by Ramona Gray
“You’re looking for a roommate?” Jane said.
“I am. Just between you and me, I hate the process. You would not believe the weirdos that apply. I’m dreading it, to be honest.”
Amy paused and gave Jane a thoughtful look. “Unless I found someone I knew who was looking for a new place to live.”
Jane didn’t reply and Amy nudged her. “Well, what do you say?”
“About what?” Jane gave her a bewildered look.
“About moving in with me.”
“I – what – no, I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” Amy asked. “You need a new place to live and I need a roommate. It’s a win-win.”
“Why do you need a roommate?” Jane asked. “I know it isn’t because of the cost of living.”
“I hate living by myself,” Amy said. “I’m a social butterfly. Come on, Jane. Live with me. My house is way nicer than your apartment and the rent is cheaper too, I guarantee it.”
Jane stared into her coffee. She had just been handed the answer to all her problems. Why the hell was she hesitating?
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I’ll be your roommate.”
She didn’t notice the way Luke slumped with relief as Amy gave her a hard and enthusiastic hug. “That’s wonderful! Lukie, I have to go into the office this afternoon but you’ll help Jane move her stuff to my place, won’t you?”
“That’s fine,” Jane said. “I don’t have very much stuff. I can do it myself.”
“Are you going to move it on the bus?” Luke said with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s only clothes and a few personal items,” she mumbled.
“Then it won’t take very long for us to move you into Amy’s place,” he said. “Finish your coffee and I’ll drive you to your apartment so you can pack up the rest of your things.”
“If you’re sure,” she said.
“Positive,” he replied. “Eat up, Jane.”
* * *
“Morning,” Amy said as she wandered into the kitchen. It was nearly eleven on Sunday morning and she laughed when Jane glanced at the clock. “I’m not really a morning person. How did you sleep?”
“Really well,” Jane said. “The bed is very comfortable.”
“Good. Feel free to make any changes to the bedroom and bathroom that you want. If you want a different paint colour or different furniture, go for it. You do you.”
“Amy, thank you so much. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“You’re helping me out, remember?” Amy said as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She sat down and sipped at the coffee as Jane joined her.
“You have a lovely home,” Jane said.
“Thanks,” Amy replied. “Oh, and help yourself to whatever food you want. We’ll figure out grocery splitting later. What are your plans for today?”
“I don’t really have any,” Jane said. She’d called the nursing home this morning but Mama J was still confused and apparently even more combative today. “How about you?”
“I’m pampering myself and getting my nails and hair done,” Amy said. She eyed Jane’s hair. “You should come with me.”
“Oh, that’s really nice of you but I think I’ll pass.”
Earlier this morning, she’d reworked her budget. Living with Amy meant she had more disposable income but she couldn’t waste that income on things like getting her hair done. She didn’t even really have to work at the club anymore but she wasn’t going to quit. If it didn’t work out living here, she would need that extra money. For now, she would put the money from the club into her savings account. A nest egg would come in handy in case things went sour.
“C’mon, it’ll be fun,” Amy said. “It’s my treat.”
“No, definitely not,” Jane said. “You don’t need to spend your money on me.”
“Pfft,” Amy said. “I’ve got more money than I know what to do with. I like spoiling my friends. Say yes, Jane.”
“Amy, I…”
She trailed off, torn between her desire to do something fun and her shame at being a charity case. She’d never had a manicure in her life and the only reason her hair was so long was because she hadn’t gone to a hair stylist in years.
“You know you want to,” Amy wheedled. “Please?”
“Okay, if you’re sure?” Jane said.
“I’m positive!” Amy said. She took another few sips of coffee before standing. I’m going to have a quick shower and then I’ll text Manuel and tell him there will be two of us at the salon today.
She squeezed Jane’s arm. “This will be fun. I promise.”
* * *
“Amy, I can’t go with you,” Jane protested.
“Sure you can. Besides, I don’t have time to drop you off at home.”
“There’s a bus stop right there. Pull over and I’ll take the bus home.”
“It’s freezing cold and you’re not even wearing a hat and gloves,” Amy said. “You’ll turn into a popsicle waiting for the bus.”
“I can’t go to your family dinner,” Jane said.
“Why not?”
“Because your parents aren’t expecting me and it’s a family dinner.”
Amy turned right and drove down a tree-lined street with craftsman style houses. “We always have random people at the family dinners. My mom believes the more the merrier. Stop worrying, Jane. Besides, I want you to meet my mom. She’s going to love you.”
Jane thought that was an odd thing to say but she stayed quiet as Amy made a few more series of turns until she pulled into a driveway and shut off the car. Like the others in the neighbourhood, her parents’ home was a craftsman style.
“Oh good. Luke’s here already,” Amy said. “I wanted to talk to him about some work stuff. You’ll have to distract mom while I do. She has a strict “no work talk during family time” rule.”
