Page 7 of Dear Roomie (Classic City Romance #1)

Morgan

I t might be cowardly, but I don’t stick around for my turn in the bathroom again. The risk of running into her is too high. She’s made her opinion perfectly clear—I’m the bad guy here. I’m not welcome, and I’ve never been the type who needed to be told things twice.

I guess this is as good a time as any to explore the campus. It’s not exactly what I had planned for today, but anything is better than spending another moment stuck in that apartment with the she-devil.

The apartment butts up against the northernmost edge of the university’s campus.

It’s the main reason I chose it. All of my classes will be held in the law building, which should only be a few minutes’ walk down the road, and if the research I did over the summer is to be believed, I’ll pass a handful of the school’s landmarks along the way.

I wander aimlessly through the manicured lawns and picturesque gardens, taking the time to appreciate the campus’s beauty.

Because, despite the less-than-warm welcome, Athens is beautiful in its own weird way.

James might be making my living situation hell, but I refuse to let that taint the rest of my experience here.

I won’t let one woman make me miserable.

My gaze catches on a fountain in the middle of a small field. The sunlight reflects off something in the water, creating a ripple of silver in the otherwise blue pool. I move closer for a better look and find…tinsel?

“You jumping in?” a masculine voice calls from behind me .

I turn around and find a man watching me with an amused expression. He looks to be around my age and is rocking the surfer-bro look despite there not being a beach for hours in any direction.

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, man, it’s one of those freshman traditions. People jump in and take pictures. It’s a whole thing.”

“I guess that explains the tinsel,” I say, mostly to myself.

“That it would.” The stranger chuckles.

“I’m not a freshman, though.” I extend my hand. “I’m Morgan. I’m about to start law school.”

“Nathan,” he says with a firm handshake. “I’m also in grad school, but I did my undergrad here too.”

“Must be nice already knowing your way around.” I let out a small huff and drag my fingers through my curls. “I’ll be lucky if I can find my classes without a map come Monday.”

“I can show you around if you want,” the stranger offers, and his lips fall into an easy grin.

“Really?” The knot of nerves in my chest loosens. “That would be great. You’re only the second person I’ve met in Athens, and the first wasn’t exactly welcoming.” I recoil as the words bring James back to the forefront of my mind.

It’s been less than a day, but her split personality already has me on edge.

The venom-spitting she-devil is a terror, but I saw a glimpse of a different James last night—one who was calm and pleasant to be around.

I almost liked her. I don’t even know where to place the woman crying in the bathroom, but everything in me wanted to take away her pain.

“Now, that sounds like a story,” he says as he starts to guide me.

“You could say that,” I scoff. “My new roommate is…” I struggle to think of a word that accurately describes James. “Difficult.”

“Difficult how? Is this a zero-hygiene situation, or is he an asshole? ”

“He is a she, who thought I was also a she, and I thought she was a he.” My explanation comes out all sorts of convoluted.

Nathan freezes and cocks his head to the side as he tries to make sense of my ramblings. After a moment, he gives up and laughs. “Yeah, man, I’m lost.”

“My roommate’s name is James. I thought James would be a guy, but she is most definitely not.

When she saw my name was Morgan, she assumed I was a girl.

Which, again, I very clearly am not. She doesn’t seem to be handling the fact that I have a penis well.

” A penis that she has now been briefly acquainted with. My cheeks flush at the thought.

“No shit,” he says with a chuckle. “How bad is it?”

“Well, so far, she has sicced her hellhound on me, threatened to have her dad kick me out, and this morning, she accused me of setting her up to see my dick.”

“What a bitch.” He shakes his head in disbelief.

“No she’s not.” I jump to her defense. “That’s what makes it worse. Between all the madness, I’ve seen glimpses of a different side of her, and I actually liked that version. It just didn’t stick around very long.”

“Man, that is rough,” he agrees. “You should come out with me and my friends tonight. We like to hang out at a bar downtown, Cutter’s Pub.

My buddy Gage works there and hooks us up with free drinks all night.

We typically meet up around nine. Let me show you the type of people Athens truly has to offer.

