“In that case, I’m throwing the competition,” he yells after me.
I tip my head back and laugh, marveling at how good my life is right now.
25
Taya
“Is that fire?”
Bevan points to one of the boy’s burners, and sure enough, boiling water is pouring out of the stove and onto the kitchen floor.
“Oh, fuck!” Callum runs to the stove and flicks off the gas, fanning the boiling pot with his hands.
“Yeah, that’ll work.” I hear Austin chuckle from where he’s chopping carrots at the cutting board.
“Do they get points deducted for almost burning down the house?” Amelie taps her chin.
“This isn’t a gymnastics meet, Ams.” Scott laughs, not helping in the slightest.
Austin is really the one running the show on the boys’ side, which is definitely a turn-on. They’re planning to make parmesan chicken wings as their appetizer, which is such a guy food. But Austin is attempting to make duck tacos for their main course, and I have to say, it smells fucking delicious. That is, if Callum doesn’t burn the pot boiling water for their Cajun mashed potatoes that are going on the side.
The whole atmosphere in our house is giddy, everyone is into the competition, and there is no drama going on between us roommates at the moment. It’s one of those peaceful times where all I can think is, life is good.
I’m chopping the apples for our brie bake when I hear him.
“Blame it all on my roots!”
Austin’s random outburst of song has us all turning to face him, and Scott just starts laughing. It’s so out of character for my guy, the call for attention whether he realizes it as that or not. Austin is usually pretty quiet and lets his looks or aura do the talking. People are naturally drawn to him, and I’ve learned he’s actually pretty shy and reserved.
But him busting out in a Garth Brooks’ tune is shocking and also pretty damn sexy.
“I showed up in boots!” Amelie continues, smiling at the guy who has captured my heart.
It’s one thing to be falling in love with a guy. It’s another thing entirely when your friends also accept him and bring them into their inner circle. That’s what tonight feels like, and the smile on my face is so wide it starts to hurt my cheeks.
“And ruined your black-tie affair,” Scott, Callum, and Austin all sing together.
There is also something downright hot about three hulking males cooking and singing an old country tune. Completely domestic, effortlessly handsome, and I get a front row seat.
“The last one to know, the last one to show, I was the last one you thought you’d see there!” I contribute, my pipes a little rusty.
We all join in, besides Bevan, who hates country music, and start to belt out the lyrics. Everyone is shaking their hips, walking around the kitchen checking on our dishes, and the whole atmosphere makes me want to weep. It’s one of those special moments that I want to soak in, because I know it will be a golden memory when I play it back in my head years from now.
When it gets to the chorus, I wrap an arm around Bevan’s neck and shake her until she sings.
“’Cause I’ve got friends in low places, where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away,” I sing in her ear, and she finally rolls her eyes and jumps in.
Scott grabs a bottle of whiskey from the counter and begins to pour shots.
The whole thing is comical and perfect in the best way possible, and our little family sing-a-long is a scene out of a movie. These are the moments in life that I wish I could capture on a loop and carry with me in my back pocket.
In the end, the girls win the cooking competition, though the whole meal is delicious. And I win the best prize of all, because Austin is waiting for me in bed after I washed my face and took the day off.
Oh, and he was completely naked.
26
Austin
Gio, Brian, and Evan’s living room is so dirty, I can barely find an open space to sit on the couch.
“You guys are gross,” I complain, so happy I decided not to live here.
There’s something to be said about living in a house that’s half made up of women because a certain standard existed.
Brian shrugs. “No one who comes over seems to mind.”
“Oh, believe me, they mind. They just see a football player and don’t say anything.” The girls who come around Brian are usually jersey groupies looking for one thing.
“Yo, Vanny!” Gio daps me up, walking into their living room and plopping down.
I’ve missed these guys since I’ve been spending so much time at my own house.
Another week has passed, and Taya and I have been together for about a month or so. We haven’t had the conversation about whether or not we’re exclusive, about whether or not she is my girlfriend and I am her boyfriend. It seems dumb, honestly, like we’re in middle school or something. I think she’s smart enough to know that I’m not interested or sleeping with anyone else, and I know the same when it comes to her.
Plus, I wouldn’t say I’m avoiding having a conversation about being a couple, but I’m glad Taya isn’t pushing it. With each passing day, and as the clock winds down to graduation, my anxiety ramps up. I have no idea what decisions I’m going to make, nor do I have a plan on how to decide. I feel like, when it comes to my career and future and relationship, I’m going to spin around at the last second with my eyes closed and see where my finger lands. Which is a horrible plan, but I can’t bring myself to disappoint whole groups of people. It’s the way I’m conditioned and have been since my father sunk his claws into me at birth.
“Haven’t seen you around, dude.” Evan is playing FIFA on the couch and barely waves.
“I know, sorry, guys. I, uh, haven’t been down to the bars lately.” I scratch the back of my neck.
“Because he’s too busy getting pussy in his own damn house.” Brian snorts, winking at me.
“Hey, hey, don’t say it that way.” Taya is so much more than pussy. Just saying the word like she’s some hot hook up, which she was, degrades what we have.
“Sorry, sorry.” He lifts his hands like a white flag.
“Yeah, that’s his girl,” Gio says, popping some chips in his mouth.
“You? A girlfriend? I’m kind of shocked.” Brian looks like he might pick up a pile of random trash but then sits back down.
I don’t correct him on the term girlfriend, because I kind of like how it sounds.
“Well, it was actually a non-starter for a little while there,” I hedge, knowing I haven’t really explained this to the guys yet.
“What do you mean?” Evan doesn’t look up from the TV, but I know he’s listening.
I haven’t told anyone this up until now, and it feels like I’m gossiping about Taya or something. But these are my friends, and with the thoughts I’ve had recently, I need an outside opinion. Maybe they’ll just think it’s a funny story.
“I’ve told you guys about what my family is like … like, who they are in my hometown?”