Jane’s stomach twisted nervously and she self-consciously touched her hair. Manuel had taken one look at her hair and nearly fallen over in his hurry to get her into the salon chair. She had thought she’d only get it cut but both he and Amy had insisted on a colour as well. Even she could admit that the dark brown with red highlights was a much better look for her than her natural mousey-brown. Manuel had cut three inches from her hair, adding a few layers to frame her face, until it just brushed her shoulders. She loved how light and bouncy it felt but she was suddenly wondering if Luke would like it.
“Your hair looks great, Janie,” Amy said as they climbed out of the car. “I still can’t believe you’ve never had a manicure or pedicure before. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.”
“I did enjoy it very much,” Jane said as she followed Amy up the steps to the porch.
Amy opened the door and they stepped into the narrow hallway. They hung their coats in the closet as a blonde-haired woman popped into the hallway. Amy was the spitting image of her and she gave the woman a hard hug.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. How was your day?”
“It was good. Mom, I’d like to introduce you to Jane. She’s my new roommate. Jane, this is my mom, Clara.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Jane said as Clara shook her hand and gave her a warm smile.
“Lovely to meet you as well. How do you know Amy?”
“Oh, well, I…”
Jane trailed off as Clara gave her a curious look.
“She works at the company,” Amy said.
“Wonderful. What do you do there, Jane?”
“She’s Luke’s PA,” Amy said.
“Delightful,” Clara said.
“Jane and I pampered ourselves this afternoon and I told her she should come for dinner,” Amy said as she pulled off her boots.
“Of course! The more the merrier,” Clara said. “Your father and brother are in the living room. Take Jane in there and I’ll bring you both a cup of tea to warm you up. Do you like tea, Jane?”
“I do. Thank you,” Jane said. She followed Amy to the living room, biting
at her bottom lip. She wished she had worn something a little more flattering than jeans and a t-shirt. She smoothed her hand over her hair as they walked into the room. Luke was sitting on a small loveseat with a beer in his hand and he didn’t look up from the football game he was watching on TV.
“Hi, Dad,” Amy leaned down and kissed the cheek of the grey-haired man sitting in the recliner.
“Hi, honey.”
“Dad, this is my friend and new roommate Jane. Jane, this is my dad Gary.”
Amy’s dad tore his gaze from the TV and smiled at her. “Hi, Jane. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Jane murmured.
“Lukie? What’s wrong?” Amy asked.
She realized that Luke was staring at her and she could feel a hot blush rising in her cheeks when he studied her hair.
“Nothing,” he said hoarsely. “Uh, hi, Jane.”
“Hi, Luke,” she said.
She started for the armchair that was in the corner. Amy brushed past her and plopped her curvy body into it before grinning at her. “There’s a spot next to Luke, Janie.”
Feeling more self-conscious than ever, Jane sat next to Luke. The loveseat was small and she smiled nervously at Luke when her arm brushed his.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he muttered before shifting away. He stared at the TV and took another large swallow of beer as Amy watched them with bright interest.
“How was your day, Ames?” Her father asked.
“Good. Jane and I went to Manuel’s and had pedicures and manicures. We also got our hair done. What do you think?” She smoothed her hand over her blonde hair.
Her father smiled at her. “You look great.”
“Thanks. Janie got a cut and colour. It looks fantastic on her. Don’t you think, Luke?”
He didn’t reply and Jane stared at her lap as Amy said, “Luke? What do you think of Jane’s hair?”
He cleared his throat and without looking away from the TV said, “It looks nice.”
“Nice?” Amy rolled her eyes. “It looks amazing.”
Jane pulled at a loose thread on her jeans. Obviously, Luke hated her hair but why did that bother her so much? What did she care if her boss liked her hair or not? Luke shifted again on the loveseat. He was nearly hanging over the arm at this point and she tried not to take it personally. Her boss was very kind to her and had helped her out when she really needed it. But that didn’t mean he liked her or that they were even friends. In fact, keeping a strictly professional relationship with him was very important. She needed to keep her job. Mama J needed her to keep her job. It was time to toss her dumb crush on him out the damn window and definitely stop thinking about how he might look naked. That was only asking for trouble.
* * *
Jane washed her hands and peered at herself in the mirror over the bathroom sink. She touched her hair, thrilled all over again at how soft and smooth it was, before leaving the bathroom.
It didn’t matter that Luke didn’t like her hair, she told herself. What mattered was that she liked it. It was ridiculous to even wonder if he liked it.
Lost in her thoughts, she nearly ran into the very man she couldn’t stop thinking about. She caught herself before she smacked into his broad chest and smiled at him.
“Sorry, I was woolgathering.”
“That’s fine,” he said. He stood in the middle of the hallway with his big body blocking her path as he stared again at her hair.
She touched the ends of her hair nervously. “So, your mom is a really great cook.”
“She taught me everything I know,” he said with a ghost of a smile.
She chewed on her bottom lip. Luke hadn’t spoken two words to her all evening and despite sitting across from her at the table during dinner, he hadn’t looked at her either.
“I’m sorry for intruding on your family dinner,” she blurted out. “I told Amy I shouldn’t come, but she insisted. It won’t happen again.”
