Page 27 of A Small Town Spring

“Fine, I’ll have some, too.”

I grin and hand him that dish and make a second one for myself with the other half of the cookie.

“So, what happened with Ivy?”

The question gets tossed out there as if he’s asking about tomorrow’s weather and I almost choke on my bite of ice cream.

“If you don’t mind my asking,” Kingston adds.

“I don’t mind.”I’m surprised, because he never mentioned her before in any of our text exchanges.He never once asked me why I needed to move into his place.I assumed Pete filled him in.

“Pete didn’t tell you?”

“He said you and she broke up, but that was it.It’s none of my business, but call me curious.”

“No, of course.What happened was…” I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, plus my weekly therapy sessions to help make sense of it in my head.“I was so scared of turning into my father that I overcorrected.She and I ran our course a long time ago, and I was too oblivious to realize it.We’ll always be friends, but that’s all we’ve been for a while.I couldn’t stay there.She deserves a chance to move on properly.”

“What about you?”

“I’m… working through some things.It was a bit of a rude wake-up call to realize I’ve been dragging my heels on truly growing up.But better late than never, right?”I try to make it sound like an opportunity rather than a burden.

“That’s what they say,” Kingston says neutrally.

“So, that’s why this,” I wave my hand around to indicate the entirety of Kingston’s generosity, “has been such a life saver.I’ve been able to focus on the future.But you only have to say the word and I’ll find someplace else to live.”

“On that note, I’m planning to be here for most of August,” Kingston says, and my heart sinks.He’s going to throw me out.It’s not that he owes me a chance, but I regret not being able to spend more time with him.“We’ll really be roomies.I’m cool with it if you are.”

He’s not tossing me out.The relief is strong and makes me facetious.“How do you know?I could be a terrible roommate.”

“You bought flowers, the place is clean, and you filled my freezer with ice cream.Even your cat is all right.”

Luna’s mostly kept out of our way this evening.“She’s been on her best behavior, thankfully.”

“And you don’t have to tiptoe around me, Toby.I want you to feel at home here.”

“That’s not the problem,” I mutter.I feel so at home I never want to leave.

“What’s the problem, then?”he asks, not letting my comment slide.

I look down at my empty ice cream bowl instead of at his face.Wanting to stay, wanting to find out what his lips feel like.Those are problems.But they’re not his problems, only mine.I force my gaze up to his and plaster on a grin.“No problem at all, roomie.”

Fourteen

In the morning,I feel oddly self-conscious as I go about the routine I’ve developed since moving here.It’s different knowing Kingston—my host...myfriend—is only a wall away.But I can’t hide out in my room all day.Besides, Jack and Pete’s barbecue is today and I’m going to give them their painting.

I let Luna out of my bedroom first, then join her in the kitchen where I pour her some breakfast before tending to my own needs.It doesn’t seem like Kingston has been up yet.Is he a late riser?We didn’t overdo it last night, but maybe he’s avoiding me.

I have eggs frying and am wrangling hot toast when he appears, shuffling from the direction of his room, scratching his beard and peering at me with bleary brown eyes.

He’s wearing old-fashioned blue and white striped pajama pants and nothing else.I’ve never seen him in so little before and my gaze skims his smooth, almost hairless chest and belly, then lower, noting the way the material folds and hangs over the bulge between his legs.

My eyes snap upward and my, “Good morning,” doesn’t come out too strangled.

“Morning,” he says, voice rough.“Too early.”

“Did I wake you?Sorry, I?—”

“No, I was up.Need to be up.”He reaches for the kettle.“Party today, right?”

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