Page 69 of Roommating

He pats her shoulder. “Will do, Grams.”

As I glance awkwardly between grandmother and grandson, I’m not sure of my place in the moment. I wonder if this should have been discussed between the two of them without me here. I bend to pet Rocket, who’s silently taken up residence at my feet like he knows I need the distraction.

Marcia glances at her watch. “I’m so sorry to bring this up and run, but I need to head out.” She stands. “We can talk more later.”

He pulls her into a hug. “Just have fun tonight!”

We follow her into the foyer, where she removes her coat from the closet and puts it on. “Wish me luck!” she says, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

“May the odds be ever in your favor.” I glance at Adam, hoping this inside joke will cut through some of the stress of what just happened, but he doesn’t break a smile or even look at me.

When Marcia’s gone, he grabs a beer from the refrigerator andbrings it into the living room. I worry he’s taking the news harder than he let on to his grandma, but he’s staring at the television, apparently riveted by Mariska Hargitay onLaw and Order: SVU.

I join him on the couch and try to read his mind. Of all the worries taking up space in my brain when Marcia pulled us into the kitchen to talk, her asking Adam to leave was not one of them. I really like having him here, now more than ever, but Marcia’s health comes first, and if her doctor thinks it’s too much for her, we need to heed the warning. It was always supposed to be a temporary situation.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He takes a pull from his beer bottle. “We probably should.”

I chew my lip. “It sucks, but I can help you find a new apartment. Gabe also has a lot of friends who might be looking for a roommate. Or Carley can ask around at the theater!”

Adam mutes the television and whooshes out a breath. When he turns to me, he looks almost apologetic. “One of us needs to go, but I don’t think it should be me.”

Chapter Thirty

Igrip the edge of the couch cushion with both hands. “What are you saying?” I’m pretty sure I knowexactlywhat he’s saying but hope springs eternal that I’m wrong.

He winces like he’d rather be doing anything else than having this conversation.Same.“The doctor told Marcia that living with both of us might be contributing to her health issues, but she didn’t say which of us should stay. She’s my grandma. I think it should be me.”

My pulse speeds up. “But this is my apartment. I have a lease!”

His head jerks back, probably from the aggression in my voice. “It was a one-year lease, which means it should be ending in a few months, right? Marcia said there was no imminent rush.”

I haven’t been keeping track of the time, assuming that renewing my lease was a no-brainer, but I do the math in my head and I’ve been here eight and a half months, which leaves three and a half remaining. I take a deep breath through my nose and out my mouth to collect myself. “Okay. Let’s pretend for a moment that I agree to move out. Are you sure you want to move in with Marcia permanently? Considering you haven’t stuck to much lately, how do I know that you won’t change your mind?” This is a low blow and I’m not proud of myself, but it has to be said.

Adam’s face betrays no emotion. “With all due respect, Sabrina, that’s not your concern.”

I remove his beer bottle and take a sip, ignoring his lifted eyebrows. “With all due respect,Adam, itismy concern when you expect me to uproot my living situation on a whim.” I can already hear Gabe saying, “I told you so.”Fucking Gabe.

Adam’s expression softens. “I’m sorry to do this to you. I really am. I know how much you love this apartment—”

“And Marcia.”

His eyes do a circle of my face. “And Marcia. But I just got my grandma back, and I don’t want to lose her. All those things you do for her, I can do them too.”

I smirk. “Says the guy who still uses checks, has probably never heard of Venmo, and thinks pressing control-alt-delete fixes everything.” I try not to think about how he built the bookshelf, changed the light bulbs, and did a host of other things since he moved in.

He chokes on a laugh. “Thanks to you, she’s all set up. And I’m not suggesting that you never see Marcia again. You can come over all the time. I’d want you to. I like you, Sabrina. A lot.” His voice gets husky on those last two words.

I’m not capable of goingthereright now. I have to focus. “By the same token, no one says that by moving out, you would lose her either! If you stay in the city, you can see her every day if you want!”

“It’s not the same and you know it.” He sighs and rakes a hand through his hair. “If you had a chance to make things up to your grandma, wouldn’t you want to?”

The words are like a punch in the gut. “I told you that in confidence and in a moment of weakness. Now you’re using it against me?”

“I’m not using it against you, but Brina…” He studies me. “I know you love Marcia like she’s your grandmother, but she’s not. She’s mine.”

“Fuck you.” The words come out without any forethought and my breath catches in the aftermath. But I’m not regretful. He’s gone too far. And to use my nickname to get my guard down wasn’t cool.

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