Page 34 of Roommates' Alpha

He hummed, and I could tell he was on the verge of falling asleep. “If I’d been a teacher, I would have taught maybe a couple hundred students a year. But I teach close to a hundred a week at the museum, plus I don’t assign homework. They come in, wonder in their eyes, and ask so many questions. One kid might ask about dinosaurs and the next volcanoes. Their eyes get so big when I make a ping-pong ball ‘float’ on top of blowing air, and they can hardly believe it when I use a high-pressure water jet to cut through rock. Adults take a lot of stuff for granted, but it’s new and exciting for the kids, and they’re so eager to learn.”

He coughed, then yawned. “I should go back to bed.”

“You’re fine where you are,” I stated. “The chicken needs to cook for a while before I add the vegetables, and you seem comfortable.”

“Thank you,” he whispered.

I ran my hand up and down his back again. “Rest.”

He nodded, and it was only a minute or two later that his face went slack as he fell asleep.

I lost track of time, sitting there and holding Terry.

It was only when the front door opened that I realized how much the light had changed.

I glanced over as Xavier walked in, then I held a finger to my lips.

“Everything ok?” he asked softly.

“Terry’s sick,” I whispered.

“I thought I heard coughing from his room this morning. Want me to take over the position of body pillow?”

I chuckled. “I’m fine. But could you grab the tissue box from the bathroom? That way it’s closer when he needs it.”

“You got it.” He took several steps towards the hallway, then paused. “Is that chicken I smell?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I’ve got chicken in the slow cooker. It was going to be beef stew, but plans changed.”

“Good call. Didn’t know we had a slow cooker though.”

I chuckled. “It was downstairs. I had to move it one year when the college kids wanted extra kitchen space. I think one was a culinary student. It just never made it back up.”

“You cool if I use it sometimes?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks. I’ll be right back with those tissues.”

“Thanks.”

Xavier disappeared, and I glanced down at Terry’s sleeping face again.

I thought about how Xavier had immediately offered to take my spot as soon as he’d seen us, and knew that Terry would be well-supported while he was sick.

“Get well soon,” I murmured, brushing my fingers over his cheek.

Chapter 10

~March~

Iclosed my book, then reached up to turn off the light. That was when I heard the noise coming from upstairs.

I tried to place it—a rhythmic squeaking sound.

Neither the heater nor hot water tank was in that area of the house, and I couldn’t think of anything else mechanical.

Then it hit me, and I blushed. The noise was coming from Xavier’s room.