The Roommate Agreement(14)

All right, yes. We came to the bar my parents owned. We did that because, uh, hello? Free cocktails in exchange for covering a few shifts?

No. Freaking. Brainer.

“Excuse me?” Brie leaned back and gave him a look that said he better have a damn good reason for saying that.

She was sass personified. I didn’t know how Sean coped with it, to be honest.

Mind you, I wasn’t exactly Miss Polite.

“Drunk people can be crazy,” Sean started. “And men at a bachelor party? They can get a little out of control because they expect strippers.”

He was reaching now.

“Are you calling me a stripper?” Brie’s tone was quickly getting dark. “It’s that, or you don’t trust me.”

“I’m not—fucking hell, how did this happen?”

I leaned into Jay. “This is why you don’t come to girls’ night. We’re here to complain about you, not to you.”

He turned his head so his lips were close to my ear—a little too close. “I said it was a bad idea. He wouldn’t listen. I think they had a fight.”

My eyebrows shot up as Sean leaned into her and said something into her ear.

Brie looked at me, her nostrils flaring. “I need some air. Can you order my usual for me?”

“You want me to come with you?”

“No.” She shot a look at Sean and slid off her chair, heading for the door. Her flat ankle boots squeaked against the floor, and Sean buried his face in his hands.

I looked at him. “What did you do?”

“Why do you assume it was him?” Jay asked.

Their beers were brought over, and we all ordered our food, including me ordering for Brie.

“Because he’s a man and I’m a woman, so I’ll naturally assume he fucked up,” I explained. “Now, Sean, spill it.”

He blew out a long breath and met my eyes. “We had a fight. Stupid shit. We’re still adjusting to living together. Little things all piled up, and I thought being here would be helpful.”

I pushed my empty drink to the side and finally pulled my full one toward me. “Bad idea,” I said simply. “She needs time. Trust me. I know how hard it is to move in with someone.”

“Don’t look at me like that!” Jay slammed his bottle onto the table. “I’m not that fucking bad!”

“You eat my Oreos and you are the reason we have a roommate agreement!” I slapped his forearm. “You are a terrible roommate.”

Jay looked at Sean with a flat expression. “You see the shit I put up with? Does your roommate hit you? Does she abuse you for accidentally eating her Oreos? Does she make you sign a contract to keep living there?”

“That’s called a rental agreement,” I snapped.

Sean looked between us. “Are you both sure you’re not married?”

“Over my dead body,” I said right as Jay choked on his beer.

“Whatever. What do I do to fix this with Brie?”

“Well, to start,” I said. “I’d apologize for implying she’s either a stripper or that you can’t trust her. That’s the easiest way to find your ass sleeping in your car tonight. Then, I’d start with saying that you’ll leave as soon as you’re done eating. Tomorrow, I’d make her breakfast with her favorites then buy her flowers.”

Jay leaned forward and looked at Sean. “That shit is why I’m single.”

“Yeah, that’s the reason.” I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, Sean, whatever you did, just talk to her. Now, before her food comes out and she’s really hangry.”

His lips twitched. “You’re right. I’ll go and apologize and promise to leave after we’ve eaten. Thanks, Shelbs.” He got up and walked to the door right as my dad came over.

“What’s up, kids? Did girls’ night change?” He wiped the table and looked at us both with kind blue eyes.

I shook my head. “Our security was breached. Who let them in?”

Dad laughed when Jay scowled at me. “We’ll do better. What’s up with Tweedledum and Tweedledee out there?”

“Living together issues,” Jay answered. “I can relate.”

Once again, I rolled my eyes. “Did you replace my Oreos?”

“I’ll do it tomorrow!”

Dad’s chuckle was deep as he grabbed our two empty glasses. “Jay, son, all these years and you’re still eating her cookies? Didn’t you learn not to do that in fourth grade?”

“You’d think,” I muttered.

Jay knocked his elbow against me. “Shut up, you. This is why we have a rule that you have to label the packets.”

“You’re still gonna eat them!”

Dad looked between us with an expression of disbelief on his face. “I have no idea how you two have lasted this long as friends, much less live together.”

I raised my glass. “I’ll drink to that, Dad.”

“Same.” Jay clinked the neck of his bottle against my glass. “If anything is worth drinking to, it’s that.”

Hear, hear.

? ? ?

I groaned as I stumbled into the kitchen, holding my head. “Drugs,” I muttered, gripping onto the island. “I need drugs.”