Room-maid(64)

“What?” I asked, not sure I had heard her right.

“He gave you his glass. Your mouth was where his mouth was. Same thing as kissing.”

I laughed, wondering if she’d been pregaming and had already had something to drink before she left the house. It was extremely silly, especially given that I assumed kissing Tyler would be nothing like pressing my lips against a cold glass. Because I had imagined that very act many times and knew that there wouldn’t be anything cold about Tyler.

Which gave me a little heated shiver.

Shay had to add in her two cents. “Buying a Christmas tree together feels like a very couple-y thing to do. And then making plans to decorate it? With hot chocolate and mini marshmallows and Christmas music and a movie? You’ve basically been married for six years because everything you’re doing screams couple.”

“The problem is, I can’t tell the difference between what I want to have happen and what is actually happening. I want to respect his boundaries and stay just friends.” Especially since Brad had been so unable to respect mine. I knew what that felt like, and it sucked. “But the truth is I do have a crush on him and am maybe even falling for him. But I can’t tell if he feels the same and it doesn’t help that my attraction barometer is all off because the only guy I’ve ever dated lied to me all the time.”

They both nodded, looking at me seriously for the first time that night. I kept talking. “Like tonight. I came out to get my purse and he just . . . stared at me. But did he stare at me? Or am I making it up in my head? And if he was, why?”

“Did he say anything?” Delia asked.

“He started to say something about how I looked but he was kind of hemming and hawing and didn’t finish his sentence so I don’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.”

Shay said, “Oh, please.” She dragged the word please out to, like, six syllables. “Look at you in this black dress. You basically rendered the man speechless.”

My chest felt light and sparkly. I wanted so badly to believe her. “Do you really think so?”

She rolled her eyes at me and said, “This guy could write I think you’re hot in Sharpie on your forehead and you’d still be asking us if he liked you.”

I was a little offended. That wasn’t true. If he wrote it in Sharpie on my forehead, I thought I’d believe it then.

“Here you are, ladies,” Jimbo said, pulling up in front of the club. “And even though it’s none of my business, I’m glad you dumped that Brad guy and you should give this Tyler a chance.”

“And that’s why you’re going to get a big tip,” Shay said as we climbed out of the car.

As Jimbo drove off I said, “If Tyler is attracted to me, then why isn’t he doing anything about it?”

“Other than spending his every waking moment with you?” Shay asked sarcastically.

Delia linked her arm through mine. “Doesn’t he think you’re still with Brad? Maybe he’s trying to be a good guy and not hit on his roommate who has a boyfriend.”

I’d never considered that. Part of me immediately wanted to blame my aunt. She’d made him think that Brad was this serious thing in my life when he hadn’t been a real part of it in a long time. Of course, I’d played a part in that, too, by staying quiet. “That makes sense. But Tyler keeps reiterating that we’re friends. He high-fived me today. It’s like our only house rule.”

“I think your options here,” Delia said, “are you either need to bring it up to see if he still feels the same way about the rule, which could be potentially embarrassing, or you’re going to have to wait and see if he makes a move. After you break up with Brad, of course.”

If I brought the rule up with Tyler, the problem wasn’t just the potential embarrassment. It was also that I could lose my place to live if he rejected me.

Not only that, but what if we dated? Wouldn’t it be weird with us already living together? What would happen if we broke up?

Maybe I was getting ahead of myself.

Shay shook her head. “I think you should just get him drunk. See what happens when his guard’s not up.”

“That’s not really a plan,” I told her.

“Speaking of getting people drunk”—Delia began tugging on my arm—“I feel like I’ve been neglecting my liver by letting it get too healthy. Let’s go do some damage.”

We followed her into the club. It was packed to the brim even though it was still a little early in the evening. The inside was decorated like a modern speakeasy. There were stuffed armchairs and benches that lined the walls, all covered in a dark-purple velvet. Glittering chandeliers hung overhead and a grand piano was set up next to the DJ. The walls were covered in a shimmery peacock feather wallpaper that somehow sparkled under the dim lighting.

The music wasn’t nearly as loud as I’d anticipated it to be, which was nice.

We stopped off at the coat check and followed Delia to the bar. She flagged down a very cute bartender. “Bring us three Grey Gooses with soda. Wait. That can’t be right. Three Grey Geese with soda? Which one is it?”

Shay shrugged. “We’re teachers. We should probably be able to figure this out.”

“Never mind, just bring us a flock of vodka and sodas!” Delia said. Vodka was Delia’s favorite poison and she always insisted we drink with her.