Page 12 of More Than Friends

“You have to remember that I can only afford so much. Any place still open is probablywayout of my budget.”

“Like I said, we’ll find you somewhere to live. I don’t want you to stress about this.”

Charlotte looks up for a moment, and it breaks my heart to see her like this. She’s trying to put on a brave face and not show me she’s upset, but in between her fake smiles and jokes, it’s obvious how stressed she is about this.

My eyes scan my kitchen for a moment before focusing on Char once again. “Why don’t you just live with me for the summer?”

SEVEN

CHARLOTTE

I blink a few times,wondering if I heard Jude correctly. Surely I didn’t hear him right.

“What?” I ask, taking the glass of wine he offers me. I take a large drink of it, wanting to feel a buzz as quickly as possible to deal with the ending of my day.

“This house is huge, plenty of guest rooms… Just stay with me for the summer.”

I crinkle my nose before taking another drink. I watch Jude closely as he ambles around the counter and takes the seat next to mine.

“Jude, I’m not staying in your bachelor pad with you for the summer.”

He stares at me over the top of his wineglass. He lifts an eyebrow before taking a drink, making me wonder what he’s thinking.

His eyes pull from mine as he looks around the large kitchen. “I wasn’t aware the house I spent months and months renovating gave off bachelor pad vibes.”

I follow his gaze as I take another drink of my wine. I’ve already drunk half the glass, making me a little sad because the wine he chose is delicious. I’m sure it cost more than I ever wantto know, and I’m meant to savor it and sip it slowly, but tonight is not a night for taking my time with a glass of wine. I’m looking to down a bottle to forget that I have nowhere to live for the summer.

I keep the glass of wine pressed to my lips to buy myself time. The truth is, his house looks nothing like a bachelor pad. It’s beautiful. The cream-colored cabinets and the original hardwood floors give the house character. He kept the history of the old Hamptons house and made it his own. It has the charm of the house I saw in the magazine that made me want to move to the Hamptons in the first place.

I let out a long sigh when my eyes find his still staring at me. “Your house doesn’t look like a bachelor pad, but I’m still not staying here for the summer. Maybe I’ll ask Lucy.”

“You don’t have to ask Lucy. I’ve already offered. I can assure you I’m way more fun than Lucy and Cal.” He sets his wineglass on the counter and keeps his gaze pinned on me. There’s a whisper of a smirk on his lips as he waits for me to respond.

I bite my lip for a moment, following his lead and setting my own wineglass down. I already feel a slight buzz from the wine, making my cheeks feel a little flushed.

His fun is the exact reason I don’t want to stay here for the summer. The last thing I want is to watch him have a revolving door of women through his house. We’re basically a year into our friendship, and I’ve managed not to have any awkward encounters with any of the women who fall at his feet, and I want to keep it that way.

“Jude, we’re not meant to live together,” I offer, giving him the first excuse that pops into my head.

Two wrinkles form between his eyebrows, accompanied by a slight frown. “What’s that supposed to mean? Two friends can’t live together? I’m just trying to help, Char.”

There’s a slight twinge in my chest at his words. The look on his face tells me all I need to know. He’s just trying to do the right thing and offer me a place to stay for the summer. He’s a good friend. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to live with him for the summer. Things might get weird, and I don’t want that to happen.

“I know you’re trying to help, and I appreciate it, but I’ll figure it out. I always do.”

His lips press into a thin line. It’s obvious he wants to say something else, but he keeps whatever he was thinking to himself. Instead, he picks up his glass of wine and takes a large gulp. Now we’re both over halfway through our first glass.

The silence between us gets to me. I sit forward and prop my elbows against the counter. “No more talking about me being homeless for the summer. For tonight, I want to forget about the problem.”

Jude’s sandy-brown eyebrows rise to his hairline. The serious look on his face that was there when I denied his offer is gone, and the constant look of humor he typically wears is back. “How can I help you forget?”

There’s a deepness to his voice that I feel throughout my entire body. It makes my spine straighten and my toes curl against my rubber flip-flops.

My throat feels suddenly dry, and all I can do is swallow to try and wet my mouth enough to speak. I open my mouth to say something, but I still can’t form a coherent thought. Since I can’t get words out, I opt to take another drink of wine instead. I take one gulp and then another until the glass is empty.

Jude chuckles. “So drinking is how we’re forgetting tonight. Got it.” He reaches across the counter and knocks his half-full glass of wine with my empty one. “Cheers, Char.” His eyes stay pinned on me as he tips the glass up and chugs the rest of his wine.

“You’re cheating!” I yell, pointing my finger at a grinning Jude.