Chapter 5

Krysten

I breathe a sigh of relief that he’s gone by the time I get up on Monday morning. After tiptoeing around each other all weekend, and two nights in a row, I finally slept long and deep. Not that our time together has been bad. We’ve had fun, watching Christmas movies, going for walks through downtown Wilmington, shopping at the local holiday fair. It’s been nice, relaxing, and restful, except for the lingering tension between us. The one that flared up to full force Friday night when Tom came this close to kissing me. And I can’t stop thinking about it.

When my phone rings, I’m thankful for the distraction. “Lilly, how are things back at home?”

“Strange and strained. Moving back home is very different from coming back for a visit.” Lilly doesn’t sound as annoyed as her words would indicate.

“I’m sure your Mom’s happy to have you home,” I say, sitting down at the kitchen table with my coffee.

“She is. When she’s not getting annoyed with me about leaving my stuff all over the place. You know how it is.”

I don’t, but I make an agreeable noise.

“How about you? How are things with our old neighbor, Tom? Still enjoying playing house?” she asks.

“It’s going okay. We made it through dinner with his boss. I think he’s getting his promotion today.”

“That’s great.”

“Uh hmmm”

“What aren’t you telling me?” Lilly asks.

“We had this moment after they left. I don’t know. I think I’m reading too much into it.” I shrug, knowing full well she can’t see me.

“O.M.G. Are you falling for the guy? Like really falling for him, not just having that little crush from afar that you’ve had since the first time you saw him?” Lilly’s voice rises. I can practically hear her bouncing in her seat.

“I don’t know. There was something. I thought he was going to kiss me, and then nothing.”

“What happened?”

“He turned around and went to bed.” As had I. Not that I’d slept much that night.

“And neither one of you said anything about it since?” she asked.

“No.” I shake my head.

“Any signs that he’s interested in more than a temporary roommate situation?”

“I don’t think so. I mean, we had fun this weekend, watched a couple of movies and stuff, but mostly, we’ve been staying out of each other’s way.” We’d tiptoed around each other all weekend, and the tension was definitely still there.

“You should tell him. Or better yet, grab him and plant one on him. He’ll get the idea.”

I bark out a laugh at her brazen idea. “Right. That’ll go over well. You forget that I’m dependent on him for a roof over my head right now. It’s too risky.”

“I’m gonna have to call you out on that one. You’re scared of rejection, not eviction. And even if he did ask you to leave, which for the record, he won’t, you have places you can go. Friends. Your dad.”

The doorbell rings, and I breathe out a sigh of relief that I’m getting out of this conversation. “I have to go. Someone’s at the door.”

“Think about it. And take action. If you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life,” Lilly says, firing the words at me before I can hang up.

“I’m Stephanie, Tom’s sister. And you are?” The tall woman with bleached-blonde hair, wearing a smart pants suit, stands in front of me, hand on her hip, holding an expensive-looking purse in the other.

“I’m Krysten. Tom isn’t here. I’ll tell him you stopped by.” I close the door, but Stephanie takes a step forward and stops me.

“Krysten who? More importantly, why are you here, and what are you to my brother?” Stephanie brushes past me and walks into the living room. “Nice tree.”

“Thank you. Excuse me for a moment. Phone call.” I pull my silent mobile out of my back pocket and rush into the hall bathroom, locking the door behind me.

“Tom. Do you have a sister named Stephanie? Tall, blonde, well dressed?” I blurt out the second he answers the phone.

“I do. Why?”

“Because she just waltzed in the door and wanted to know who I am and what I’m doing here. What do I tell her?” My words come out fast, but not nearly as fast as my heart is beating in my chest.

“What is she ... Never mind. Let me think.”

“Think quickly,” I beg, keeping my voice low. I can hear Stephanie pacing her in her high heels across the restored wooden floors of the living room.

“How about this? Tell her we’re roommates. I decided to get some help with the bills. Keep it casual and tell her as little as possible. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Tom hangs up before I get a chance to ask any follow-up questions.

I flush the toilet and wash my hands to buy myself a couple more minutes. Then I head back into the lion’s den.

