The Roommate, Kiersten Modglin [best books for 20 year olds .txt] 📗

order for an hour before. Then, I picked up an extra case of beer and headed back across town toward the apartment.

When I got home, I heard his shower going. He was singing loudly to a song in what sounded like Spanish, and I hurriedly set out dinner and beers, changed out of my work clothes, and sat down on the couch. I was still there when he emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, hair wet and dressed in his pajama bottoms and a T-shirt.

He looked over what I'd done and grinned slowly, as if he were beginning to understand. "What is all this?"

I looked over my shoulder at him then turned around, resting my arm on the back of the couch. "I wanted to say thanks for what you did today."

“You already said thanks.”

“Well, I wanted to do something else.”

"Oh," he waved me off, "you didn’t need to do that. I told you, it’s what friends are for."

"I know, but it's important to me that I thank you. You really saved the day today. Not only with Stewart, but for Oliver. It was…it was really nice. I got short with you yesterday after work, and I didn't deserve a favor after the way I acted. But Oliver really did deserve to keep his job, so thank you for helping him out."

"I told you, I was happy to help. Now, if your boss’s car goes out, you’ll have to make a new friend. But as far as computers go, I’m your guy."

I laughed along with him, to which he seemed pleased.

"Seriously, you've done so much for me, Elias. And…I haven't been as good a friend as I want to be. I'm sorry for that."

"You don't need to apologize," he said, running a hand over his hair. "Seriously. We're good. I like helping you." There it was again, that phrase that sent chills down my spine this morning. Still, it didn't sit right with me. "So, what did you get us?"

"Burgers and fries from Jack Brown's. I picked up some extra beer, too. And I was thinking you could teach me how to play that video game you were playing last night."

"Oh, that?" he asked, though he obviously couldn't hide his excitement. "I don’t know… Are you sure you're really into that sort of thing? I thought you didn’t like video games."

"Yeah," I said, trying to sound much more into that sort of thing than I was. "But I thought you were going to try to change my mind."

"I’m happy to teach you, Wes, but you have to respect the game. It’s serious business, not some little kiddy game like you might think."

"I didn’t think it was a kid’s game, Elias. There were bodies all over the—" Shit.

Kid’s game.

Kid.

My kid.

I was supposed to be having dinner with my kid.

"What is it?" He read my panicked expression.

"I'm so sorry." I closed my to-go box and leapt from the couch, glancing at the watch on my wrist as I rushed to the counter and picked up my keys and phone. “I can’t…” I checked the time again. I had half an hour to get across town before it would be time for dinner to be ready. Shit. Shit. Shit. "I'm so sorry, Elias. I have to go."

"Go? Go where? I thought we were going to play the game? What, are you worried about getting your ass kicked?" he taunted, but it was futile as I was already making my way toward the door.

"I know. I completely forgot I have a thing. I'm supposed to be having dinner with my daughter, and I swore to my wife I wouldn't miss it or be late, which is exactly what's happening right now. Where are my keys?" I shouted to no one in particular.

"Your hand." He pointed to the keys held in my palm.

I looked at them. "Right. Shoot. Sorry. Okay. I have to go. God, I'm so sorry. You just…enjoy the meal. I'll be back late, but I promise I'll make it up to you. You can teach me the game the first free night I have. I swear. Tomorrow. No, tomorrow's soccer. Someday. Friday. Someday. I’ll take it seriously! Okay. Okay, I've gotta go." I shut the door like a gust of wind, leaving Elias standing alone and looking utterly confused as I rushed down the stairs, not realizing I hadn't even slipped on shoes until I was already in the parking garage.

Chapter Eleven

I made it to the house half an hour late, relieved to see that Addy wasn’t home. She wasn’t supposed to be, I knew. That was the whole point. But the entire way over, I’d driven with a nagging sense of dread that said I’d be met in the driveway by my wife, tapping the toe of her polished high heel into the concrete.

My anxiety hadn’t totally subsided, though, as I knew Rory could still let her mom know I’d failed the very first test. It wasn't my fault, but that didn’t matter. It never mattered.

The day's events had been so exhausting and distracting, it was a miracle I'd remembered at all, but I could never tell Addy that. As I stepped out of the car, I couldn't get the devastated look on Elias' face as I walked out of the apartment from my head. Every time I closed my eyes, there it was. I couldn't bear to add Addy's disappointment to the mix.

I grabbed my bag of dirty laundry that had been in my trunk from the motel and the to-go box from the front seat and headed up the sidewalk toward the house. The door was locked when I arrived, and though I'd promised Addy I'd treat the house with respect and not walk in or use my key rather than knock and be let in, I decided to make an exception at that point. If I could just walk in, there was a good chance Rory wouldn't even know I hadn't made it there on