Page 45 of Surviving Slater

"Everything will be okay," he assured me, his voice gentle. I leaned against him, closing off my thoughts of Slater and what had happened. I just wanted to concentrate on Matthew's words and believe them with all my heart.

For a while he held me. By the time he pulled away and looked down at me, giving me a dimpled smile, our food was cold.

The worry knots in my stomach took my appetite away and I only chewed a few mouthfuls.

"Don't you like it?" Matthew asked, watching me push my food around with my fork.

"I do, it's just I'm not feeling very hungry now."

"I know what will help."

His solution had been to go out and buy me ice cream. He handed me the entire tub and put a girlie movie on for me.

"You're going to make some girl very happy one day," I told him. He just seemed to know what to say and what to do to make everything better.

He laughed.

"I doubt it. I'm a guy," he argued. "I'll probably mess it up. She'll tell her friends what an asshole I am."

I shook my head as I dug my spoon into the ice cream.

"No way."

I ate a spoonful of the chocolate ice cream, enjoying the flavor as it chilled my throat. He just chuckled at me and shook his head.

"I think I may be running out of ice cream," I said, showing I'd already managed to get through more than half of it.

"I bought more," he assured me.

"What kind?" I asked, eating another spoonful.

"Chocolate."

I sighed. "I may have to keep you forever."

The next dayConnor called to speak to Matthew. I think they were finalizing his last few days before he moved on to his new job. It reminded me I would be on my own soon and I wasn't looking forward to it.

Slater was scarce for the next day. His behavior didn't surprise me and I wasn't even sure he was going to be in touch again at all. He had knocked on the door of my issues before backing a safe distance away.

I swallowed hard, remembering the last time we'd been together. The feel of his hands on me, his body against mine. Just the thought of it made my pulse race.

"How good are you at packing?" Matthew asked, pulling me out of my erotic thoughts.

"No chance," I said, already shaking my head as I turned to face my roommate.

"Ah, come on," he teased, giving me a dimpled smile.

"Nope." I stood firm. "I don't want you to leave so I won't help you pack."

"Don't be like that. I'll come back for visits," he offered. I pressed my lips together as I tried to resist his pleading eyes.

"I'm going to miss you," I said, giving in. He'd fed me ice cream the past two nights and given me an ear to listen to my stuff. The least I could do was help him pack.

"Me too," he threw back as he slung an arm around me and gave me a hug.

"I'm going to have to find a replacement for you."

As the words left my lips I suddenly had an idea. The thought of living on my own in the apartment made me worry I would be lonely. For the last few months I'd lived with Taylor and Matthew. And now I was facing living on my own at the end of the week when Matthew left.