by Sabrina York
Erik’s offer rises to the surface of my thoughts. It’s on the tip of my tongue, but yet I don’t feel ready to drop such a bomb on Jewels. Not now. Maybe I can subtly get her to invite him over, let her get to know him a little better first.
I move in to hug Jewels tightly. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I should’ve known better. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“I love you, Kel,” she says into my ear. “You ever think that ill of me again and I’ll kick your ass.”
A loud laugh bursts from me. “I love you, too.”
The next morning I wake to someone patting my cheek. Jewels stands over me in a green polo shirt and a matching baseball cap. It’s so unlike my carefree, concert t-shirt wearing friend that I giggle-snort. And I almost never “giggle,” so the strange noise surprises us both. “Are you here to deliver a package?”
“Stop,” she whines, shoving my shoulder. “It’s hard enough to put this on the way it is. I don’t need you to remind me how ridiculous I look. I’d try to find somewhere else to work where I didn’t have to dress like a baseball player if there was something better just as close.”
I try to straighten my grin. “It’s not ridiculous.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Rolling her eyes, she takes a minute to adjust her ponytail through the hole in her hat. “I just wanted to let you know Adam has a doctor’s appointment later this morning, and I have to work until three. I asked my friend, Chloe, to show you around the city. She’s a hoot—you guys will get along really well. She’ll be by around ten to pick you up.”
I prop myself up on my elbow. I’m all for adventures with new friends, but I still feel the need to make it up to Jewels for being such an ass the day before. “Wouldn’t you rather I stay here and unpack?”
“I want to help so I know where everything is. Besides, I’ve seen your idea of unpacking. I still can’t find my favorite DVD from freshman year.”
“Whatever, you big baby. You probably loaned it out to someone and forgot.”
“Right. Just like you decided you loaned your straightener to someone, you just don’t know who.” She starts for the door. “Chloe’s lived here most her life, so she said she’s up for showing you whatever you want. It’ll be good for you to go around by foot and get a feel for the city, figure out where everything is. I’ll see you later this afternoon. Adam and I plan to take you somewhere fun for supper. Have fun today!”
With a comical flick of her baseball hat, she’s gone.
I grab my phone off the nightstand to see a missed call from Erik late in the night, as well as a text from a few minutes ago that simply reads:
Well?
I’m grinning like an idiot when I type back:
I should probably see where I’d be agreeing to stay
Little bubbles appear instantly as he types a response. In less than a minute he sends me an address, then a separate message saying:
I’ll be around most the day
I quickly map out the distance between the brownstone and his apartment. He lives on the north size of Central Park, which I’m guessing would make for an extremely long walk. The map shows a subway ride that would take about 27 minutes, but I’m not about to take my first ride solo.
Looks like I have a special request of where I want Chloe to take me.
After showering and changing into a strapless tank top and lacy jean shorts, I wander down to the kitchen where I find Adam cooking up a pan of eggs among the clutter of unpacked boxes. It’s hard to look at him and not picture his little brother as the two of them look so much alike. When he’s healthy, Adam works out at the gym at his doctor’s recommendations. He’s broader in the shoulders than his brother, and even more top-heavy. When I was hanging out with Erik, I decided he must be a runner as his muscles are lean rather than bulky. But both guys have incredibly perky butts, the kind that must be amazing to grab onto during wild sex.
When it dawns on me that I’m checking out my best friend’s guy in that way, I clear my throat with a ridiculously high-pitched noise, ready to slap myself.
Adam turns around, grinning. “Mornin’,” he greets me in a throaty voice. I find myself wondering if Erik’s voice sounds that sexy early mornings. “Did you sleep okay? It took us a while to get used to all the noise outside.”
“I slept great,” I say, settling in one of the high-backed metal stools at the bar. “Didn’t hear a thing.”
“You should know Jewels felt like shit after what happened between you guys. She called Theo after you went to bed. Sounds like there were a lot of misunderstandings all around. Theo might come off a little strong, but he’s like a big freaking teddy bear underneath and swears he didn’t mean to offend you. He asked Jewels if she thought you’d let him take you out for dinner one night to make it up to you.”
“Hmm,” I say, tapping my chin. “I suppose I could be persuaded to forgive him with the promise of good food.” I run my fingers through my long hair, sighing. “Shit. I can’t believe I created so much drama. It’s going to take a lot of favors to make it up to Jewels.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. This morning she was back to her old self. She couldn’t stop talking about how excited she is that you’re staying in the city.” He uses a spatula to move the eggs onto a square, white plate, and hands it to me with a fork. “You know you’re welcome to stay here as long as it takes.”
“Thanks.” I decide to leave my answer at that for now. I dig into the eggs as he sets a bottled water next to me, surprised when my taste-buds go wild. “Mmm, I didn’t know you were such a good cook.”
Chuckling, he dishes himself a plate. “My skills in the kitchen are limited, trust me.”
“So…routine check with the doctor today, or is something wrong?”
“It’s just a consultation. They’re getting ready to hook me up to an insulin pump. It’ll be better than daily injections. Nothing too major.”
