Dating My Roommate

Chapter 3

"Well, here we are," Darcy said as she pulled into a tiny parking spot just in front of Annie's Cafe.

"It's so cute," Rachel exclaimed, practically jumping in her seat in excitement as she examined the small cafe that looked like a tiny version of an old Victorian house.

Darcy forced a smile, pleased that Rachel seemed to like it already, and stepped out of the car. Turning away, she silently composed herself, fidgeting with the straps of her dress before turning to the others. She didn’t need them to see how rattled she was by this new development, particularly Mark. Closing her door and brushing her hair out of her face, she watched Mark stretch and Rachel stand awkwardly by the front of the car, as if unsure about what to do next. Sighing, Darcy couldn't lie. The car ride had been more than uncomfortable, partly because she was still trying to process the fact that Rachel had brought someone home with her that Rachel expected her to be okay with. Part of her was fairly certain that Rachel was attempting to interfere in her love life again and she didn’t know how to get it through Rachel’s thick skull that she wasn’t interested after the past year full of blind dates and double dates. Telling her straight up after the most recent blind date hadn’t worked, and she was starting to run out of ideas. She just never seemed to learn, and if she was attempting to set her up with Mark, she would be in for a rude awakening, especially if she expected them to all live together. Though she had to admit, part of this was her fault. She had let Rachel continue on with her shenanigans for way too long when she should have put her foot down before the first blind date.

She glanced at Rachel again, frowning slightly. This morning had definitely not gone the way she had planned. She was still trying to figure out what to say to Rachel about Danny. She had figured they would hash it out in the car and then makeup over breakfast if they fought about it, but having Mark there sort of spoiled that plan in more ways than one. Firstly, she hated discussing private matters in front of people that didn't need to be involved, but now that she thought about it, Mark was already involved. He just didn't know it yet. Secondly, it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know about Danny, and she couldn’t just turn him away when he didn’t have a place to stay. Thirdly, they had never had a male roommate before. How much of their lifestyle would they have to change to accommodate him?

"Ready?" she asked, her voice a bit strained as she straightened her dress one last time before heading to the door.

"Here, let me get that for you, darlin'," Mark said quickly, hurrying over to open the door just as she reached for the handle.

"Thank you," she said in surprise and shock. For starters, no one had ever opened the door for her before and she had never been called "darlin'" before, either. She wasn't sure if Mark was being sweet or if it was just a southern thing. Either way, she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Stiffening slightly, she hurried through the door and stopped just in front of the hostess’s desk.

"How many?" a waitress asked, walking up to greet them as Darcy shuffled her feet nervously.

"Three, ma'am," Mark drawled easily from behind her.

"It will be about 15 minutes unless you order to go," the waitress blushed. "Is that alright with you?"

"It sure is," Mark said, flashing a grin.

Darcy narrowed her eyes as she turned to watch Mark flirt with the waitress before she moved to sit down on the bench to wait. She couldn't lie. He was charming. Obviously, from how red in the face the waitress was, she thought so too.

"Isn't he sweet?" Rachel whispered as she sat down next to her. "I saw him open the door for you and call you "darlin'". He doesn't do that for everyone, you know."

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Darcy whispered back, her frown deepening. "Why does it matter that he's nice and can sweet talk any girl he likes? He's not here to date me. He's here to go to school."

"Well, I thought, maybe, after that rough breakup last year, you could use a nice guy," Rachel stammered as she smiled hopefully. "When I heard he got accepted at our school and was seriously considering coming, I jumped at the chance. And even if you two don't end up dating, he's hardworking and already has a decent job out here, so he can help out with rent. I think it will be nice to have a guy around for a change. Think of all the things you won’t need a step stool to reach anymore."

"Rach," Darcy groaned, "that's great and all, but I'm not interested. I just want to focus on school this year, okay?"

"Why?" Rachel asked. "You need a break. You'll kill yourself working this hard."

"I...." Darcy started tensely. "It's just something I have to do, especially after what Robert did. And, anyway, I don't need any extra distractions. Besides, where are we going to put him? I'm not telling Danny to move out because you asked a guy to move in so you could try to get us to hook up."

