She frowned. “Not with that attitude.”
“Then stop staring, Cinderstella.”
“No problem, Beast.” She walked away in a hurry, leaving me sitting in the darkened room.
I couldn’t blame her. That wasn’t the warmest invitation I’d ever extended. Then again, I wasn’t one to invite people to eat with me. Over the years, I’d learned to enjoy my solitude. For so many years of my life, people sent me away. Now, I never let people close enough to have that opportunity. Besides, I liked being alone. Loneliness was safe. People couldn’t hurt you when you were by yourself.
Stella plated her meal in the kitchen and came back into the dining room.
Please keep walking.
She didn’t, of course because Stella liked to talk.
“I think we need ground rules,” she stated, picking at her food with her fingers.
“I thought our rules were to avoid one another?”
“Yes, but we can’t do that all the time.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s silly.” Solid reason, Stella. “Plus, roommates have rules. Like grocery shopping. Do we do that together?”
“Absolutely not.”
“And laundry?”
“I do my own.”
“What about guests? If you are going to entertain women, or men, or well, I mean anyone in a romantic way, you can let me know, and I’ll stay in my room the whole time.”
“And same with you.”
“I won’t be having Jeff over, actually. I think it might be too odd.”
I nodded because I didn’t care.
She raised an eyebrow. “Is there…?”
“Is there what?”
“Someone in your life?”
“You’re asking if I’m single?”
“Yes. Not that it matters, but, well, if your person—”
“I don’t do relationships.”
“Says the man about to marry a stranger.”
“It’s a marriage, not a relationship. Two equally different things.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “But don’t you kind of wonder why Kevin chose to put us together? I mean, I know there’s a reason, but I’m unable to connect the dots.”
“I have no desire to know his reasoning. I’m only in this to get the money. After the six months, I’ll be on my way.”
She lightly snickered as if I said something amusing. “Come on. You have to be somewhat curious about why he did this.”
“Not in the least.”
“But—”
“Why do you keep talking to me?” I snapped. “It’s clear as day that I don’t want to engage in conversation.”
“You’re so rude.”
“And a jerk and an asshole, yes. How many times are you going to echo your thoughts on me before you take a hint and let me be?” Her mouth parted, and I tilted my head, cutting her off before she could reply. “Good night.”
I was cruel to her. I couldn’t help it. Whenever I looked at her, I was reminded of how my father chose to raise another instead of me. She stood for the life I could’ve had, and that pissed me off. She was so happy and well put together. Approachable, kind, sunshine, and happiness. It wasn’t fair.
I never had the chance to feel the love she received from a man who owed it to me. It wasn’t her fault, but I was bitter. Bitterness had a way of shooting off a person and hitting innocent bystanders. Stella was just in the crossfire of my hatred for Kevin Michaels.
The later the night grew, the odder and more uncomfortable the whole situation began to feel. I’d been in my fair share of foster homes growing up, and those first nights were always the hardest. I’d always overthink how long the arrangement would last before the family chose to give me up. I hated that a feeling I thought I’d never have to experience again was returning in such an odd way.
When I headed to my bedroom, I lay wide awake until the sun came up, and I went into work, exhausted beyond compare.
I bet Stella slept better than I had inside the home that raised her. Unfortunately for me, I was left wide awake with my nightmares.
The workday was mundane, as all workdays had been. I felt emotionally exhausted from being an introvert who needed to pretend to be an extrovert while selling homes to filthy rich snobs all day. The moment I could relax my face after fake smiles and over-the-top kindness, I felt a bit better. Resting bitch face was my default after a full day of work.
Plus, when one had a resting bitch face, most people didn’t find the need to approach you for conversation. Stella was still unable to read the room, but she’d learn quickly.
After work, I dreaded going back to the house to live yet another day in the make-believe world that Kevin had crafted. The wedding was in the morning, and I had yet to wrap my head around that fact.
When the driver pulled up to the property, I saw a random car parked in the driveway.
Well, I’ll be damned.
The asshole came.
Connor brought Aaliyah with him, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thankful for their presence. Since I’d arrived in California, everything felt foreign to me. I felt as if I were in a place where I didn’t belong and where no one understood me. So, seeing their familiar faces brought me a comfort I didn’t even know I was missing.