Riona made a very long, high-pitched noise that lasted so long she was pulling into the curb by the time it finished. Benji reached for the door, ready to tell her to forget about it.
“I mean,” she started. “It depends. Have you been through enough together?”
Benji’s hand faltered around the door handle. “What?”
Riona twisted in her seat to look at him. “Lots of couples think they’re a good match. But they haven’t been stuck in a car with them for eight hours. Or supported them through their dad dying. Or seen what they look like, sleep-deprived and covered in baby vomit. If you know you can still work through the hard times, then sure. Move in. And if it all goes to crap, you can always move out.”
Benji liked the last addition. He wanted one foot out the door at all times. It had taken him years to believe Daphne when she called him her best friend. He hadn’t started telling people he was a college student until he’d been there a year, just in case hedropped out. Benji was used to everything going wrong, the rug being pulled from under his feet the moment he got comfortable. Heneededan out.
His phone buzzed. He fished it out of his jeans pocket.
Riona asked, “What is it? You’re making a face.”
“No face,” Benji said, rearranging his face away from whatever the fuck it had just been doing. “Uh. My apartment got confirmed. We’re moving in next week.”
Riona beamed. “That’s great! Congratulations.”
“Yeah,” Benji said, trying to shove down the bitter disappointment. “Thanks.”
CHAPTER 20
“You seem disappointed,” Noah said as he led Benji out of the elevator into the apartment building hallway.
Benji scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m not disappointed. I’m all for surprises. I justassumedit’d be a sexy surprise.”
“Not this time.” Noah took his hand, untangling Benji’s guarded gesture.
Benji let him. He hadn’t let Noah help him move into his new apartment, but he’d promised that he’d have Noah over for dinner this week. He even seemed excited about it. Less ashamed of the place.
There aren’t even any cockroaches,he’d declared last night on the phone.And Daph’s gonna come over and make it look nice. She’s been threatening to for years. I decided to finally let her have at it.
Benji frowned as they passed the door to Noah’s apartment. “Uhhh. Hello? Where are we going?”
“Here.” Noah stopped at the door across from his own apartment and held out his hand.
Benji’s hand came out automatically.
Noah dropped a key into it.
Benji’s eyes widened, panicked. “I don’t?—”
Noah squeezed his hand around the key. “Just do it.”
Benji hesitated. But he did as he was told, watching Noah the whole time. Then the door swung open, and Benji’s gaze tore away from him.
Noah stepped past him, admiring the wide, empty space. He’d knocked down the walls to make one huge room, covered in a thin layer of vinyl. Easier to wash than wood. The windows were high above their heads, washing the space in afternoon light.
“Is,” Benji began. He wet his lips. “Is this?—?”
“A studio,” Noah finished. “Yourstudio.”
Benji stared. His lips were parted, a disbelieving smile flashing over his face before it pulled tight. “I can’t afford this.”
“It’s already taken care of,” Noah assured him.
Benji’s throat worked. His hand shook around the key. He kept staring at the room. The stain-resistant floor, the high windows filling the place with light, the empty space he could fill with so many things he’d never had room for.
He opened his mouth.
