Page 44 of Loud Hot Roomie
Riko’s Dad: His mother and I are worried. I know he talks to you. Is he with you?
Rhett: He’s at my house. Why?
Riko’s Dad: Thank God. We just met his boyfriend. The man was panicking and begged us to find him.
I jerk upright and shake my head. “Wait. Derek went to my parents’ house? What the fuck?”
“Your boyfriend’s a stalker.” Rhett shrugs his shoulders.
With my stomach twisting in knots, I read the rest of their text exchange.
Rhett: They broke up.
Riko’s Dad: Wonderful. I wish I would have known that.
Rhett: Sorry, man. He’s going to be okay. I’ve got his back.
Riko’s Dad: Thank you. Tell him we miss him.
I gape as I try to scroll to see more, but there’s nothing. There’s too much to comprehend with their conversation. Derek somehow found my parents’ house and demanded they find me? I’m stunned that he was able to pull this off.
With a groan, I slide out of the bed and then kneel beside my bag to check my phone. There are a million missed calls and texts from Derek. I ache to read them all, but I go for the ones Dad sent first.
Dad: Where are you?
Dad: Derek is here. He’s distraught. Sounds like you two had an epic fight.
No fight. I just left him. It was impulsive and probably childish to do so, but I never claimed to be anything but.
Dad: This man thinks highly of you. Why didn’t you tell me you were working on a business? I could have helped.
“I did not expect him to go over there,” I grumble, anxiety clawing at me.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Rhett says. “I’m Team Riko, but I do think you should talk to him. If I recently learned I liked men and then discovered the man I’m in love with is friends with my ex, I’d probably freeze up too. Maybe hear him out.”
“I don’t love him,” I lie. “It’s too soon.”
Rhett snorts out a laugh. “What the fuck ever. You fall in love with everything within three seconds of having it in your greedy little hands. Remember that time we found that baby bird in the woods. You had it named and shit ordered on Amazon before we even made it back to my house.”
Derek isn’t a baby bird.
He’s a grown-ass man who’s said and done some hurtful things to me.
But he’s also done a lot of sweet, kind, and sexy things too.
I guess that’s why this hurts so much. I’m unhappy with the not-so-good things.
Are you perfect, Riko Valentine?
The doorbell rings, but neither of us get up since the rest of his family is downstairs watching a movie. I reply back to my father.
Me: It’s something I started. I’ve already got my first client.
Dad: Incredible work. And doing soccer? I wish I would have followed my passions as a young man.
I frown at his text. Since when? The man is practically married to his company.
Me: I love soccer too much to give it up. It sucks my body works against me.
