Page 21 of The Disasters of Dating
I grin. “Yeah, you have.”
She frowns and throws her wet towel on her bed. “No, I’m pretty sure she said it was a new guy.”
I pull my legs up and wrap my arms around them. “It’s Blake Rigley.”
Both her brows shoot up. “Blake and Becca? I don’t see it.”
I shrug. “Me either. But to each his own.” I glance into her bedroom. “You’re going to have a wet spot when you get into bed if you don’t hang up your towel.”
Paisleigh gives me a look. “Give it a rest, mom.”
I shrug. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I twist and lay my legs down, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to me. “Why do you have to live with Becca?”
Paisleigh sighs. “She’s not that bad. I think if you two called a truce, you might actually find out you like each other.”
I give her an “I-don’t-think-so” look.
“If you would move out of your mom’s, we could room together.”
Now I sigh. “You know I can’t do that.”
Paisleigh quirks her mouth to the side. “Exactly. Which is why I have to room with Becca. You’re not available.”
I pinch my lips together. “Fine. But I’m your best friend, right?”
Paisleigh smiles. “Of course. You’re my ride or die.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Why do I get the feeling you tell Becca the same thing?”
Paisleigh’s face breaks into a grin. I say face, because when she genuinely smiles, it’s a whole face thing. “I only tell her she’s my best friend. She isn’t and never will be my ride or die.”
I suck in a breath. I guess I can live with that. “Okay, it’s my turn to pick the movie.”
Paisleigh goes into the kitchen and opens a cupboard labeled with her name on it. She takes out some Skittles and Poppables. Now, I’m not going to lie. Sometimes I regret not doing the whole adulting thing and having my own apartment. Or an apartment with a roommate. But it was a conscious decision I made.
The decision was mostly based on my mom. But after observing Brody and Sadie, I knew I wouldn’t take their same route. They moved out and got apartments when they went to college. They still lived nearby, to satisfy my mom—even though it didn’t—but they still had some independence. However, to afford both school and the apartment, they had to take money from my Grandma Alice. It’s a decision I know they both regret because now they are beholden to her. She holds that money over their heads and expects them to give in to her every whim. Just this summer, Grandma Alice tried to force Sadie into marrying some doctor. Sadie had to pretend to be in a relationship with Brody’s best friend, Max. Although, he’s not her fake boyfriend anymore. Wink, wink.
After watching what they went through because of the money, I decided I would not allow Grandma Alice to have that much control over me. She can leave me the money when she dies… guilt-free. For me, that is. I’m pretty sure Grandma Alice has never felt guilty about anything. It’s probably beneath her. I can hear her voice now— “Only poor people feel guilt. The rest of us can afford not to.” Yeah, she’s a peach. I’m glad I had to work and couldn’t make it to the family reunion last month.
As I look at all the labeled cupboards in Paisleigh’s kitchen, I feel no jealousy towards her. My mom and I don’t label cupboards. We just ask before we eat someone else’s stuff.
Paisleigh comes and settles on the couch next to me. “So, what are we watching?”
I grin. “A Lot Like Love.”
Paisleigh’s eyes widen. “Oooh. I love that one and we haven’t watched it in forever.”
“I know.” I waggle my eyebrows. “And if we are up to it, I thought it could be a double feature.”
I’ve got her attention. “Do tell. What is part deux?”
I grin at her attempt to speak French. Paisleigh is one of the few people I know who can mess up that simple word. “The Cutting Edge.”
“Wow, you are really pulling that one from the time capsule, aren’t you?”
I tilt my head. “Are you vetoing it?”
“No way.” She scoffs. “I’m always down for some D.B. Sweeny. Even if he’s in his sixties now.” She lifts a remote and dims the lights.
