained about the bathroom.”

  “No. It’s fine. It is fun being upstairs with you all, but I can’t really sleep up there.”

  “We’re sorry.” Susanna’s turn to sniffle.

  “Stop, you guys.” They’re making me feel terrible. “You haven’t gotten rid of me.”

  “Good.” Kat stands first. Making her way closer, she wraps her arms around me. “I saw the spider. I don’t blame you.”

  Patsy laughs. “We all saw the spider. I took a picture for the landlord. No reply.”

  “Did anyone kill it?”

  Kat shivers next to me. “Fuck no. You know the second you try to kill it, you’ll miss and it’ll freak out, run up your arm, and eat your face.”

  I giggle and nod at everything Kat’s saying because those were my thoughts exactly. “Right?”

  As the girls disband, I pull Patsy aside. “You sure this is okay?”

  “Yeah. I meant what I said. You’re paying the same as the rest of us, but you don’t even have a bedroom.” She pats my arm. “We’ll figure it out, Quinn. No worries.”

  As she starts to step away, I ask, “What about your mom? Is she okay?”

  “Yeah.” Patsy laughs. “She got a promotion and a raise.”

  “Oh?”

  “I don’t know what went down with you and Mr. Becker, but thanks.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “Kara’s going to Iowa in the spring term.”

  “Oh, wow. I should feel bad for them, but then again….”

  “I know.” Patsy laughs. “Kara has gotten away with a lot over the years thanks to her dad. I’m just glad she won’t be around here anymore.”

  I hope she’s right.

  I haven’t heard from Cooke in so long. I know he’s busy playing a tournament—or a fixture, as they call them—but that’s not the reason he hasn’t called. Part of me still wants to reach out to him, update him on the changes in my life, but he sounded so angry that night of his fancy party. He hasn’t tried to talk to me, so I don’t feel I should bother him. Besides, there’s nothing pressing that I need to tell him anyway. Sure, I was in an accident and I had to go to the hospital, but I’m fine. See? It’s not pressing. I need to find a new place to live, but again, that isn’t anything he needs to worry about. I’ll just text him my new address once I know what it is. After that, it’ll be up to him to make the next move.

  My shoulders slump. Everything I said just now… it’s a lie. I’m bummed that he hasn’t tried to call or text me. I’m sad because I feel like it’s over between us. It seems like it was months ago that he visited when it was only weeks ago. In those weeks, everything just fell apart. Maybe I should’ve had sex with him. Then maybe he’d—

  What the hell am I doing? I need to just remember the good times with Cooke and let him go. End. Of. Story.

  Chapter Forty-One

  “What about that place?” I ask Tayler as she pulls out of the apartment complex.

  “It was dirty,” she says glumly.

  “We could clean it.” Right?

  “Who knows what’s lurking underneath the carpet.” She shivers. “God, disgusting.”

  I didn’t think it was that bad. Yes, it needed a good scrubbing, but the bedrooms were big and the kitchen looked decent. “We have one more place left, right?” We’ve been looking at places off and on for almost two weeks. Every place in our budget either needed to be condemned, or it was only big enough for one person. A small one.

  “Yeah. If this one doesn’t work out, we’re screwed. I’m going to have to live in my car or crash at your place.”

  I don’t think that would go over very well with my roomies, but I don’t say it aloud. No need to add to her bad mood.

  I watch as she pulls into a parking lot next to a three-story brick building. It reminds me of the old school with the condos that Cooke and I looked at, but this one hasn’t been remodeled. Actually, that building isn’t far from here. Down a block or two. Too bad that place is out of our price range.

  “Here’s hoping,” Tayler mutters.

  I push the car door open and step out on the gravel lot. I follow her to the front door, where a sign tells us the rental office is on the main level, to the left. We enter and walk down a long hallway, finding the office at the end. It’s certainly not as nice as Cooke’s building. This corridor needs a coat of paint and a good mopping.

  At the door marked Manager, Tayler tries the knob, but it’s locked. Next, she knocks. We wait for a minute or two, and then Tayler knocks again. She’s about to do it a third time when we hear a gruff voice yell, “Hold your damn horses.”

  Tayler and I look at each other, but our expressions remain stoic.

  When the door creaks open, a man about my grandpa’s age stands in only a pair of old jeans and a satin robe a la Hugh Hefner. “What?” he snaps.

  When Tayler doesn’t respond, I say, “We’re here to look at an apartment.”

  “I called earlier,” Tayler finally says. “My name is Tayler.”

  “Tayler’s a man’s name.”

  “It’s also mine, uh, sir.”

  “Fucking confusing if you ask me.” He reaches back, and I hear the clanging of keys. When he steps out of the apartment, he’s holding a huge ring of them. “Top floor, girls.”

  We follow him to a set of wooden stairs that have seen better days. There are cracked boards, and several planks are completely missing.

  “Stairs are gettin’ fixed next week.”

