Fuck my life.
The last thing in the world I wanted was to have to move in with my mom. I loved her like crazy, but…she was a lot sometimes.
I knew if I asked, Jesse would let me crash on their couch, but I didn’t want to put him out either. At least Clark was letting me stay with him tonight. That would help.
I wasn’t surprised to see he lived in a posh neighborhood, with a price tag too steep for me to be able to afford it—not that I’d want to. I was happy with my life. I didn’t need all the extra stuff.
Clark had two parking spots in the underground lot, so I pulled my Honda up beside his Audi, then followed him to the stairs. So strange to think I was heading up to Clark’s apartment. I’d thought of him often over the years, but never expected to reconnect, yet after one day, there we were.
“Thank you again for letting me stay tonight. Seriously. I appreciate it, man.”
“No problem. What are friends for?” He gave me that shy Clark smile that made me feel like a chocolate-chip cookie that just got pulled from the oven.
“You might come to regret this,” I teased, but it was only one night. I had a feeling I’d drive Clark crazy if it was any longer than that.
When we got to sidewalk level, he opened the front door for me.
“Hey, Eddie,” he said to the man waiting near the main entrance in the lobby.
“Good evening, Mr. Havemeyer.”
“This is my friend Skylar.” He introduced us, and then we stood there talking to him for a moment. Clark asked about his wife and a cousin who was sick, which I thought was sweet. He spoke to the guy like a friend and not someone who watched who came and went from his unit. The thing was, it didn’t really surprise me. It felt like a very Clark thing to do.
“We should go,” Clark finally said. “It’s been a long day.” We took the elevator up and got off on the eighth floor.
“You know, now I really do feel like a rent boy. First I go for a drive in your fancy car, and now you’re taking me home for the night.” I waggled my eyebrows playfully, though I was freaking out inside. I’d had a small moment of panic earlier when Clark had hugged me, but stressing out about things wouldn’t change the situation. If Mom taught me anything, it was how to dust myself off and keep going.
His cheeks colored a slight pink as he unlocked the door. “You know it’s okay to feel upset about what happened tonight, right?”
My heart stumbled slightly. He knew me much too well for someone I hadn’t seen in twelve years. “I’m upset, sure, but it’s not gonna change anything. I just… I really hope I don’t lose my stuff. My clothes mean a lot to me. That probably sounds dumb—”
“No,” Clark interrupted. “It doesn’t.”
He led me inside, and yeah, it was definitely nice. Modern, with a lot of gray in the living room, black granite kitchen counters, and stainless-steel appliances. The walls held awesome photography everywhere I looked, with this abstract flair that screamed Clark to me. Cool, sleek lines with a little pop of something that took you by surprise, like the close-up of a row of houses on a cobblestone street, one with a bright-red door.
“Do you want something to eat? It’s been a while since lunch. I can make us something quick and easy.”
“You don’t have to feed me.”
“Well, I would feed myself too. It’s past dinnertime.”
Ugh. He was so cute in a totally not-my-type kind of way. “Okay, we’ll do it together.”
“Can I change out of your clothes first?”
“Shit. I forgot about that. I hope your stuff didn’t get messed up.”
“Sky, it’s fine. I can get you something to wear too.”
He grabbed clothes, then led me to his spare room—super nice and clean like the rest of his unit—and found me pajama bottoms and a T-shirt to put on. He gave me an unopened toothbrush and showed me where the towels, washcloths, and all that was located. Then we went into the kitchen and made homemade French fries in his air fryer and chicken-salad sandwiches. We ate at the kitchen table and chatted about random things. Afterward, he asked me if I wanted to watch a movie, and I had a feeling he only did it for me because he figured I needed a distraction.
Horror movies were my favorite. Clark indulged me, but I didn’t think he liked it all that much. When the movie was over, he stretched and said, “Maybe I should hit the sack. I have to be up early for work.”
“I should probably get up early and head out too, then.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I’m sure you don’t want some rando in your place after you’re gone.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re not a rando. I’ll leave the spare key on the counter and tell the doorman you’ll be leaving it with them.”
I nodded. It was a reminder that I didn’t have an apartment and was going to have to sleep on my mom’s couch.
“Okay…if you’re sure…” Oddly, I was feeling a little shy all of a sudden, which was definitely not me. So I kicked that shit to the curb, walked over, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for letting me stay here tonight. I appreciate it. I had fun with you today.”
“I had fun too,” Clark replied. “It was… Maybe this is weird, but it almost felt like no time had passed. We didn’t really know each other all that well, and it’s been twelve years, but it felt…”
“Natural,” I said at the same time he did. “Jinx! You owe me a Coke!” And we both started laughing like idiots. “Seriously, though. I agree. You’re not too bad, Fancy. I’m glad to have you in my life again. We’re going to have so much fun, and next time, I’m forcing you to do at least one cartwheel.” I winked and added, “Night, gorgeous,” before turning around and heading for the spare room.
I made it all the way to the door before Clark said, “Sky?”
I turned to look at him. “Yeah?”
“You should stay here.”
“Pretty sure that’s what I’m doing,” I teased.
“You know what I mean. It might not be that long. I have an empty room going to waste, and you’d have to sleep on your mom’s couch otherwise. Seriously, stay here.”
“I…” Really, really wanted to do that. Also, I really, really didn’t want to stay at Mom’s, but it was more the fact that I’d have fun staying with Clark. “I’d make you lose your shit. You saw my apartment. I’m messy. I come in late at night from work. You’re all order and responsibility while I’m chaos and party! Though I wouldn’t throw a party at your place. Cross my heart.” With my finger, I drew an X on my chest for good measure.
“You’re not that bad.” He walked over, and now we stood in the hallway in front of my door—the door. It wasn’t truly mine.
“I’m pretty bad…like, incredibly wild and crazy.”
He laughed. “Well, just know the offer is there, but if you don’t want to…”
“Um, I’d totally pretend I was Pretty Woman-ing it. It’s not that I don’t want to. I’d make all the boys in the Playground jelly.”
He laughed again. It was fun making Clark laugh. I liked it.