Page 7 of Tapped By My Roommate
Rhett looked from me to Linh with a small frown. “What’s up?”
“Oh, it’s noth—”
Linh interrupted me before I could chicken out. “Ethan needs your help to take down his bitch of an ex.”
Rhett tilted his head. “And your schedule is full?”
She sighed mournfully. “Sadly, it is. I love a good catfight.”
“There won’t be any fighting,” I said quickly, worried Linh would convince Rhett to stay the hell out of my mess before I got a chance to persuade him to help me. “I could just use a hand.”
“That’s what he said,” Linh muttered in an aside to Rhett. He snorted, gaze flicking to me, and my cheeks heated.
“Not like that!” I exclaimed, horrified. “A hand with some stuff. Not like…”
“I knew what you meant,” Rhett said easily, as if I hadn’t gone all straight boy awkward on him. Of course, he knew I wasn’t into guys. It was just that Rhett flustered me sometimes. He had a presence about him that left me feeling off-balance. Like the world couldn’t possibly contain him and me in the same small bubble of an apartment. It was against the laws of physics–or it felt like it should be, anyway.
“That’s my cue to leave,” Linh said. “N?ipromised to make mebánh xèo.”
Sure, now that the damage was done, she sauntered out the door.
“Her N?i?” Rhett asked.
“It means Grandma in Vietnamese. Well, her dad’s mom. There’s a different word for her other grandma, but I’ve forgotten it.” Linh had told me whatbánh xèowas once before as well. “She’s making Linh some kind of pancake thing with seafood and other stuff in it. You know how Linh loves to eat.”
Rhett nodded. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. So this thing with your ex… That’s the favor you texted me about last night?”
I’d mentioned I needed help with something Thursday night without getting too specific. I’d wanted a chance to talk in person.
I nodded. “I wouldn’t ask if I had anyone else I could rely on, but…”
“Nice to know I’m at the top of your list,” he said lightly.
I winced. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know.” He came to lean against the counter across from me, taking Linh’s spot from a few minutes ago. “I could be persuaded to help. For the right price.”
He waggled his eyebrows playfully. I wasn’t sure why, but it sent butterflies flapping in my stomach, ratcheting up my nerves.
“Want a sandwich first?” I blurted.
He looked thrown by the sudden change of topic but nodded. “Sure, I could eat. Then we can talk about this favor, see if we can work something out.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Assuming I didn’t panic and bail on the whole thing. Fuck, even the tiniest lizards had a backbone. So why couldn’t I ever seem to find mine?
* * *
RHETT
Ethan looked nervous. Was I really that intimidating? He’d called me out about keeping up with chores before. He wasn’t timid, though he’d been quick to exit rooms when the slightest bit of friction rose between us. I knew he didn’t like confrontation. From what he’d said about his last relationship, it’d been a minefield, so I could understand. But maybe his aversion went deeper than one shitty experience.
He waved to the deli ham, sliced Pepperjack cheese, and jar of Miracle Whip. “This okay? I still have the stuff out.”
“Sure, but I prefer—”
“Mustard.” He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the spicy mustard. “I remember.”