  Sure they are. “Is there an elevator?” I ask.

  “Nope. Exercise would do you good, girl.”

  Fuck. Doesn’t he see the boot I’m wearing? Besides, I didn’t ask for commentary on my exercise habits or my body. God, I’m sick of people. “I exercise. Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

  He snorts. “If I did, you’d be War and Peace.”

  I stop in my tracks. “That’s rude,” I say to the crusty old fart.

  He’s stopped moving too. Turning around slowly, he says, “Pardon?”

  “I said that’s rude. You don’t know me. You don’t know one thing about me, so don’t presume to say something as callous as ‘War and Peace.’” I use an old guy’s voice for emphasis. “Someone your age should have better manners than that.”

  “Well.” He chuckles. “You’re a spitfire, ain’t ya?”

  “Yes.” At least I’m starting to be.

  “You’re a pretty thing.” Then, lowering his voice, he adds, “For a big book.”

  Fuck this guy. I’m about to turn around and leave when he stops in front of the door at the farthest end of th
e hallway on the top floor. “This’n needs to be cleaned up and painted.”

  “Oh, great,” Tayler grumbles.

  “It’s a nice one,” the old guy replies. “Lots of people want to live here.”

  “Uh-huh.” I don’t believe him.

  When he turns the key, I hear the door unlatch. He pushes it open and steps back so we can walk in first. When we get all the way in, we both gasp.

  “It’s beautiful,” I say first. And it is. The living room is huge with extra-tall ceilings. The walls and ceiling are white, but they look like they need a fresh coat of paint. The hardwood floors are a medium color and mostly shiny except for the parts that need cleaned. They look like they’re in great condition, just a little dusty. On the outside wall are large windows that run across the entire space. It’s so sunny, it makes me smile.

  I turn toward the area designated as the kitchen. Most of the appliances and sink are all opposite the window wall. There’s a gas stove, large fridge, and even a dishwasher. All the appliances are white to match the walls, but the cupboards are dark gray, almost black. Not only that, there’s a large kitchen island that faces the windows.

  I look over at Tayler as she opens the cabinets one at a time. She hasn’t said a peep yet.

  Stepping out of the living area, I walk down a short hallway into the first of two bedrooms. This one is huge with the same large windows along one wall. The floors from the living room have continued into the bedroom. I pull open a door and see a giant walk-in closet with built-in drawers along the back wall. “Amazing,” I whisper. I suddenly feel nervous. What if someone else has already filled out a rental application? What if the old guy picks them instead?

  Shaking off the doubts, I walk farther down the hallway past a bathroom with a giant bathtub that also doubles as a shower. The black-and-white tile in the bathroom reminds me of the old houses I’ve seen on House Hunters. Everything is in good condition. It just needs to be cleaned.

  Moving on to the next bedroom, I notice it’s just slightly smaller than the other one. It’s also not as sunny, because the windows are on the opposite side of the apartment and there aren’t as many. I pull open the closet and see the twin of the other one. I like this room. I think I’d sleep better in a less sunny room.

  Moving back out into the hallway, I bump into Tayler. “What do you think?” She looks up at me, and there are tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “I love it. It’s perfect.” She pauses. “Right?”

  “Yeah. It’s perfect. The price is a steal too.” I wouldn’t be paying much more than I was at the house. “I wonder what the catch is.”

  “I’ve been wondering the same thing,” she grouses. “I mean, was someone murdered here? Is it haunted? Does it leak?” She looks up at the ceiling and smiles. “Shit. Tin ceilings.”

  “I know. This place is amazing. There’s got to be a catch.”

  As Tayler continues her tour, I move out of the living room where the old asshole is standing. “So,” I say with caution. “What’s the catch?” What? I might as well cut to the chase.

  “Catch?” He chuckles. “You sure are a spitfire.”

  “Uh-huh. So? Is it haunted? Is it a murder apartment? Does the neighbor have a thing for college girls?”

  “The neighbor is a professor at the college. I don’t think he’s got any weird fetishes.” He shrugs. “Who knows these days. Am I right?” He chuckles again.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Vic.”

  “And you manage the place?”

  “I own it, hon.”

  “And the stairs?”

  “Carpenter is coming on Monday.”

  “And what about utilities?”

  “Included. So is cable. I’ve also got WiFi.”

  “Shit,” I mutter. “It’s too good to be true.”

  He chuckles again. “Sometimes something good can be true too, love.”

  Love. He called me love.

  God, I miss Cooke.

  “We’ll take it,” I say suddenly. “How soon can we move in?”

  “Well now, you’ll need to fill out an application. I’ve got others interested.”

  “See?” I say, irritated. “I knew there was a catch.”

  “No catch.” He leans a little closer. “You’re my favorite by far, girly. I’m rootin’ for ya.”

