Roommate by Sarina Bowen & Heart Eyes Press LGBTQ

Author:Sarina Bowen & Heart Eyes Press LGBTQ [Bowen, Sarina & LGBTQ, Heart Eyes Press]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tuxbury Publishing LLC
Published: 2021-01-11T18:30:00+00:00

Kieran

“Whoops, no. The lunch special is a spinach and feta turnover,” Roderick says from several feet below me.

“Wait, really?” I’m standing on a stool, chalk in hand, trying to write the daily specials on the board. “I thought you were doing ham and cheese croissants?”

“Last-minute change,” he says. “Audrey brought in a whole lot of spinach, and I wanted to use that first.”

“Okay. Sure.” I use my fist to wipe off the word ham, but it smears. “I can’t work under these conditions. Would you mind tossing me a damp rag?”

Chuckling, Roderick grabs the bar towel and tosses it up to me. “Just pivot, like Jared. Okay?”

Despite my unsteady position on the stool, I laugh at his reference to a funny scene from Silicon Valley. “So I’m Jared, now?” I guess it fits. Jared’s an outsider always trying to fit in.

“We’re all Jared,” Roderick says. “I guess I’m Erlich Bachman—not very self-aware. Always trying to get people to like him.”

They do, though, I think to myself. Everyone likes Roddy, even me. Especially me. But I don’t say this out loud. “Anything more to add before I get down from here?”

“Um.” Roderick strokes his perfect chin, and it makes me want to jump off this stool and stroke it for him. Time hasn’t dulled my attraction for him, and I don’t know what to do about that. There doesn’t seem to be anything to do, except look around for some other guy who cranks my engine the way he does.

Except I don’t want another guy. I want this one right here.

“Okay, can you add this? ‘Now taking orders for holiday cookies and pies.’”

“Sure. Not cakes?” I start on the letters in a new shade of chalk.

“I don’t know how to decorate cakes,” Roderick says.

“That wouldn’t stop the guys on Silicon Valley.” Our TV habit is totally a thing now. On the nights when I come home early enough, we always watch a couple of episodes together.

“Which character am I?” Zara asks, emerging from the kitchen.

“You’re Monica,” I say without hesitation. “She’s sharp and doesn’t take any bullshit from anyone.”

“Is she hot?” Zara asks, sliding a tray of muffins into the case.

“Very,” Roderick assures her. “I should get the bagels into the water bath.” He ducks into the kitchen.

“Very nice,” Zara says, inspecting my work on the board.

“Thanks. It’s just a couple of additions.”

“No, I mean…” She drops her voice. “You seem happy enough with Roderick around. I’m glad that worked out.”

My neck gets instantly hot. “Yeah, it’s fine. He’s all right.”

“Good.”

Luckily, I’m saved from this conversation by two new customers walking into the cafe. The morning rush is about to kick in. I can feel it.

I make someone a skim-milk mocha, and then the door opens again and four more people enter. Zara and I handle the rush together, filling orders on autopilot. Roderick steps out of the kitchen with a new batch of bagels, and I actually sense him before I see him. All he does is slide the platter onto the counter and walk away.

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