Page 24 of She Was Made for Me

10

Violet

For the first time in years, I leave work early.

Well, there was that time I was let go and had to walk shamefully to my car with a box full of my stuff at nine in the morning, but I think we can agree that doesn’t count.

The meeting with the architect went well—at least, I thought it did—but Kyle was tense the whole time. I assumed since we were finally seeing eye to eye on this project he’d be in a better mood, but if anything he seemed worse. He shuffled around behind Ben and I, barely saying two words, refusing to look at me.

I step off the train at Halsey Street, shaking my head. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but it’s getting annoying. He’s made it clear from the moment Dad announced I was working on this project that he doesn’t want me there. Admittedly I didn’t make a fantastic first impression, but I’ve been working my ass off to learn everything I can and prove I’m an asset rather than a liability to this project. But it doesn’t matter what I do—the minute I feel I’ve done something well, he finds a way to make it clear I’m not welcome. I’m starting to wonder if he’s actually trying to drive me off this project altogether.

But then I think of the desk he made me, and confusion clouds my head. Why go to the trouble of making such a lovely desk if it was just to get me out of his way? A tiny part of me wants to believe he made it because he likes me, but I don’t have much to support that hypothesis, not when every word coming out of his mouth tells me otherwise.

I turn into Sadie’s street with a sigh. At least I’ll have a couple of hours alone before she gets in from work. I love her, but I miss having my own place, coming home after a long day at work, putting on my softest PJs and curling up in bed with Netflix and a pizza. I feel rude doing that here, and if I’m home when she’s eating I’ll join her. And it’s rarely just Sadie—her boyfriend Tim is there more often than he’s not, and I can’t exactly complain because he’s not the intruder here, I am. No matter how much Sadie assures me I’m welcome.

I let myself into Sadie’s, looking forward to the quiet. I’m just going to use it to work anyway. I’ve still got to research—

“Ahh!” I lurch back, hitting my shoulder on the door frame as my hands fly to my eyes.

“Shit, sorry!” Sadie’s voice is high-pitched as she and Tim scramble for their clothes.

That’s right—I walk in on them having sex. On the living room floor. At three-thirty in the afternoon.

“I’ll go,” I say, turning blindly for the door. I dropped my keys in shock and start fumbling for them on the floor, one hand still firmly over my eyes, but it’s too late now—the image of Tim’s bare butt is seared into my retinas.

Ugh, I want to bleach my brain.

“No! Don’t be silly,” Sadie says, more calmly. “We’re dressed. Come in.”

My hands close around my keys and I straighten up, reluctantly uncovering my eyes. Sadie is sitting on the sofa, her cheeks flushed as Tim slinks from the room.

“Sorry.” I cringe. “I should have knocked, or—”

“No,I’msorry. We don’t usually…” She shakes her head, giving an awkward giggle. “But I got the afternoon off work, and Tim was free, and”—she shrugs, grinning—“you know how it is.”

No, I don’t know.

“Mm,” I say noncommittally, hanging my keys on the hook by the door. I haven’t had sex in months—or is it years?—and the last time wasn’t anything to write home about. I might not love seeing my friend and her boyfriend all over each other, but I have to admit I’m a little jealous of their chemistry. I’ve never been with someone who couldn’t keep their hands off me, who wanted me so badly we ended up going at it on the living room rug on a weekday afternoon.

Against my better judgment, Kyle appears in my head. We mostly argue and it’s exasperating, but I’ve noticed that I enjoy pushing his buttons, that I get a little turned on when he’s stern and gruff with me. I wonder if he’s bossy in bed, if he’d take charge and tell me what to do. If I’d let him.

Heat blossoms between my thighs at the thought, and I shake if off with a frown. I’m nothing more than an inconvenience on the job site to him, regardless of what my poor, neglected libido might like to imagine.

“You’re home early,” Sadie observes, smoothing her mussed hair. “But actually, that’s good. There’s something I wanted to run by you.”

I step over their sex spot on the floor to perch on the sofa beside her. “What’s up?”

“Tim and I have decided to move in together.”

My eyebrows leap in surprise. “Oh! That’s cool.” Makes sense—they spend almost every night together.

“Yeah.” She smiles giddily to herself. “He’s going to move in here, but I wanted to check that you’re okay with it.”

I tilt my head to the side. “It’syourapartment, Sade.”

“I know, but you’re staying here for a while, so this affects you as well.”

That’s sweet. Sadie’s always been a bighearted person who worries about others. But I’m hardly going to tell her—when she’s glowing with happiness—that listening to her boyfriend make her orgasm night after night is actually a little awkward so no, thanks, he can’t move in.

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