Always a Roommate: A Sweet Small Town Contemporary Romance

1 RAE When I was a teenager, I fancied myself in love with my best friend’s older brother. He was brooding and so attractive I lost my head every time he was near, but he was also six years older than us. To him, I was nothing but his kid sister’s friend. And then, there was the fact that we didn’t get along. At all. I’d been naïve back then, reading my romance books where enemies turned into lovers. Fights became… something other than fights. Snark was flirting. But in our case, our snark had a film of irritation over it, a filter of disgust. Because the older I got, the more I saw him for what he was. A jerk. Someone who would never look at me and actually see me for what I was instead of who I used to be. That love I’d felt faded into nothing more than annoyance. Shane Kelly. He left for college, and when he returned, it was like I hardly knew him at all. He became a teacher, of all things, and I was no longer the young girl with stars in her eyes. Now, he was my new roommate. “You can do this, Rae.” I stared at myself in the floor-length mirror, examining the outfit I’d bought for this very day. The biggest day of my career. Today, I was going to meet with a client who would finally put me on the map as a wedding planner. I’d never hurt for work in our small town, but this one was big. A real rock star. I smoothed my hands over the blue silk top draped across my torso. No one would call me thin. I wore high-waisted skirts and pants to hide the rolls that came out to play whenever I put on low-rise jeans. I knew how to dress to always look my best, to accentuate my curvy figure. In high school, I was the skinny girl others envied, but I’d also been running every chance I could get to stay in shape. Now, I only ran when I wanted to and was much happier for it. I buttoned the black skirt and stepped into my heels. Normally, I didn’t dress up so much to meet with clients, but this was different. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm my frantic heart. “Rae Lauren Brooks,” I said, meeting my own gaze in the mirror, “you are fabulous.” I pushed my auburn curls over one shoulder. “Any bride is lucky to have you planning her wedding. Even if she is marrying a rock star.” And there went my heart again. My phone rang, making me jump. Reaching for it, I didn’t even need to check the name to see who it was. “Finny.” I relaxed the moment I spoke to her. “Hey, babe.” My best friend in the world had moved out weeks ago to live with the love of her life, something I tried not to be insanely jealous of. Especially when she got her grumpy brother to take over her part of the lease. “You haven’t left yet, have you?” “Maybe I have.” She knew me too well. “Okay, so either you’re nervous about this meeting or you’re avoiding my brother.” “C. All of the above.” I could practically hear Finley’s proud smile. She’d squealed just as loud as I had when I’d gotten this meeting. “You, my lovely friend, are going to kill this.” “I don’t want to kill anyone. I just want to plan their wedding.” “You can’t see me, but I’m rolling my eyes at you.” I laughed, leaning toward the mirror to finish applying my lipstick as I held the phone between my ear and shoulder. “Always.” “So, you and Shane aren’t doing any better living together?” “We’re fine.” If by ‘fine’ I meant we avoided being in the same room with each other. Normally, I was able to wait him out and not emerge from my room until he left for work in the morning. But today, my meeting was early. Weren’t rock stars supposed to stay up all night and sleep late? Finley sighed. “You know, he’s not so bad.” “Never said he was.” “Honestly, I don’t get why you two are always so at odds.” The truth was, I didn’t understand it either. It was like I couldn’t be around him without making a biting remark. And he chose to ignore me most of the time. Ah, a partnership made in heaven. “Not that I’m not happy to hear from you, but is there a reason you’re calling, Finny?” “Just checking in.” Now, it was my turn to roll my eyes. She checked in almost every morning, as if still feeling guilty for moving out, for leaving me. I was happy for her, and I adored Knox, the man she’d left me for. The two of them were perfect for each other, and if anyone deserved perfect, it was that girl. She’d been through a lot. “Well, you don’t need to worry about me.” I shrugged, even though she couldn’t see me. “I’m good. Great.” “Sure you are.” I hated that I couldn’t make her believe me. “Well, I need to finish getting ready. Some of us have rock stars to meet.” “Give him a giant kiss for me.” “Yes,” I deadpanned. “While I’m sitting there with his fiancée. I kiss all my clients.” “At least find some excuse to touch his bicep.” “No.” “Just—” “Bye, love.” I hung up before she could say anything else. My quiet best friend was different these days, and I knew why. She was happy. It was time for me to be happy too. And getting this client would be a start. I fluffed up my hair and sprayed a final layer of hairspray—one can never have too much. Everything was as close to perfection as I could get it. My clothes, my makeup, my hair. And I thrived on perfection. Sliding my purse over my arm, I walked to the door and pulled it open a c***k, peeking out into the hall. I could see the living room from here but not the kitchen. No sign of Shane. Maybe it was my lucky day and I could slip out without seeing him. I shut my bedroom door behind me and walked quickly through the house, stopping when I reached the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. Shane stood in front of the stove, his eyes locked on me. He didn’t move, didn’t make a sound, but silence wasn’t anything new with him. I hated how good he looked in his slacks and plaid button-down. Think of something else, Rae. “You’re hot.” Oh my gosh, not that. My cheeks heated. Shane’s brow furrowed, and he looked away. “I didn’t mean you’re hot.” I could have slapped myself. “Just that you’re going to be hot. It’s going to be a hot day. Stop saying hot, Rae.” The last bit was just for myself. The summer heat had lasted further into the fall this year than most. It was October, and still, the sun beat down on us. Shane cleared his throat. “I think I know how to dress myself.” Was I imagining the sarcasm in his voice? “But thanks for the concern.” “Oh, I’m not.” I turned away from him, putting extra snip in my tone. “Concerned about you. Just your students, who’d have to deal with you if you were grumpy and hot.” I couldn’t imagine being in Shane’s history class. If he was a jerk to people outside of school, surely his students got the worst of it. “I’m off to watch my career rocket to the stars.” I wasn’t sure why I did it, why I felt the need to tell Shane what a huge day this was for me. Maybe I wanted him to be jealous. Or maybe that teenage girl inside of me still wanted him to be proud. Instead, he was nothing. And that was okay. I made it out to my car before he appeared at the front door, the screen separating him from the outside. He watched me, a frown tugging at his lips. “What?” I called back, annoyed that he made me even more jittery than I’d been. “Good luck.” His lips twitched, but no smile came, and he turned back into the house. Two simple words. One man. How was it possible that all these years later, he could still make me feel like the little girl who’d never grown up?