Page 60 of Roommate Wars

Jack

Elise setout plates with steak and a vegetable-bacon dish no self-respecting vegetarian would approve. “This looks amazing.”

She scrutinized the spread. “It’s a bit of a heart attack waiting to happen, but it should taste good.”

Elise sat across from me, and I lifted my glass. “To roommates with benefits.”

She scowled, but it was halfhearted. “Jackson,” she said in warning.

I dug into the steak, cutting off a piece and taking a bite, pleasantly surprised at the flavor. “Why do you prepare frozen food if you know how to cook like this?”

“Because I don’t like being told what to do.”

“Trust me,” I said, dead serious, “I’ve learned.”

She peered over, considering, and I didn’t like the calculating look in her eye. It made me nervous. “What happens if I sleepwalk into your bed again? I honestly didn’t mean to last night, but apparently, I prefer your bed to mine.”

My heart sped up. “Why don’t you skip the sleepwalking and start out there?”

“Why? Because we’re ‘dating’?” She put air quotes around the last word.

“Exactly. Couples sleep together.”

We both knew this arrangement wasn’t normal, but I was curious how she’d respond.

Her pretty, rose-hued mouth twisted, and her gaze bored into mine. “You do have nice sheets.”

“I can’t take credit for that. Max refurbishes with nothing but the best.”

She picked up a fry and dipped it in the spicy ketchup she’d been making when I walked in. “Did he pick out everything in this apartment?”

I glanced around. “Not the TV or any of the other electronics.”

“But everything else?”

I shrugged.

“That explains the cloth napkins,” she said to herself.

I held up the blue linen napkin that rested on my lap. “You found these here?”

She just shook her head as though exasperated with me.

“Huh, my best friend is more thorough than I thought.” I shrugged and went back to eating.

She set her fork down and rested her chin on her hand. “You know, you and Max have a similar relationship to me and Sophia. Sophia is always trying to take care of me. Are you sure you can afford your own place? Why else would Max house you and pamper you the way he does?”

I tossed a fry in my mouth and chewed. “Because I’m charming?”

“No,” she said without missing a beat. “That’s not it.”

I laughed. Iwascharming—my little black book said so. But I found it funny Elise never caved to my appeal. “Then why do you think it is?”

“I think Max and Sophia need to take care of people. They’re busybodies.”

There was some truth to this. “Max knows I have no taste in décor. He likes nice things, so he stuffs my place with them so that they’re here when he visits.”

“You don’t find that overbearing?”