“Okay. And that email said you can clear your room today. I can help with that if you’d like.”
“I won’t need it. I don’t have much, but thank you.”
“Sounds good,” I say. “I’ll swing by in a few hours to pick you up?”
Callum nods. “Sure. I’ll text you.”
Everything in me is telling me to give him a hug, but knowing him, he’d probably try to pay me for it, so I don’t, settling for a clap to his shoulder instead. “Awesome. I’ll head out and set my place up.”
I give him a fist bump before leaving, shivering as I make the short, frigid walk back to my place.
“I’m not being too much, am I?” I wonder out loud to myself. I don’t think of an easy reply to my own speculation, so I decide to weigh both sides.
He’s my friend. I get along well with him. He’s in need, and I'd do this foranyof my friends.
On the flip side, I’ve known him for a month, and he’s the very definitionof walking, talking temptation. I’ve been able to keep my head on mostly straight, but this is different. He’s gonna be living with me, maybe for months.
I let out a deep sigh as I climb the steps to my apartment. Yes, Callum is attractive, but above everything else, he’s my friend. I can keep myself in check, and I’m gonna give him the privacy he’ll want and need.
That’s how I find myself rotating a bookshelf to make a barrier between the dining area and the couch. If I leave the hallway closet door open, the living room is completely blocked off.
I drag the coffee table into the middle of the room and then unfold the couch. I got a fold-out so that friends could crash if needed, and I’m feeling pretty vindicated by that decision right now.
That’s a mini-workout by itself, so I take a quick shower before putting the final touches on the makeshift bedroom—sheets, pillow, blankets, and a spare phone charger. No sooner than I’ve finished, Callum texts me to say that he’s finished packing. I guess he wasn’t kidding about not having a lot of stuff.
Callum has one backpack and a plastic container provided by admin.
That’sit.
I’m standing on the sidewalk outside his barricaded dorm, trying not to think about how this man survives. Yes, I know my consumption habits verge on maximalism, but the container isn’t big enough to hold more than a week’s worth of clothes. I wouldn’t be surprised if it rattles when he starts walking.
It doesn’t, but then again, his clothes could be padding things.
“Here, let me load the car. Make yourself comfortable,” I say after a few seconds, gesturing to the passenger door.
He doesn’t object, handing me the container and settling into the passenger seat. He must be exhausted.
Yup, I’m right—he’s already snoozing when I get in next to him. I flip on electric mode so it’s quiet on the short drive back to my place.
Or is itourplace now?
It’s our place. Fuck, living alone can suck ass sometimes.
Hardly anyone else is on the road, so it’s smooth sailing. Callum stays dead to the world, at least until my backup camera beeps at me for parking too close to the wall.
He stirs, blinking those willpower-melting eyes. “Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, shit. Sorry.”
Wait. Did he?—
He saidshit. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him swear before.
I willnotmake a big deal about it.
“Don’t apologize. Let’s get you moved in.” I walk around to the passenger door and open it for Callum before he has a chance to unbuckle himself, and I extend a hand to help his lethargic ass out.
