He stared over her face, tracing a path from her eyes to her mouth and lingering. She saw his chest rise and fall faster.No, he’s into me. Right? Or am I wrong? Being wrong about this would kill our growing friendship for sure.
Xavier coughed, breaking the spell. “You’re fun to be around. I really like you.” He opened and closed his mouth, paused, then said, “I don’t want to overstay my welcome. Or become a pest. So I’ll go now.” He slowly walked to her and gave her a half hug, not full body contact but shared warmth all the same. He quickly pulled back. “See you later.”
She watched him leave, her knees weak, and had no idea why him leaving without a full hug, or even better, a kiss, made her want to cry.
After runninginto Justine only a few times during the week, by the following Friday, Xavier felt as if he’d gotten a handle on his feelings for his upstairs neighbor. A sweet, funny, yet harried woman, Justine didn’t have time for a man in her life, let alone Xavier, who was still processing his past relationship, wondering how it had all gone so horribly wrong.
They way they all seemed to.
To his surprise, his ex had left him a message about getting together to piece through everything, needing “closure.” But he didn’t think that was Christine’s true intent, so he hadn’t calledher back. They’d had closure over a month ago and hadn’t spoken in weeks. Just what the hell else could he do for her?
Plus, lately, his thoughts had been occupied by the gorgeous brunette doing her best to handle an unhappy work life while navigating rocky family dynamics. He really felt for her, but she hadn’t asked for his advice, so he was doing his best to keep his thoughts to himself. Plus, he had a feeling she’d been avoiding him, which made him wonder if he’d made a mistake being so free with his opinions last Friday.
Xavier sighed and continued to watch the clock, waiting on his mother to show up for a home-cooked Friday brunch. She didn’t usually make him wait, always early for everything. So when she still hadn’t answered his texts ten minutes later, he grabbed his keys and left the apartment to find her.
He heard her talking to someone in the courtyard and paused at the mouth of the hallway.
His mother was laughing with an equally animated Top. The usually taciturn guy wore a smile and seemed a lot more at ease than he normally was. And Cynthia chatted as if she and Top were best friends, her smile warm, her tone a little...flirty?
No, no. Definitely not. When he took a step out from the stairwell toward them, Top turned, saw him, and assumed his usual mien. That of serial killer meets prison warden.
“Mom, where have you been?” Xavier gave her a hug and a kiss. “Hey, Top. What’s up?”
“Just talking to your mom.” He glanced from Cynthia to Xavier and shook his head. “Still hard to believe you have grown kids, Cynthia. Unless you had them when you were twelve.”
Xavier’s mom blushed. “Oh you.”
Top gave her a warm smile, glared at Xavier for no reason whatsoever, then waved. “Gotta get back to work. Nice meeting you.”
“You too. Are you sure you don’t want to join us for brunch upstairs?”
Top quickly walked away and shot over his shoulder, “Sorry, too much to do today.”
Conscious they waited until Top had departed out of sight, Xavier frowned at the bag his mother carried. “Are these groceries? I told you I was making you brunch today.”
“I just brought some fruit for fruit salad.” She continued to look at where Top had disappeared. “What a nice man.”
“Top?Nice?”
She frowned at him. “He was extremely polite. I met him on the street while parking, and he was kind enough to let me in.”
“Really? Because he always makes us use our keycards or the keypad to enter. And heknowswe live here.”
“I told him I was coming up to see you, and we got to talking. Did you know Max used to live in Oregon? Right near where your father and I spent a few years in the central part of the state.”
“Small world.” Max? He hadn’t told Cynthia to call him Top? “But you’re late. You’re never late.”
She flushed as they went to the elevator he normally avoided, sticking to a routine of using the stairs all the time. “I’m sorry. I lost track of time when we were talking. And I couldn’t get to my phone buried in my purse.”
“What is it you always like to tell me? Excuses are like assholes—everyone has them.”
“Oh stop it. I’m a little late. Get over it.” Her lips quirked. “But that is a winning line, isn’t it?”
He chuckled. “Totally. I’m telling Auggie you were late.”
“Please don’t. That girl loves having something to hold over my head.” She shot him a sly glance. “But as I understand it, you’ve been keeping secrets, Xavier. You said Justine was just a friend. I hear she’s more than that.”
He groaned. They reached his floor and finally entered the apartment. “Auggie doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I already told you. Justine’s a very nice woman, and we get along. That’s it.” That’s all there should be between them, at least. Friendship.