Rachel's jaw dropped at the anger in Darcy's voice. Darcy was surprised herself. She hadn't thought she was that mad, nor had she intended to allow her emotions to control her like that when they had this talk. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. So much for staying calm.

"Look," she said repentantly. "I'm trying really hard not to be mad. I'm more shocked than anything else. I just wish you had told me sooner, and if it really was last minute, then I understand. However, you can't expect me to be happy about turning out Danny after both of us agreed she could stay because we needed a new roommate to help out with rent. She's my friend and I... I just can't."

Rachel's face fell and tears started to fill her eyes.

"God, Rach, don't cry!" Darcy said frantically. "We'll figure something out."

"Is everythin' okay?" Mark asked, turning away from the waitress and coming over to pull Rachel off the bench and into a hug while looking at Darcy curiously.

Darcy wondered how much he had heard. Was he in on Rachel's little plan? If she had two people plotting against her, she might be the one that had to move out, she thought darkly.

"I... I'm fine," Rachel choked. "Just happy to be home and Darcy here... Well, she's the best and I don't know what I did to deserve such an awesome friend."

Just then, the waitress tapped Mark on the shoulder and smiled coyly at him.

"Your table is ready," she said sweetly.

Grateful for the distraction, Darcy hopped off the bench and hurried after the waitress, who continued to shoot flirtatious smiles over her shoulder at Mark, earning her a deep eye-roll from Darcy. As they approached the table, Mark hurried ahead of her and pulled out the closest chair, motioning for Darcy to sit. Looking at him curiously, she sat down hesitantly and murmured thank you. As she arranged the skirt of her dress over her knees, she caught Rachel's eye and pursed her lips. Rachel, her roguish hazel eyes bright, grinned back and winked. Darcy groaned. She knew that grin. Rachel wasn't giving up on her plan quite yet, not without a fight. She shook her head briefly before disappearing behind the familiar menu. She already knew what she wanted, but she needed a minute to compose herself if she was going to have to sit here with Rachel being in the mood she was in.

"Excuse me, darlin'," Mark asked, interrupting her thoughts and lowering Darcy's menu with a long finger, smiling sweetly at her. "You've been here before, right?"

Darcy nodded, her mind suddenly blank.

"Mind sharin' with me what you think is good?" he continued. "Everythin' looks so good and I'm so hungry. I could eat just about anythin’ right about now."

"Well," Darcy mused, biting her bottom lip as she kicked her mind back into gear. "I love the waffles, but the pancakes and french toast are good, too. Whatever you do, though, don't order the over-easy eggs if you want runny eggs. They always end up coming back fully cooked."

"What are you gettin'?" he asked, leaning forward slightly, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"Umm... " Darcy started as she stared at Mark's dimple. Why did he have to have a dimple? Rachel knew she loved a guy with a great smile and dimples were like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. "I think I’m going to get my usual."

"Which is?" he urged, his smile deepening as he noticed the havoc his smile was wreaking.

"Waffles with strawberries and whipped cream piled on top," she confessed, blinking as if in a daze.

"Sounds delightful," he said, leaning back in his seat. "I think I'll have the same."

Darcy, quickly recouping, smiled sweetly before turning to shoot a glare at Rachel, who was watching her and Mark with a gleeful expression.

"You like him," Rachel leaned over and whispered, "I can see it all over your face."

"Hey Darcy!" a new waitress said, walking up before Darcy had a chance to respond. "Who are your friends?"

"Hi Betty," Darcy grinned at her favorite waitress. "This is Rachel and Mark. Rachel is my roommate that I've told you about and Mark is her cousin who is moving in with us."

"I see," Betty said pleasantly. "Well, welcome to Annie's, you two. Does everyone know what they're having yet?"

"I'll have my usual," Darcy answered with a small laugh as Betty rolled her eyes.

"I'll have the same," Mark smiled as he turned to look at Darcy again. "This lovely lady has excellent taste. Waffles sound wonderful."

Pausing, Betty looked at Mark and then gave Darcy a wondering look. "Are you...?"

Darcy's eyes widened as she quickly shook her head no.

"How about you, dear?" Betty said, turning to Rachel.

"Pancakes, please," Rachel replied.