Stephanie looks stern, intimidating. Nothing like her brother. Not that Tom is a pushover or anything, but he exudes kindness. Always has.

“Tom is on his way. Can I get you something to drink? Cup of coffee,” I say before she can ask me more questions I don’t know how to answer.

“Coffee would be great. So you and my brother?” She follows me into the kitchen and takes the cup I hand her.

“We’re roommates. I used to live next door and needed a place to stay. He was looking for someone to help out. You know, bills and stuff.” I read somewhere that the most convincing lies are those that stick as close to the truth as possible.

“You’re his roommate? Right.” Stephanie takes a seat on a bar stool, and I stay on the other side of the counter. “I’m not buying it. Tom doesn’t need help to pay the mortgage on this place. If he even took one out.”

“I don’t know the full story, but I believe he’d planned to move in here with his future wife. The place is kinda big for one person.” I pour myself another cup of coffee, not that I need the caffeine. The adrenaline pumping through my system is stimulant enough.

“Right. That was something else. Canceling everything the night before the wedding?” Stephanie shakes her head.

“The night before?” The words are out of my mouth before I realize what I’ve said.

“He didn’t tell you? I guess he wouldn’t share that with a roommate. Forget I said anything.” Stephanie sets her cup down and studies me carefully. “Tell me about yourself, Krysten. You used to live next door?”

We chat, and I somehow manage to hide the fact that I’m here because I’m currently unemployed and would otherwise be homeless. Instead, we talk about my experience in office management, my friend Lilly and the reason I had to move, and finally the Christmas decorations when Tom walks in the door.

“Tom, there you are. Your so-called roommate kept me entertained. She has an eye for design, I give her that. This place needed a female touch.” Stephanie rises and embraces her brother, leaving a lipstick smudge on his cheek that bothers me.

“Krysten is my roommate. Nothing more. She needed a place to stay. I was looking for a renter. I don’t know what you’re trying to insinuate.” Tom steps into the kitchen, taking a position beside me.

Stephanie looks at each of us in turn. “Right. You just happen to find an attractive young woman to share your home with. How’d she talk you into this, and how much rent is she paying you? “

“That’s none of your business. And I don’t appreciate you insinuating that there’s anything going on between us. Because there isn’t.” Tom glares at his sister.

I’m stunned he’s standing there, verbally fighting for my honor. A knight in shining armor, coming to my rescue. Not that I need him to do that.

“I’ll leave the two of you to talk.” I walk upstairs to ponder what I’ve learned this morning. Tom doesn’t seem to be interested in making this anything more than what it is. Friends helping each other out. And that he’d come much closer to getting married than he’d let on when we’d talked before. Pretending he’d gone through with the wedding made a little more sense, but I’m more confused than ever.

I look up when I hear a soft knock on my door.

“You can come out now. She’s gone,” Tom says.

“You didn’t have to get rid of her on my account. She’s your sister, and we’re just roommates,” I reply when I open the door.

“I think we’ve gone past roommates, and whatever is or isn’t going on between us is none of her business.” He steps back and leans against the wall.

“That’s what you told her?” I ask. The man keeps throwing me for loops. I can’t get a read on him and what he may be feeling for me.

“Pretty much. That and I told her I’ll see her on Christmas Day at my parents’ house. She shouldn’t come back here between now and then.” He smiles. I’m sure it’s meant to be reassuring, but all it does is give me butterflies.

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask later that night over dinner. Tom fixed salmon and these tiny herbed potatoes that are my new favorite dish ever.

“Shoot. I’m an open book.” He raises his glass and takes a sip of water.

“Stephanie mentioned you called off the wedding the night before...”

“My sister is a blabbermouth,” he mutters under his breath.

“Then it’s true?” I ask when he doesn’t continue.

Tom keeps his eyes on his plate, shredding the salmon into tiny bits. “Yes, but it isn’t something I want to talk about.”

I get the message. His almost marriage is something he’s working through, and whatever this thing between us may have been, it’s never going to be anything other than what it is right now. A make-believe marriage with an expiration date that’s about to be up.