I can’t let James poison the city to you. We aren’t all crazy.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I tell him, and for the first time since James walked into the apartment, I have a good feeling about this year.

***

I thought I had escaped the humidity when I left Peru, but I was mistaken.

The Athens air is thick with moisture that clings to my skin, coating me in a layer of sweat that sticks to my clothes.

My need to wash away the day’s grime overrules my desire to stay away, and I find myself back at the apartment as the last of the sunlight fades.

James’s hellhound is asleep on the couch when I return.

I creep through the dark apartment in a poor attempt at stealth, hoping the dog doesn’t notice me without James here to leash it.

I could call for her if I need to be rescued, but knowing her, she’d let him eat me and laugh while I scream.

My shin bangs against something hard, and the noise resounds through the room with a deafening echo.

The hellhound raises its head and lets out a low growl, paralyzing me with fear. My heart pounds in my chest as we stay locked in a silent standoff. Thankfully, after several tense seconds, he drops his head back to his paws, and I let out a breath of relief.

I don’t wait around to see what else he does.

After slipping into the sanctuary of my bedroom, I head toward the bathroom, pausing to make a point to knock on the door. A moment passes with no response, so I enter and lock both doors.

I won’t be making that mistake again.

My shower is quick, but it gets the job done.

The mirror hasn’t even had time to steam over by the time I shut the water off.

An orange piece of paper sticks to the reflective surface, catching my attention as I step out and reach for a towel.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I grab the bright Post-it.

Of course she left a note.

I crumble it in my fist and toss it into the bin in my room. The she-devil isn’t worth my time or energy. It’s clear she’s playing a game with me, but I’m two steps behind and missing the rule book. Drinks and good company are exactly what I need.

This early in the night, the city is only just beginning to stir.

The streets are illuminated by the neon signs that clutter bar windows—bars that will only grow more packed as time progresses.

The University of Georgia isn’t all that different from any other party school; over the next hour or so, the stench of stale beer will overpower any floral notes drifting in from the campus gardens, and the sidewalks will be flooded with drunken students who, for the most part, are probably underage.

I’ve lived it before—heck, I’ve been that kid.

The familiarity of it all settles the unease toiling in my chest.

Walking over to Cutter’s Pub only takes me a few short minutes.

A bored bouncer checks my ID at the door and doesn’t give me a second glance as I enter the vaguely Irish-themed pub.

My attention is immediately drawn to the large square bar in the center of the room.

It’s stocked with an impressive selection of beers and liquors and has an array of TVs overhead displaying various sporting events.

Dark walls and exposed brick make the space feel smaller, creating a more intimate atmosphere, and the sounds of pool balls and dad rock fill the air.

It’s got the vibe of a dive bar but with a different clientele.

I’m not sure if that’s a good thing yet.

I spot Nathan leaning against the far edge of the bar, drinking alone. It’s not exactly what I’m expecting, but I head in his direction regardless. He notices me and tips his glass in my direction with a relaxed smile.

“Hey, man, glad you could make it.” He pulls me into an unexpected bro-hug. The causal touch catches me off guard; I can’t tell if it’s his personality or if he’s already drunk.

“Thanks for inviting me. Are we the first ones here, or did your friends bail?”

“Well, that ugly bastard is Gage.” He points to the giant of a man serving drinks to a group of giggling women on the other side of the bar. “He’ll join us when he can. And Karis is running late, as usual.”

“You said meet around nine, not at nine. Very different things, and therefore, I’m not late,” a snarky voice cuts in.

A woman joins our group. She’s dressed head to toe in black, from her dyed asymmetrical bob to the tattoos that cover her arms and chest. It’s almost enough to distract from her size.

Karis has to be one of the shortest women I’ve ever met.

There’s no way she even approaches five feet; despite that, she has a presence about her that makes her seem bigger than she is.

“Speak of the devil,” he says with a playful smirk.

“Oh, please, the devil’s got nothing on me.” She winks at my new friend and turns her attention to me. “So you’re the newest stray?” The playfulness she had with him disappears as she cocks her head and appraises me with predatory eyes.

There must be something in the water that makes Athens women this aggressive.

Nathan winces and gives me an apologetic look. “Come on, Kare Bear, play nice. ”