Page 16 of The Roommate Game

“Cool. Have you seen Rafe?”

He shook his head. “Not recently, but he might be in the backyard.”

“Thanks.”

“Peace,” Jackson replied, raising a tray filled with mini nutty carrot cakes. “Would you like to try a vegan cupcake?”

Nope, not even a little, but they looked harmless enough and I was hungry. I took two, thanked Jackson and made my way to the sliding glass door, pausing to lick frosting from my thumb as Harmony guided the group nearby through a meditation moment.

“…release attachment to your thoughts. Let go of whatever doesn’t serve you. Observe your feelings without labels. There is no good or bad, no right or wrong…”

I popped a cupcake into my mouth and opened the door to a more typical party setting. A bunch of people gathered in small clusters, talking and laughing. It had more of a garden party vibe than the raucous banger I’d been sold. Everyone was fresh-faced and glowing, sipping sparkling waters and pink concoctions with floating cucumber slices.

I recognized a few faces from school. The cute blond gabbing with a redhead on the lawn was in my writing theory class, and I bumped into the guy wearing a plaid shirt and yoga pants at the gym on the regular.

Oh, and the girl with a high ponytail and her friend with bright-pink lips and cat-eye glasses had been at the house for more than one of my parties. I had a fuzzy memory of doing a tequila shot with the ponytail girl and half of it going up mynose when her friend had slipped a hand into Brady’s basketball shorts and bragged about her coke connection.

They were a bit more subdued now.

I was about to say hello but stopped at the sight of Rafe holding hands—no, holding pinkies—with a tall guy with wavy brown hair on the opposite end of the deck. Rafe’s smile was kind of dreamy and his eyes twinkled and?—

Huh.

Rafe had a boyfriend? Why didn’t I know that? Why hadn’t he said anything?

Roommates knew shit like that about each other.

Of course, I hadn’t known that he wore glasses or that he was into yoga or meditation either. I hadn’t been paying attention. And I’d been too fucked up and self-absorbed to ask the guy I lived with if he was dating anyone. Fuck, I thought I’d congratulated him on the trophy he’d brought home, but I wasn’t sure I’d asked how his season had gone. If I had, I hadn’t listened.

And suddenly, I felt pretty damn awkward…and small.

I shoved the other cupcake into my mouth, squared my shoulders, and strode across the deck toward him.

I was still chewing as the ponytail girl stepped in front of me, hand outstretched.

“Kelsi with an i, in case you forgot.”

“How could I forget?” I lied, squeezing her fingers.

She held on tightly. “Tsk tsk.Where’s your yoga gear?”

“I was just about to change.” Another lie.

“Need any help?”

“I’m good. Thanks, though.” I wriggled out of her grip with a laugh and turned to where Rafe had been seconds ago. “Just looking for my roomie.”

Kelsi spun in an exaggerated circle. “He was with Eli, but—oh, Eli! Come meet Smithton’s very own party animal. Oh, myGod. The last time I was at this house, I couldn’t handle loud noises or sunlight the next day. And the day after that.”

I winced at what was no doubt an accurate description as I scanned the yard.

“Sorry I missed it. I’m Eli, by the way, and I think we’ve met.”

I abandoned my search for Rafe and gave the newcomer my full attention.

Eli.

The guy from the cheese section at the market.