Page 75 of The Jerk in Apartment 1B

“Yeah, right.” He laughs.

“I’m serious. If I’m not there, how would she know what to toss and what to keep?”

“She’d make a pile of whatever she’s not sure about and have you come look at it later.”

“It’s not that simple.” I put on some cologne, not for Trina, but because I always wear cologne. “Some of the boxes have personal stuff. I don’t want her accidentally tossing something I might want.”

“Has she found any of Megan’s stuff?”

My chest tightens hearing her name. “No. Most of that stuff is gone, and the few things I kept are in my apartment.”

“Have you told Trina about her?”

“No, and I’m not going to. I don’t tell anyone about Megan, so why would I tell Trina?”

“I was just thinking your situations are kind of similar, with your engagements ending and everything changing. Obviously, your situation was a lot worse, but—”

“Mine wasn’t even close to hers,” I say, angry he dared to compare them. “Megan died. It wasn’t a breakup. She fucking died.”

“Yeah, sorry. I shouldn’t have said it. I was just—never mind. I’ll let you go.”

“Cole, I didn’t mean to yell at you,” I say with a sigh. “Hearing her name set me off, but that’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. It’s just this past week hasn’t been easy with all the memories. Going through that storage room is harder than I thought it’d be. Even going through stuff from my company reminds me of her.”

“If you ever want to talk about it, my door’s always open.”

“I don’t need to talk. I knew I’d feel this way if I ever went through that stuff. It’s tough, but I’ve just got to deal with it.”

“Maybe you should let Trina go through that stuff without you.”

“It’s faster when we’re both doing it. And it helps having her there. She doesn’t know the meaning behind the stuff so she doesn’t react when she sees it, which helps me not react. It’d be harder if I were doing it alone.” I check the time. “I need to get going. Why don’t you ask Marc to go out tonight?”

“He’s got a date.”

“Not anymore. I just talked to him. He said she cancelled on him.”

Marc lives upstairs, three doors down from Cole. We rarely see him because he doesn’t like being home. He’s one of those people who always has to be out.

“Then, yeah, I’ll go over there,” Cole says. “Have fun on your date.”

“Stop calling it that.”

He laughs. “Let me know how it goes.”

He assumes something’s going to happen, but it’s not. Would I like it to? Of course, but any guy would. Trina’s hot, even whenshe’s wearing sweats and her hair’s a mess. But what I’d like to happen and what’s actually going to happen are two different things. I’m not getting involved with a girl who just broke up with her boyfriend. Plus, she’s a relationship girl, which is not what I’m looking for.

Checking myself one last time in the mirror, I realize I look like I’m going on a date. I’m wearing dark pants with a button-up shirt and a jacket. It’s nothing special, but it’s a big change from what Trina is used to seeing me wear. But I’m taking her to a nice restaurant so I couldn’t just throw on a t-shirt.

Going out to the hall, I walk down to Trina’s door.

I knock a few times. “Trina, it’s Scott.”

“Be there in a minute!” she yells back. I hear something fall to the floor, then her shoes clicking as she races to the door. She swings it open. “Hi! I got home late from work so I’ve been hurrying to get ready.”

She looks gorgeous. I thought she was hot before, but this is a whole new level. She’s absolutely beautiful. She’s wearing a silky black dress with a slit up the side and tiny straps that tie at her shoulders. Her long blond hair is down and straight, a much different look than her usual messy bun. And I’ve never seen her wear that much makeup.

“You look incredible,” I say, unable to take my eyes off of her. “It almost doesn’t look like you.”

She laughs. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.”

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