“You did good today, Landry,” Daisy tells me as we reach the house.
I huff. “I didn’t know I was being graded.”
She cringes. “Sorry, I need to do a better job of thinking about what I say before I say it. You know my family’s very … open with their thoughts and feelings.”
“Yeah,” I retort.
“And they’re sort of all I’ve ever had, so that doesn’t leave me with a lot of experience in socialization.”
“Right.” I already hate having to feel this guilty all the time. “Daisy, no offense, but I’m not sure this roommate arrangement is going to work out.”
Her shoulders droop as soon as the words leave my mouth. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to be helpful.”
I groan and run my fingers through my hair. “I know. And that’s why we can’t live together. Neither of us understands how to read a room. And if you’re going to keep saying stuff that annoys me, I’m going to keep hurting your feelings.”
“But I’m a fast learner, remember? I’m sure I’ll pick up on what not to say after a while. And I can develop thicker skin. We can make it work.” Then she turns her doe eyes to mine. “I promise.”
“You can’t really think putting up with me is going to be worth the taxi service,” I grind out, trying desperately to resist her pleading.
“This is my one and only chance to make it on my own. I’ll never prove to my parents that I don’t need them smothering me to survive if I have to go crawling back before the first month is up.”
She’s added a trembling lip now, and fluttery eyelashes.Dammit.
“You’re not technically doing it on your own if you need me around,” I grumble, holding on to my resolve.
“You’ll just be my safety net, right? I won’t bother you unless I really have to, besides getting a ride now and then.”
I turn away. I don’t believe that for a second.
She sighs wearily. “I understand if you don’t want to live with me, though. And I’ll manage alone.”
“Oh, will you?” I pose.
Her expression shifts. “I spoke to JD earlier. He said he’d be more than happy to pick me up in the mornings on his way to school,” she declares with a smug smile.
My own face hardens. “You’re bluffing.”
“Am I?” she chirps, batting her eyelashes again.
I growl.
“What exactly do you have against JD anyway?” she asks, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Long story,” I grunt.
“We’d have plenty of time for long stories if we were having slumber parties every night. Or you could tell me about it over your morning coffee.” She’s grinning now, confident in her victory.
“If I talk more, will you talk less?” I don’t deliver the line with as much sarcasm as usual though, probably because of the effort it’s taking me not to smile.
“Probably not,” she replies. “But I’ll do my best to wait until the caffeine kicks in before I start.”
I can’t help it when a laugh escapes. “Fine.”
“Thank you, Landry,” she drawls sweetly and surprises me by climbing onto her knees and leaning over to press a kiss to my cheek. I turn in time to see the way she rolls her lips in as she sits back, almost looking embarrassed. “Sorry. That’s probably?—”
“I don’t like being touched.”
She nods quickly. “Got it.”
