guest-ready.”
Trish’s eyes roved over the bright, polished space. “I don’t see any of your stuff here.”
“That shelf of books is mine.” Lyssa pointed at the bookcase between two windows. “And I’ve got a lot of junk in the bedroom. Hayden had the place fully decked out by the time I got here, and my garage-sale chic clashes with his urban minimalistic.”
“It’s your place, too. You should be allowed to redecorate if you want.”
Lyssa shrugged. “The bones of the place are more in line with his style, anyhow.”
Trish regarded her friend with more scrutinizing eyes. “As much as I like it, it’s missing the coziness of your apartment in Lincoln Park. Are you comfortable here?”
Lyssa’s shoulders rose sharply and slowly lowered as she let out a long sigh. “It’s not home yet. I still feel like a visitor.”
“Well, that’s the problem—this place was Hayden’s for a year before you moved in. You two should find a new place you pick out together so it’ll feel like it belongs to both of you.”
Lyssa wagged her head back and forth. “The thought crossed my mind, but this is close to his work, and it is his place. I’m freeloading until I get through my two-year program, so I’m not going to suggest he give up this apartment that he loves so much.”
Trish didn’t pursue it. If her friend was willing to sacrifice her own sense of home to be with a man, that was her decision. “What’ll the commute to campus be like?”
“Not bad. I can catch a couple of trains that’ll get me there in about thirty minutes. I was thinking I could show you around BU tomorrow.”
“That’d be great. Speaking of college, I haven’t told you my major discovery about our ol’ buddy from Iowa—Cliff’s not gay.”
Lyssa lowered her mug to a coaster on the glass-topped coffee table. “Who said he was?”
Trish’s forehead pinched. “Didn’t you think he was?”
“No. Were you really that oblivious? He had a thing for you back then.”
“What? No, he didn’t.”
“Whatever. Even if he wasn’t crushing on you, he and JoAnne got it on in very heterosexual ways.”
“When?”
“I don’t know…junior or senior year. Maybe both.”
“Where was I for all of that?”
“Probably off with your boyfriend du jour. It wasn’t as if JoJo and Cliff were dating or anything. It was just a couple of random hookups. I actually had the impression that unless they were making out, they couldn’t even stand each other.”
Trish laid her pillow on the sofa and gathered her sheets into a ball. “I sure wish someone would’ve enlightened me before I set him up on a blind date with James from the gym.”
“You didn’t!”
Trish laughed. “I totally did.” She went on to tell the whole story.
While she listened, Lyssa grabbed the sheet and folded it into a neat, drill sergeant-approved square. Then she moved to the small kitchen to clean up their breakfast things.
Trish followed her over. When she finished her tale, she leaned a hip against the counter and folded her arms. Fixing her friend with a curious stare, she said, “I don’t remember you being such a clutter-phobe. Would it kill you to leave a dirty dish on the counter?”
Lyssa looked around at the gleaming kitchen. “We like it neat, and if I don’t do it now, Hayden’ll do it before he lets himself sit down to relax. That hardly seems fair after he’s been at work all day.”
“Okay, nineteen-fifties housewife.”
“Shut it, nineteen-seventies independent, hear-me-roar woman.” Lyssa’s eyes trailed over to the microwave. “Yikes. It’s already almost one. I told Hayden we’d meet him for happy hour by five thirty. Our dinner reservation is at eight so we’ll be there for sunset over the harbor. Or as they say around here, the haahbah. ”
Trish only half heard anything after sunset . Her mind was back on the Chicago rooftop with Adam.
“He was that good, huh?”
Trish’s eyes snapped to Lyssa.
Trish’s eyes roved over the bright, polished space. “I don’t see any of your stuff here.”
“That shelf of books is mine.” Lyssa pointed at the bookcase between two windows. “And I’ve got a lot of junk in the bedroom. Hayden had the place fully decked out by the time I got here, and my garage-sale chic clashes with his urban minimalistic.”
“It’s your place, too. You should be allowed to redecorate if you want.”
Lyssa shrugged. “The bones of the place are more in line with his style, anyhow.”
Trish regarded her friend with more scrutinizing eyes. “As much as I like it, it’s missing the coziness of your apartment in Lincoln Park. Are you comfortable here?”
Lyssa’s shoulders rose sharply and slowly lowered as she let out a long sigh. “It’s not home yet. I still feel like a visitor.”
“Well, that’s the problem—this place was Hayden’s for a year before you moved in. You two should find a new place you pick out together so it’ll feel like it belongs to both of you.”
Lyssa wagged her head back and forth. “The thought crossed my mind, but this is close to his work, and it is his place. I’m freeloading until I get through my two-year program, so I’m not going to suggest he give up this apartment that he loves so much.”
Trish didn’t pursue it. If her friend was willing to sacrifice her own sense of home to be with a man, that was her decision. “What’ll the commute to campus be like?”
“Not bad. I can catch a couple of trains that’ll get me there in about thirty minutes. I was thinking I could show you around BU tomorrow.”
“That’d be great. Speaking of college, I haven’t told you my major discovery about our ol’ buddy from Iowa—Cliff’s not gay.”
Lyssa lowered her mug to a coaster on the glass-topped coffee table. “Who said he was?”
Trish’s forehead pinched. “Didn’t you think he was?”
“No. Were you really that oblivious? He had a thing for you back then.”
“What? No, he didn’t.”
“Whatever. Even if he wasn’t crushing on you, he and JoAnne got it on in very heterosexual ways.”
“When?”
“I don’t know…junior or senior year. Maybe both.”
“Where was I for all of that?”
“Probably off with your boyfriend du jour. It wasn’t as if JoJo and Cliff were dating or anything. It was just a couple of random hookups. I actually had the impression that unless they were making out, they couldn’t even stand each other.”
Trish laid her pillow on the sofa and gathered her sheets into a ball. “I sure wish someone would’ve enlightened me before I set him up on a blind date with James from the gym.”
“You didn’t!”
Trish laughed. “I totally did.” She went on to tell the whole story.
While she listened, Lyssa grabbed the sheet and folded it into a neat, drill sergeant-approved square. Then she moved to the small kitchen to clean up their breakfast things.
Trish followed her over. When she finished her tale, she leaned a hip against the counter and folded her arms. Fixing her friend with a curious stare, she said, “I don’t remember you being such a clutter-phobe. Would it kill you to leave a dirty dish on the counter?”
Lyssa looked around at the gleaming kitchen. “We like it neat, and if I don’t do it now, Hayden’ll do it before he lets himself sit down to relax. That hardly seems fair after he’s been at work all day.”
“Okay, nineteen-fifties housewife.”
“Shut it, nineteen-seventies independent, hear-me-roar woman.” Lyssa’s eyes trailed over to the microwave. “Yikes. It’s already almost one. I told Hayden we’d meet him for happy hour by five thirty. Our dinner reservation is at eight so we’ll be there for sunset over the harbor. Or as they say around here, the haahbah. ”
Trish only half heard anything after sunset . Her mind was back on the Chicago rooftop with Adam.
“He was that good, huh?”
Trish’s eyes snapped to Lyssa.
Similar Books