"Alright, I'll get this order in and bring it out to you as soon as it's ready," Betty said, slipping her pen into her pocket and walking off to go get a pot of coffee.

"So, what are you studyin', darlin'?" Mark asked, leaning forward in his chair again, his chin resting in his hand.

"Literature," Darcy said, meeting Mark's eyes. She was a bit surprised to find out they were green instead of brown like she had automatically assumed they would be. Most brunettes that she had met had chocolatey browns instead. She looked away quickly, the intensity of his gaze making her uncomfortable. Out of the corner of her eye, she could still see him watching her, a smirk on his face. Normally, a guy smirking at her wouldn't have bothered her. She didn't usually care what most men thought, but this irritated her. It was almost as if he knew how uncomfortable he was making her, and rather than feeling sorry, he was enjoying it. Turning

back to him, she met his gaze defiantly and then decided to look him over like he had her.

"See how he enjoys being ogled," she thought to herself.

Mark had thick, well-defined eyebrows, a straight nose, and a chiseled chin. It was definitely a face an artist would love to sketch. Lowering her eyes slightly, she took note of his broad shoulders and chest. She could see his well-defined pectorals through his tight-fitting t-shirt. His arms were just as muscular and well-defined. She guessed that if she were to see him in shorts, his legs would be similar. She didn't know what he did in his spare time, but with a body like that, he probably spent most of it in the gym. She wouldn't be surprised if she found a bottle of protein powder in the kitchen soon.

"Like what you see?" Mark asked, casually arching one of his eyebrows.

"It's okay," Darcy said wickedly. "I've seen better. How many hours do you spend at the gym?"

"I don't go to the gym," Mark replied, his smirk vanishing. "I work in construction, buildin' houses and whatnot. It's what's put me through school. Never had much money growin' up, so I knew if I wanted to go to school later, I had better work my ass off for it."

"Oh," Darcy said, slightly embarrassed, not knowing what else to say. While he had been working his ass off, her parents, who were very well off, had pampered her. Hell, even though she no longer lived with them, they still paid for almost everything. The only reason Darcy had a job was to earn money for odds and ends. With her parents paying for as much as they were, she didn’t feel right asking for pocket change.

"Mark's dad died when he was little," Rachel explained, noticing her face flush with embarrassment. "It's just been him and Auntie Lydia ever since. Auntie could have remarried if she had left that little podunk town and gone home to Philly, but, of course, she's too proud. Determined to make it on her own. Grandpa warned her about moving down there, said she'd end up on her own and that she'd never make it if she did. Guess she sort of proved him wrong."

"Actually," Mark said, his voice icy, his green eyes fixed angrily on his cousin. "She didn't leave my little podunk town because she didn't want to take me away from my dad's family."

"I... Well..." Rachel spluttered, turning just as red as she had a minute ago as Mark glared furiously at her. "It's what everyone else says."

"Everyone?" he asked quietly, a dangerous edge to his voice. "Who exactly is everyone?"

"Um..."Rachel started but got cut off by a heaping plate of pancakes being put in front of her. "Wow! This looks delicious. I can't believe I've never been here before."

"Well," Darcy said, trying to keep a straight face as she watched Rachel dig in with gusto. "That would have been hard to do since it didn't open until about a week after you left for the summer."

"Oh," Rachel said, her mouth full.

"How do you like it, Mark?" Darcy asked lightly. She had noticed Mark still glaring at Rachel and had decided that it was time to change the subject. Mark jumped as if he had forgotten that there was food in front of him, grinned at Darcy ruefully, and took a large bite of waffle, strawberry, and cream.

"Well, I can't lie, it's pretty damn good," Mark said before taking another bite. "But it doesn't hold a candle to what I can do. I make some mean waffles."

"Wait," Darcy said quickly, leaning forward eagerly, "are you saying you know how to cook?"

"Of course," Mark chuckled as he looked at her in amusement. "My mama raised me right. When I hit high school, she told me if I wanted to eat, I'd better learn to cook because I was old enough to make my own meals and she sure as hell wasn't my personal maid."

"Really?" Darcy said, amazed. Quickly, she decided that if he could actually cook, he could stay. She would gladly give up some space in her room to share with either Rachel or Danny if that meant they might get a home-cooked meal every once in a while. "You aren't lying?"

