“Right,” I say. “So, does he… know? About how you feel about me?”
Roger shakes his head. “I want to tell him, but I’m not sure how it’d affect his progress.”
“True,” I say, feeling wretched.
“Maybe someday, when he doesn’t need me anymore.” Still, Roger smiles at me. “He really loves you, you know.”
I look down into my coffee mug. “Sometimes I wonder.”
“Well, he does. More than anything. Second chances are tough — believe me, I know — but I think he’s worth one, if my opinion means anything at all.”
“It does.” I smile. “You’re a really good friend, Roger.”
“Certainly trying to be,” he says, his gaze briefly falling to my chest. “You look very beautiful tonight.”
I blush. “Thanks.”
“You know, if things were different...” He bites his bottom lip and sits back suddenly. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“No, I shouldn’t say.”
I laugh. “No, go ahead.”
Roger hesitates before standing up from his chair and taking a single wide step in my direction.
He kisses me. I freeze in place, delicately shocked as his parted lips tease mine open and they blend so... smoothly.
Oh, my...
Roger breaks the kiss, but he hovers less than an inch away. “Just wanted a taste of what could have been,” he whispers, backing up. “I should go.”
I press my tingling lips together. “Okay. Yeah. Sure. That’s... for the best.”
He stands, his delicious mouth smirking once more as he reaches into his pocket and drops a twenty-dollar bill on the table to pay for our coffees. “Goodnight, Ms. Rose,” he says.
“G-g-goodnight, Roger.”
Roger strides away from the table, the edges of his scarf waving behind him.
I stare into my coffee mug until my pulse finally relaxes again.
Well, I guess that’s that, then.
It really wasn’t Robbie.
Twenty-Seven
Robbie
I stare at my phone on the coffee table in front of me. My fingers tap against my knee. My ankles bounce on the floor. I tell myself I will not check the time, but I do it anyway.
6:47.
What the hell is happening?
Am I screwed? It’d be nice to know if I’m screwed.
My door opens. I flinch, sitting forward in anticipation as Roger steps inside.
“How’d it go?” I ask, equally needing and dreading the answer.
“Well…” He closes the door and leans his back against it. “She bought it.”
I keep my breath held tight. “She did?”
He nods. “She did.”
“Okay, well…” I lean forward until I’m practically sliding off the couch. “What did she say?” I ask.
Roger slips his hands into his coat pocket and shrugs. “You were right. She asked about the colors.”
I knew it.
Melanie’s too sharp not to have noticed the colors on my tattoo match up exactly to the ones dangling from a magnet on her fridge. Best-case scenario, she shrugged it off as coincidence. Worst-case scenario, she suspected me and I had to throw her off my scent.
“She was surprised,” Roger continues. “A little confused, rightfully so, but we had a pleasant chat about it and parted as acquaintances.”
I turn up my hands. “That’s it?”
“Was there something else you were expecting?”
“Ah.” I sit back, knowing that face. “You’re mad.”
“I’m not mad. I’m disappointed.”
“That’s sponsor for mad.”
“No, that’s just what you say when your friend is determined to destroy everything he’s built. So, congratulations, Rob. You’re off scot-free. You are safe to continue lying to Melanie for the rest of your lives together.”
“If you were so against it, then why did you agree to help?”
“Oh…” He pushes off the door, his eyes more devious than usual. “I didn’t do this out of the goodness of my heart. I did this because now… I own your ass.”
I chortle. “Okay, yeah. I owe you one.”
“No, no, no.” He steps forward. “Someday… maybe not soon, but someday, I will call upon you for a favor and you will not deny me.”
“I understand.”
“I don’t think you do.” He smirks. I grow nervous. “Also, I told her you don’t know about my feelings for her, so she probably won’t bring it up. Don’t hold it against her.”
“I won’t.” I bow my head in respect. “Thank you again for doing this, Rog. You really saved my ass.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’re cool.” He licks his lips and hums pleasantly. “You know, she’s named after a flower, but she sure tastes like a peach.”
I frown. “She what?”
He hops back and opens my door. “I’m going to go see Val.”
“Wait—” I jump off the couch. “Roger.”
He exits into the hallway. I chase after him, pausing in the doorway as he knocks on Val’s door.
“You kissed her?” I ask, my nostrils flaring.
“Oh, be mad.”
“I’m not mad. I’m…” I exhale my anger. Melanie was right. I am the jealous type. “Roger.”
He looks at me. I nod again.
“Thank you,” I say.
Val’s door opens behind him. Her arm extends outward, and she grabs Roger by the collar.
“You’re welcome,” he says.
Roger takes the old phone from his jacket pocket and tosses it at me underhand. I catch it as Val successfully yanks him into her apartment and slams the door.
I laugh with relief as I step back into my apartment. If Roger is right, then I’m not competing with myself anymore. The secret admirer is over and done with, but that’s not the only obstacle in my path anymore.
Melanie is leaving Chicago, but I can stop that.
She just needs one solid pull in the right direction.
I grab my real phone off the coffee table and sit down as I make the call.
“Hello?” Melanie answers.
I smile. “Hey, there.”
“Hey, there,” she repeats.
“You busy?” I ask.
“Not really.”
“What are you up to tonight?”
“Just… chilling,” she answers. “What about you?”
“I have something to ask you. It’s very important.”
“Okay. What?”
I lean back, feeling more comfortable. “Tomorrow is my last day of work before they shut down the site for the holidays and I thought that maybe you’d like to have dinner with me to celebrate.”
“Dinner, huh?”
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s your important question?” she asks.
“It might not seem like it, but this is life and death.”
She chuckles and my heart skips. “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“If