I throw him a frown as I twist the top off the water. “Want some company?”
He waves me off. “Nah, I’m good. I hear Chloe is going to show you around today. It’ll be a good chance for you to check out some of the different neighborhoods and see where you think you might want to live.”
“Erik told me he lives on the Upper West Side. Do you know much about it?”
Adam visibly stiffens with the mention of his brother’s name. “Jewels and I drove through there on a tour. It’s a nice neighborhood with a lot of families. I think my parents said a lot of kids from Columbia rent apartments in the area.” He wipes his fingers on a napkin, pretending to act all casual, but I can see the tension in his muscles. “What did you and Erik do yesterday anyway?”
“Hit a bar before we grabbed a late lunch.” My face heats with a flush. What does he think we did? “He could tell I was upset over something, and offered his company. He was a lot nicer than Jewels has made him out to be.”
“His niceness only goes so far. He was a real ass to me over the years. I’d be careful around him, Kel. He’s only tolerable when he wants something from you.”
What if the thing Erik wants is simply someone to be his friend? I can’t erase the look of loneliness hidden behind his gaze when he dropped me off.
“How was he an ass to you?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. “You mean like normal brother stuff?”
A dark look flashes across his beautiful eyes. He looks away. “He’s the type to go out of his way to make sure everyone is just as miserable as he is. I’m just saying you really don’t want to waste your time hanging out with him.” His gaze meets mine once again. “He’ll end up hurting you one way or another.”
It’s clear Adam’s only saying these things to protect me, but it suspiciously sounds like he’s holding onto an old grudge that may never be settled. A deep resolve hinges against the pit of my stomach. Maybe it’s time someone gave Erik the chance his brother refuses to give him.
Chapter Three
When the buzzer sounds at the door ten minutes after t
en, I find a small bundle of energy waiting on the other side, a cup of coffee in either hand, bright smile on her face. “Hey! You must be Kelly! I hope you like your coffee black.” Her voice is kind of high with a slight east coast lilt. She hands off a cup to me before breezing past. “It’s already fucking unbearable out there. Like walking on the surface of the sun. When it’s this hot you have to drink your weight in water to keep from falling over, although I’m not always good at remembering that. Autumn can’t come any sooner, I swear to god.”
I close the door and turn to her. Chloe’s incredibly petite and at least three inches shorter than I am with shoulder-length, jet black hair and bright blue highlights in her bangs that look stunning against her pixie-like face. Her dark brown eyes seem incredibly large in proportion to her smallish nose and pale pink mouth. She wears a drape-necked tank top with the name of a heavy metal band that puts her extensive tattoo work running up her right arm on display and shows off the top swell of her giant boobs that could very well topple her over.
There’s a mischievous fire in her eyes, and the way she stands relaxed yet confident, it’s obvious she’s no pushover. Though I’m definitely a guys-only kind of girl, I find her incredibly attractive in the most adorable way. I seriously want to put her in my pocket.
Her heart-shaped lips quirk into a smile. “Jewels tells me you’re looking to stay in the city for a while. You ready to get a tour of your new hometown? We don’t have a ton of time to sightsee, and it’s imperative we take a break from the heat every so often, but we’ll work out another day to go again. You wanna start out with the Statue of Liberty and the touristy shit on the south end, or take the subway up to the Upper West side around Central Park and work our way down? Your call.”
My ears perk with the mention of Central Park. “Upper West,” I say quickly, afraid if I don’t get my choice in now, she’ll start to talk again.
“Works for me.” she takes my untouched coffee and sets it next to hers on the counter. “Forget it. I don’t know what in the hell I was thinking. It’s too hot out for that shit. They’re selling one dollar waters on every corner for tourists riding the double deckers. We’ll grab a few of those. Let’s head out. We’ll get to know each other while we walk to the subway.”
The minute we step outside, I realize Chloe wasn’t being factious about the extreme weather. Just as the day before, the damp heat quickly soaks through my shirt and lines my forehead with perspiration. I can’t get over how stifling the heat becomes inside the concrete jungle compared to back home where there are ample trees and open spaces for the air to escape.
Despite Chloe’s legs being inches shorter than mine, she walks at a hurried, even pace. I have to nearly jog to keep up. “Where do you live?” I ask.
“Staten Island. The city’s way too expensive for me. Jewels is lucky she found Adam or there’s no way she could afford this neighborhood.” With everything she says, she uses grand hand gestures. “These places run millions of dollars. I had a cousin who was a computer expert or some shit, and bought a smaller place a few blocks down for five mil. You don’t live in a place like this without being incredibly wealthy.”
We reach a crosswalk and stand behind the crowd waiting for the light to turn. Most people are looking down at their phones or casually speaking with their friends. A few in suits stand tall and appear anxious to get somewhere. I’m so busy studying the crowd that I hardly notice Chloe babbling on beside me.
“…street fair through the week if you want to stop by. Jewels tells me you’ve never been to the city before. Are we just scoping out the neighborhoods, or you interested in the sights, too? There’s lots of time for that if you’re sticking around, unless you’re excited to see them, of course. I’m game for whatever shit you want.”