He didn’t reply. She stared at his chest in awkward silence. She was close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body and she stifled her urge to lean against him. She was always so cold. Luke could easily warm her up.
Yes, he could. In more ways than one, her mind whispered slyly. Why don’t you ask him to show you his childhood bedroom? A little slap and tickle would really warm you up.
She shot that thought down with grim determination. God, what was wrong with her? Luke didn’t like her. Hell, his behaviour tonight clearly indicated he didn’t even want to be in the same room as her.
“I won’t be in the office for the next couple of weeks,” he said.
“I know,” she replied.
“I’m on a business trip to Paris,” he said.
“Yes, I remember,” she said, trying not to smile. “I booked your flights and hotel for you.”
“Right,” he said. “We’re thinking of going international with the clothing line and I’m meeting with a couple potential investors.”
This time she couldn’t stop the smile. “Yes, I typed the proposal for you.”
“Right,” he mumbled.
Luke was acting so strange. She had never seen him this flummoxed before and it was a little adorable. As a flush rose on his cheeks, she said, “Have you been to Paris before?”
He nodded. “A few times.”
“Oh. Two weeks seems like a long business trip.”
“I’m taking a week vacation, as well,” he said. “Paris is one of my favourite places so…”
He trailed off and she smiled at him. “Good for you. It’s been so busy lately that you deserve a holiday.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll email you any work stuff I need done. Mark will be covering for me while I’m gone but I will be available by email and text even when I’m on vacation.”
“Okay.”
He didn’t say anything else and she gave him another awkward smile before trying to scoot past him. His hand closed over her arm, sending a jolt of adrenaline through her veins.
“I like your hair,” he said in a low voice.
“Thank you,” she whispered as pleasure pooled in her belly.
He lifted his other hand and she stood frozen when he threaded his fingers through her hair. “It looks really pretty.”
She couldn’t reply. The heat of his hand on her arm and the gentle tug of his fingers in her hair had rendered her speechless. She stared at him as he stroked her hair.
“So soft,” he murmured. His hand left her hair and cupped her face. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and said, “Your skin is like velvet. Did you know that, Jane?”
She shook her head and he groaned when his thumb brushed across her mouth. He bent his head until his mouth was hovering over hers.
“Luke, please,” she whispered.
“Please what, Jane?”
“Please kiss - ”
“There you two are! Dessert is ready and Mom…oh, oops.”
Luke let go of her so quickly that she staggered on her feet. He cursed under his breath and grabbed her arm as Amy grinned at them.
“Sorry to interrupt your moment.”
“You weren’t interrupting a moment,” Luke snapped. “I was just telling Jane that I would be gone from the office.”
“Right,” Amy said. “Well, dessert is ready. Unless you two have something else in mind for dessert? I can tell Mom there was a work emergency so you can slip out.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Luke retorted as he dropped Jane’s arm. He pushed past Amy and stalked down the hallway. When he was gone, Amy wiggled her eyebrows at Jane.
“So, what’s new?”
“Nothing,” Jane said.
“Didn’t look like nothing,” Amy said.
“I – nothing happened,” Jane said.
“Because I interrupted you?”
“No because he’s my boss and it’s very inappropriate,” Jane said. She was stupidly close to tears.
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry,”
Amy said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You haven’t,” Jane said.
“We don’t have to stay for dessert,” Amy said.
Jane shook her head. “No, that’s fine. I don’t want to make you leave early.”
“I don’t mind,” Amy said.
“It’s fine, really,” Jane said.
She followed Amy down the hall and toward the kitchen. Amy stopped abruptly in the doorway and Jane nearly ran into her back.
“Amy, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said.
Jane peered around her. Her old boss, Mark, was being hugged by Amy’s mother and he studiously avoided looking at Amy as Clara said, “Sit down, Mark. You’re just in time for dessert.”
Mark sat next to Luke who was staring at the table. Awkward silence descended and Clara said, “Amy, honey, look who joined us.”
“I see him,” Amy said. Her sunny disposition had disappeared and she continued to stand in the doorway. “Hello, Mark.”
“Hi, Amy,” Mark replied.
Clara frowned at her. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Well, sit down and have dessert with us.”
“I’m full,” Amy said. “Jane, would you mind if we left? I have a headache.”
She gave Jane an almost desperate look and Jane shook her head. “No, of course not. Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Dawson, it was delicious.”
“You’re welcome, dear. Amy, are you sure you can’t stay?” Clara asked.
“Positive,” Amy said. She crossed the kitchen and hugged her mother before pecking her father on the cheek. “Good night. Thank you for dinner.”
“You’re welcome, honey.”
* * *
“Amy? Do you want to talk about it?” Jane asked.
They had just arrived home. Amy was sullen and quiet the entire way home and Jane wasn’t sure what to say or do.
“Talk about what?”
“Why you’re angry with Mark,” Jane said.
“I’m not,” Amy said with a scowl.
“You seem angry with him.”
“Well, I’m not,” Amy repeated. “I’m tired and I think I’ll have a hot bath and go to bed. Good night, Jane.”