Pause (Larsen Bros)

“It wouldn’t be some weird roommate situation with me. We could help each other. I’ll be around in case you need a hand. You’d have your space without being totally on your own. Just in case . . .”

“And?”

“And you’ll be there in case I, um . . . like if I need a jar opened or something. The strain on my arm can be quite painful.” He grimaces as if to display this unfortunate weakness. The clown. Like he isn’t muscled to perfection.

“You’re such a male,” I say. “I’ll pretend I believe you.”

“I can even tell you if you need to pack an umbrella each day. Very useful to have around.”

“What else?”

“You don’t exactly know what you’re doing or where you really want to be just yet. Therefore, committing to a lease doesn’t make sense.” He smiles all confident. “You wouldn’t have to do that if you moved into my spacious and light-filled spare bedroom. Do what you want. Come and go as you please.”

“This is all about helping me. You’re putting yourself out for my benefit.”

“No. Not entirely. I could definitely use some help paying for the place, okay?” He sags against the headrest. “Truth is, I haven’t been able to work as much in the last while due to the accident. It’s going to take me some time to catch up. Whether you stay for a week or a year, it’s going to help me moneywise.”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ve been thinking about getting a roommate. Honestly. So this would be perfect. It could be like your soft launch.”

It’s a lot to think about.

“Just say yes.”

“Don’t push me. I’m considering things,” I say. “What about the unfortunate kissing incident?”

“What unfortunate kissing incident?”

“Good answer.” I smile. “How about the fact that we’re fundamentally opposites?”

He blinks. “Please explain.”

“I’m hospital corners and you’re free and easy.”

“Ah. Gotcha.” He scratches at the stubble on his jaw. “Well, I figure that means we’ll complement each other and enlarge our experience of the world and people and stuff.”

“And stuff?”

“Yeah. C’mon, Anna. You’re clean, unlikely to host loud parties or annoy the living shit out of me. We get along fine. You pay attention to things I tend to forget about. Like furniture,” he says. And he’s not wrong. “This is a win-win situation for both of us.”

“Oh, God. I don’t know.”

“If it doesn’t work out you leave. Easy as that.” He taps his fingers against the steering wheel. “Anna, baby. C’mon.”

Here’s the thing about how my life has gone so far . . . playing it safe, being cautious, hasn’t gotten me far. I’m living back at home with my parents, for goodness sake. The man who made the most sense to me let me down in the worst way imaginable. One of the women I used to confide just about everything to stabbed me in the back. Safe, cautious, sensible—these things have not worked out. Maybe it’s time I try a new approach.

“Ugh. Okay. Yes.” And it was not his use of the term baby that won me over. It was something else.

He claps his hands in delight like a child. “Excellent.”

“We give it a try for a few weeks and see how things go,” I say. And who knows, it might work out. Because I can’t have a crush on my roommate. That would just be stupid. A rookie mistake. Things are complicated enough as it is. I’ll get over my unfortunate and weird feelings for Leif. Therapy and getting divorced are sure to keep me busy. Grieving the end of my marriage and getting used to life without Ryan. Stuff like that. Life sure comes at you fast. “See if it works and if we’re both comfortable with the arrangement and so on.”

“Whatever you say.” He grins. “This is going to be great.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“I think I liked it better back over there,” Ed’s wife, Clem, says.

Ed gives her a pained look. Fair enough. He and Leif have been moving things around all day. Which can’t be good for Leif’s arm, but he refuses to take it easy.

“The light is just so nice there,” she continues arguing her case.

“I think they’re running out of oomph for the day,” I say. “Might be time to break out the beers and leave the rest for later.”

She sighs wistfully. Her commitment to the placement of my side table is immense. “You may have a point.”

I’m just pleased to have a new home that is not my parents’. After a busy two weeks, I am indeed now moved in with Leif. My new roommate and friend. Nothing more. Not that it needed to be said because it’s already obvious.

Two weeks was also a necessary period to get the furniture out of the old house, et cetera. It’s nice to be surrounded by my own stuff again. I’d had concerns it would be strange, since it came from my life with Ryan. But nothing feels especially off. New and different, but not off. Though I ordered a new bed. No way did I want anything to do with the mattress from my past. That thing is cursed for all time.