I bite my lip as I look down at the incredibly energetic girl. She’s friendly in a way that makes me want to trust her, and I’m dying to discuss Erik’s offer with someone neutral. “So I know we just met and everything, but do you think you can keep a secret?”
She flutters her thick lashes that look to be the product of professional extensions. “Depends. If it involves something illegal, I don’t even want to know.” The crowd moves ahead and Chloe follows without missing a beat, even though she isn’t watching where she’s going. “There was this guy I used to date who told me about the time he robbed his uncle’s store. I had to testify in court just because the asshole told me all about it. I don’t do court. I’ve mostly been a good girl my whole life and can’t take that kind of bullshit.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Nothing illegal, I swear. It’s just…Adam’s brother offered me a place to stay until I can get on my feet. He lives near Central Park, and I was hoping to take a look at his apartment today. See if it’s worth considering.”
“Why’s that a secret?” She glances over at me, narrowly escaping a collision with a little kid on a scooter. She pivots gracefully like she’s avoided similar accidents a million times. “Unless he’s offering it to you for sexual favors, I don’t see a problem.”
“Trust me, I made it crystal clear nothing would happen between us if I move in. He said I could live there in exchange for cleaning the place. It’s only a secret because Adam and Jewels hate Erik for some unknown reason.”
“So you’re not planning to tell Jewels?” Chloe fidgets with the back of her hair. “I haven’t known her very long, so I’m not sure how I feel about that. I mean, I can keep a secret, but if she pressures me to give her a no bullshit answer, no promises. If you decide to live with him, how are you going to hide something like that from your best friend?”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’d have to tell her eventually, I guess. It’s just that I don’t want to create any more waves between us after we had a stupid fight yesterday. And I haven’t figured out what exactly they have against Erik. I only knew him a few hours before he volunteered his spare room to me. He seems to be a pretty decent guy. It’s no different than considering an ad on craigslist for a roommate, right? Or do you think it’s weird that I’m even debating this?”
“Weird? No. You’re right. People put out ads for roommates in this city all the time. Fucking risky? Maybe. I mean, what do you really know about this guy? Is he rich and hot like his brother? It’s understandable if that’s the case, because who wouldn’t be tempted by someone loaded who looks like that? Still, he could be a total whacko. What if he gets off on chopping people up and storing them in his freezer like that guy from your neck of the woods?”
“You mean Dahmer?” I ask, unable to suppress a smile. Chloe’s bubbly personality is contagious, to say the least. I already love hanging out with her.
“You never know who’s two cents short of a full buck. Good looking and well bred guy like that could just be looking for a way to project his mommy and daddy issues like those wealthy brothers in Beverly Hills who killed their parents. I’ve watched a lot of documentaries on serial killers. Started out as something I thought maybe I could go to school for, get a degree in criminology or whatever, but now it’s just kind of a sick hobby. Most of them start out as normal people, like you and me. Just sayin’.”
“Yeah, he’s really hot and rich, but that’s pretty much all I know about him. Jewels once mentioned he’s pre-law, so there’s that. At least he must be smart. Adam and Jewels offered me their spare room as long as it takes, but there are so many reasons it just doesn’t feel right. They were really looking forward to having a place of their own together, and they’re still in the highly physical stage of their relationship. I’d feel like some kind of creeper, knowing they have to be quiet on my account. You know?”
“Ugh, do I ever. I once had a roommate who was dating a stripper and they’d go at it, like, all hours of the day.” She waves her hands in front of her like she’s trying to erase the memory. “Drove me fucking insane. The guy was crazy hot, though, so I couldn’t really blame her. She kicked him out after I accidentally walked in on them one time and he ask
ed if I wanted to join in. Total sex addict. The stripper, not my roommate. She moved on to marry a broker and moved to Jersey to pop out a couple of kids.”
I can’t stop laughing under my breath at the way Chloe carries on. She continues chatting until we reach the subway station, only stopping long enough to show me how to purchase a pass and slide it through the turnstile. She directs me for a good five minutes on how not to advance through the turnstile before the green light signals my card has been read because she had a friend who once cracked a pelvic bone charging through, and how not to stand close to the subway cars because people have been pushed off the edge and died.
I only half listen to her as I’m more intrigued by a cute guy around my age playing Jack Johnson on an acoustic guitar a few yards away. He catches me staring and throws a playful wink.
As soon as the next car stops, we find an open seat across from a group of young boys who seem rather boisterous. The subway is everything I imagined it to be from watching movies. Fairly clean, minuscule to someone like me who’s borderline claustrophobic, faintly smelling like pee and dirty feet, filled with a handful of people of different ages and races. Since I arrived in the city, I’ve had to remind myself on several occasions that not everyone speaks English. Coming from a small town with only a handful of minorities, it’s going to take some getting used to.
Chloe stops talking long enough to look me in the eye. “Back to this Erik guy. Given that he’s related to Adam, he can’t be all that bad. You plannin’ on giving him a chance even if it pisses Jewels off?”