The Temporary Roomie: Extended Edition (It Happened in Nashville #2)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Jessie

“I’m so sorry Levi woke you up at five again this morning.” Lucy is sitting across from me at the breakfast table as we both nurse our coffees.

I moved in with Lucy last week after my pipe-bursting fiasco. I had to shut off my water, but I really thought it would be one of those situations where I’d just pile on the dry shampoo until they could repair the pipe. I thought wrong. Once the repairman went under my house, he found that not only do I have old pipes, I also have black mold due to said old pipes leaking for an extended period of time. Isn’t that wonderful? So much fun.

Thankfully, Lucy and Cooper were sweet enough to let me move into their guest bedroom for as long as I need (which, according to Bob the Builder, will be about a month). That would have been fine—if Levi didn’t take it upon himself to become my human alarm clock, specifically one that wakes me up three hours earlier than necessary every day.

“It’s fine! Don’t worry about it,” I tell Lucy, hoping I sound genuine.

She can see right through me. “No, it’s not. You’re miserable.”

“Well . . . only because I still have insomnia at night, so mornings are really the only time I sleep well. But that’s okay!” See? I can be nice even though I feel like Ursula the sea witch under this sunny smile. Because the truth is, I love Levi to pieces. That said, if he wakes me up one more time, his favorite teddy bear might go missing.

“It’s not just Levi, though. I know the hot water has run out twice now while you’ve been in the shower.”

I wave a dismissive hand like pssshhhh. “Cold showers are all the rage, and it’s not anyone’s fault that this house has a small hot water tank.”

“ And you have to watch TV every night with me and Cooper. I know it’s driving you nuts not having a place of your own.”

I set my coffee mug down. “Are you trying to convince me I’m miserable here? Because I’ll give it to you—you’re making some headway.”

She grins. “Yes. I am.”

My shoulders slump. “Oh. Do you want me to leave? Lucy, I’m so sorry! I should have thought about how inconvenient it would be for you and—”

“Oh my gosh, I’m going to slap you if you keep talking! No, you’re not an inconvenience! I love having you here. But I also know living with another family while you’re in your last trimester is probably really annoying.”

“I don’t have any other options. I can’t afford to rent anything on top of paying my mortgage and saving for this baby’s birth.” To say I’m scraping my nickels together would be an understatement. I’m not only scraping, I’m diving under couch cushions and searching grocery store parking lots with a magnifying glass, and never once have I turned up my nose at a penny.

“Actually . . . I can think of somewhere you can stay for free.” The mischievous glint in her eye makes me frown deeply, because instinctively I know who she’s referring to.

“No. Never. Not his house.”

“But Drew has a spare room! And he’s great with roommates because he’s always had one.”

I stand up from my chair. “And he’s evil and unbearable to be around. So no. Absolutely not. I’m done with him, and you know this.” I wish she would give up trying to force Drew and me to like each other. It’s not going to happen. I won’t let it.

As I’m walking out of the kitchen, Lucy yells, “But Drew is hardly ever home! You probably won’t even see him. You’ll have the house practically all to yourself.”

I want to say her words don’t call to me like dark magic, but they do. Possibly because at that exact moment, I step on a little metal racecar, and there is a fifty percent chance I now need a new foot. I don’t show my weakness to Lucy, though, and I’m just stubborn enough that I will set my own alarm for five A.M. every single day only to prove how happy I am here and not at all in need of a quiet place like Drew’s evil lair.