room, and I turned back to look at Patrick, who shook his head.
“I have no idea what’s happening,” I muttered.
“Looks like you got a new roommate.”
“And a cat.”
He smiled. “And a cat.”
“Just what I never wanted.”
As if on cue, a very fat, very fancy black cat strutted out of Lily’s room, sizing Patrick and I up with judgy, green eyes. His fur was black, though his paws and chest were white with a black marking just under his neck, which made him look like he was wearing a tuxedo. He hopped up on the table and sat, wrapping his fluffy black tail around his paws.
I reached out to scratch his neck. “Hello, there, Valentino.”
He lifted his jaw, looking away with a meow, giving me his permission to pet him.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “This cat is fancy as fuck.”
Valentino looked less than impressed at the likes of Patrick and me.
Patrick padded into the kitchen to make coffee, and I sat down at the table, feeling overwhelmed.
I ran my hand down Valentino’s silky back, and he arched his spine into my palm as I watched Patrick pouring the water in the tank, putting in the filter, pouring in the grounds, all while bugging the fuck out.
I’d just woken up in Patrick Evans’ arms.
Those were words I never thought I’d utter again, even if only in my mind.
I couldn’t remember how it happened, if he’d fallen asleep first or if I had. It was just like it used to be, the two of us wound together — we always slept like that, before . Part of me wondered if he’d planned it, wondered if he was fucking with me or something. But I watched him, standing in my apartment, looking like he belonged there, making coffee like he used to, making me feel like I used to. Making it harder to keep my feelings in check.
He hurt you, Rose. Don’t forget that.
The truth of the matter was that it meant nothing. It didn’t change the fact that we weren’t together. It didn’t change anything that had happened between us. It didn’t mean he was forgiven, or that I was wanted.
It didn’t change anything.
There was only one solution: to pretend it didn’t happen.
So instead of dealing, I’d throw myself into planning Ellie’s day.
I got up and made my way to the couch, digging through the cushions until I found my phone to text Maggie.
Hey, hope it’s not too early to message on a Saturday, but I just had my cousin drop in unexpectedly, and I was wondering if you still had your sightseeing list?
She texted back a minute or so later as Patrick took a seat next to me, setting my cup of coffee on the table in front of me.
Hey, no worries, we’re up. I have the list, or if y’all want, I can come with. Just let me know!
I sighed, relieved. “Thank God for Maggie.” That would be so great. Maybe we can meet at Genie’s and put together a plan?
Sounds good. I’ll head that way.
“Hey, Ellie,” I called into the other room, “you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“All right.” I pulled up Lily’s name in my texts and invited her too, then exchanged my phone for the coffee, sitting back on the couch with another sigh.
Next to Patrick.
He yawned, which made me yawn.
I sipped my coffee feeling squirrelly and tired and confused, repeating to myself that nothing had changed, nothing had changed, nothing had changed. I felt him watching me and looked over, meeting his gaze.
Time seemed to slow down. I don’t know what it was … something in his eyes that called to me, something that scared me. Because if he’d asked me anything in that moment, I would have said yes.
Ellie walked in, and our heads swung around to look at her. She smiled like she’d just caught us doing something more than sitting in a quiet room together. “So, breakfast?”
“Yeah,” I said as I hauled myself off the couch. “Give me five minutes to get ready.” And I hurried out of the room, wishing I could erase him from my heart so easily.
Patrick
I parted ways with Ellie
“I have no idea what’s happening,” I muttered.
“Looks like you got a new roommate.”
“And a cat.”
He smiled. “And a cat.”
“Just what I never wanted.”
As if on cue, a very fat, very fancy black cat strutted out of Lily’s room, sizing Patrick and I up with judgy, green eyes. His fur was black, though his paws and chest were white with a black marking just under his neck, which made him look like he was wearing a tuxedo. He hopped up on the table and sat, wrapping his fluffy black tail around his paws.
I reached out to scratch his neck. “Hello, there, Valentino.”
He lifted his jaw, looking away with a meow, giving me his permission to pet him.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “This cat is fancy as fuck.”
Valentino looked less than impressed at the likes of Patrick and me.
Patrick padded into the kitchen to make coffee, and I sat down at the table, feeling overwhelmed.
I ran my hand down Valentino’s silky back, and he arched his spine into my palm as I watched Patrick pouring the water in the tank, putting in the filter, pouring in the grounds, all while bugging the fuck out.
I’d just woken up in Patrick Evans’ arms.
Those were words I never thought I’d utter again, even if only in my mind.
I couldn’t remember how it happened, if he’d fallen asleep first or if I had. It was just like it used to be, the two of us wound together — we always slept like that, before . Part of me wondered if he’d planned it, wondered if he was fucking with me or something. But I watched him, standing in my apartment, looking like he belonged there, making coffee like he used to, making me feel like I used to. Making it harder to keep my feelings in check.
He hurt you, Rose. Don’t forget that.
The truth of the matter was that it meant nothing. It didn’t change the fact that we weren’t together. It didn’t change anything that had happened between us. It didn’t mean he was forgiven, or that I was wanted.
It didn’t change anything.
There was only one solution: to pretend it didn’t happen.
So instead of dealing, I’d throw myself into planning Ellie’s day.
I got up and made my way to the couch, digging through the cushions until I found my phone to text Maggie.
Hey, hope it’s not too early to message on a Saturday, but I just had my cousin drop in unexpectedly, and I was wondering if you still had your sightseeing list?
She texted back a minute or so later as Patrick took a seat next to me, setting my cup of coffee on the table in front of me.
Hey, no worries, we’re up. I have the list, or if y’all want, I can come with. Just let me know!
I sighed, relieved. “Thank God for Maggie.” That would be so great. Maybe we can meet at Genie’s and put together a plan?
Sounds good. I’ll head that way.
“Hey, Ellie,” I called into the other room, “you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“All right.” I pulled up Lily’s name in my texts and invited her too, then exchanged my phone for the coffee, sitting back on the couch with another sigh.
Next to Patrick.
He yawned, which made me yawn.
I sipped my coffee feeling squirrelly and tired and confused, repeating to myself that nothing had changed, nothing had changed, nothing had changed. I felt him watching me and looked over, meeting his gaze.
Time seemed to slow down. I don’t know what it was … something in his eyes that called to me, something that scared me. Because if he’d asked me anything in that moment, I would have said yes.
Ellie walked in, and our heads swung around to look at her. She smiled like she’d just caught us doing something more than sitting in a quiet room together. “So, breakfast?”
“Yeah,” I said as I hauled myself off the couch. “Give me five minutes to get ready.” And I hurried out of the room, wishing I could erase him from my heart so easily.
Patrick
I parted ways with Ellie
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