  I don’t know why, but that makes me laugh. Hard. “Vic,” I say after I’ve calmed down. “We need a place to live. Tayler’s boyfriend cheated on her, so she’s got to move out. I was living in a basement with a spider the size of my fist.” I hold my fist up for reference. “This is the best place we’ve seen. We need an answer now.”

  “My goodness, you do remind me of my beloved Mary.”

  “Your wife?”

  “Pitbull. She’s the love of my life.”

  I start to giggle again just as Tayler steps back into the room. “We’ll take it.”

  Oh God. My giggle turns into full-on laughter with tears. I swear I’m about to pee myself. Once I get myself under control, I look him in the eye. “Vic. Please?”

  “Tell you what,” he says, scratching his scruffy face. “If everything checks out on your applications, it’s yours. It’ll take me a day or so. Then I’ve got to paint and clean.”

  “We’ll do that,” I say suddenly. I know Tayler only has a couple of days left on her lease.

  Tayler nods. “Yeah. We’ll paint and clean.”

  “Interesting.” Vic scratches his chin again. “I’ll let you know tomorrow. Is that good enough?”

  “Yes!” we say at the same time.

  We follow Vic down to his home and office. Waiting in his gorgeous kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, I stare at Tayler, whispering. “Can you believe this place?”

  She shakes her head.

  I’m about to say more when I see a dog the size of a small horse run right for me. I quickly push my legs out into a wide stance, anticipating the force of the dog. When she gets to me, though, she stops suddenly, sits down, and wiggles her tail, all the while looking up at me.

  “You must be Mary,” I say, petting her head. Scratching behind her ears, I add, “You’re a good girl, aren’t you, love? Such a good girl.” Her head moves with my hand, seeking more rubs and scratches. I move down to one knee, the good one. “Oh, you’re such a pretty girl, Mary.” When she leans up and licks my face, I laugh and hug her. “I see what Vic sees in you, girl. I think I love you too.”

  “You’re in.” Vic’s voice sounds sort of scratchy. “She’s n-never done that before.” He clears his throat. “She’s a rescue. Abused somethin’ terrible. She’s scared of everyone.” He sniffles. “But not you, spitfire. She loves you. And in my book, dogs read people way better than humans. You’re in. I’ll have the paint and supplies up there for you tomorrow. First and last month’s rent before I give you a key. You can move in tomorrow.”

  I’m staring at Vic while still petting Mary. Looking down at her again, I say, “Did you hear that, girl? We’re going to be neighbors.” Mary barks, and I laugh. Standing up, I reach out to shake Vic’s hand. “Thanks, Vic.”

  “My pleasure, spitfire.”

  I follow Tayler out of the apartment and down the hallway. When we get to the car, Tayler turns to me. Smirking, she says, “Who are you?”

  “What do you mean? I’m me.”

  “You’re much more than that.”

  I’m not sure what she means, but that’s okay. “We have a home,” I squeak. “Not just any home either. It’s the coolest place I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to decorate.”

  “Which reminds me. We’re going to need help moving. I doubt you and I will be able to move furniture up those stairs, especially with your boot.”

  “My boot can come off any time. I’m just nervous about it.” I roll my eyes because I know I’m being a wimp. “I could call the rugby guys.” They owe me, sort of.

  “Perfect. I’ll also ask Luke if he knows anyo
ne.”

  “Luke?” I arch my brow. “I thought….” Well, since I haven’t been back to work yet, I guess I’m out of the Luke loop.

  “We’re friends. Nothing more. He’s still petrified of commitment. We talk. That’s all.”

  As soon as we’re buckled into Tayler’s car, I pull my phone out of my pocket. I’m just going to do it. I send Cooke a text. The first communication from either of us in ten days.

  Me: Good news. Tayler and I found a new apartment. It’s amazing and cheap!

  I add a photo of the main living room and send it to him. Even though he hasn’t bothered to message me, I feel like I need to try one more time. If he doesn’t respond, then I can accept that it’s over.

  Over before it really began.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  “Thanks, Dan. Can you put the chair right over there?” I point to a spot in the far corner of the living room. We want things out of the way so we can move around. Furniture will be the last thing we’ll arrange once everything else is put away.

  “This place rocks, Quinn,” Dan says, wiping off some sweat from his brow.

  “It does,” Bull agrees as he passes by holding three boxes, all Tayler’s. She’s the one with all the stuff. Mine fit in one trip in Tayler’s car. When he comes back empty-handed, he’s quiet for a second, like he’s apprehensive about something. “Sorry to hear about Cooke.”

  Sorry? To hear about Cooke? Did he hear we broke up? No. That’s impossible. “What do you mean?”

  “His injury.”

  “His injury?” I squeak. “What injury?”

  Bull and Dan look at each other, then back at me. “Yeah. Playing Ireland. It was gnarly.”

  Oh my God. “W-What? Ireland?”

  Bull looks a little perturbed. “I figured you watched it online or something.”

  Shit. No, I didn’t. I look first at Bull, then at Dan, “How bad was he hurt?”