"Why would I lie about knowin' how to cook?" he asked, confused. "Haven't you met a guy that knows how to cook before?"

Darcy shook her head sadly. Even her ex didn’t know how to cook because he, like her, had grown up very well off. Actually, now that she thought about it, his family was better off than hers. While she had grown up with a tutor and a cleaning lady that came once a week, Robert had had a personal chef that cooked every meal for him.

"Tell you what," he grinned. "I'll make you a plate of waffles tomorrow for breakfast. It'll knock your socks off."

"That sounds amazing," Darcy said slowly, "but I'm afraid we'll have to go to the store first to pick up the ingredients. We don't have anything in the house except for coffee, cereal, sandwich stuff, and frozen dinners."

"Are you telling me," Mark said slowly, looking at her curiously, "that a girl as smart as yourself doesn't know how to cook?"

Darcy bit her lip and looked down at her half-eaten waffle, embarrassed.

"You're serious?" Mark's jaw dropped as she nodded and shrugged slightly. "That settles it. I'm gonna have to teach you how to cook."

You mean it?" she asked eagerly, her eyes lighting up.

"Absolutely,” he said with the sweet smile that brought out his dimple.

Darcy smiled sweetly back and then dug into the rest of her food. The rest of the meal passed in silence, the food disappearing in record time.

"Is there anything else I can get you, folks?" Betty asked as she came by to clear the table.

"Can we get another pot of coffee, ma'am?" Mark asked politely, his eyes back on Darcy.

"Sure thing, hun," Betty said before bustling off.

"So," Darcy said, taking a deep breath after their cups had been refilled and looking everywhere but at Mark, "before we head home, we need to clear some things up. First, I'm not asking Danny to move out and Rachel, and don't you dare do it yourself. For one thing, it's incredibly rude to tell someone they can move in and then turn around and say they have to move out because there's been a change of plans, and for another, she's a nice girl. Give her a chance. Second, because Danny isn't moving out, we're short a room unless someone would like to give up her room and share with me."

"Now, if me bein’ here is gonna cause trouble, I can get my own place," Mark said in surprise at Darcy's tone and the sullen look on Rachel's face.

"It's not your fault, Mark," Darcy said quickly, finally looking over at him again. "You're no trouble at all. There was just a bit of miscommunication going on, mainly on Rachel’s part, but it’s nothing we can't handle."

"Still," Mark said uneasily, "I don't want to kick anyone out of their room. How about I sleep on the couch until we figure out if I'm stayin' or goin'?"

"You can't do that!" Rachel exclaimed, turning to glare at Darcy for making her cousin feel unwanted. "Besides, all your stuff is being shipped here. You need a room. I don't mind sharing with Darcy. We've done it before, we can do it again."

"You sure?" Mark asked warily, looking between the two girls.

"One hundred percent sure," Rachel smiled as Darcy sighed and nodded. "Hey, Darcy, can we get a bunk bed again? It will be just like old times!"

"Are you crazy?" Darcy asked in disbelief, pulling a face as she remembered the last time they had shared a bunk bed. "I am not going back to a twin. My room is large enough for two queens. I have the master, remember? That’s the only thing I am not compromising on, so don’t try and sneak one in either."

Rachel nodded, a little put out, before brightening again at the prospect of redecorating.

"So, are we all good, then?" Mark asked, bemused. "Or is there anythin' else we need to discuss?"

"We're good," Darcy said simply. “Or at least we’re good until your stuff gets here. I’ve got a feeling there’s going to be a lot of compromises in the next few weeks.”

Of course, there was more than just furniture they could discuss, such as who would clean what and who would wash their clothes on certain days, but it could wait. She didn't feel like opening that can of worms right now without Danny. All she wanted to do now was go home and disappear for a bit so she could process everything that had happened already today. That wasn't going to be easy, though. Rooms had to be rearranged and cleaned, a grocery list had to be compiled and had to be bought, laundry had to be done, and a few other personal things had to be done before her shift at the diner tomorrow morning. Yawning, she signaled for Betty. If she was already yawning, it was going to make an already long day even longer.

"Check, please."