“Well, you two have fun,” she says as she signs off.
“Goodbye, handsome,” Junie sings, tapping the screen to end the call before I can scold her again.
With a heavy sigh, I bury my face in my hands. “Sorry. They can be so embarrassing.”
“It’s cool,” he says with a relaxed grin. “I wish I had friends like that. I wish I had friends at all.”
Natalie’s words repeat in my head. He has someone important inhis life. Surely. If not . . .
“You have me,” I remind him. “I can be messy and get all up in your business and embarrass you if you want.”
A smile blooms on his face like a hopeful flower. It seems he does want someone in his business. “Yes, I’d like that.”
“Go shower so we can leave,” I say as an excuse to get out of his orbit. He does as I say.
My phone pings again.
Keisha: Girl, he is so fine. You better get it!!!
Junie: Keke said you should hop on that dick expeditiously and I AGREE!
Funny how they both stopped worrying about my murder the minute they saw him. Though, to be fair, I did the same.
~
Four hours later, we’ve picked a place and are moved in. A cute apartment used as a vacation rental, it has two cozy bedrooms, one half bath, one three-quarter bath with a glass shower, and great views of the street three floors below. The kitchen is small but has an island. I’ll be able to sit in the living room and watch TV while waiting on the timer. It’s two blocks from a dog park and one block from a bougie fitness club foolish enough to give a free month to new clients. It checks all our boxes.
The streets outside are walkable and busy but lack the loudness that surrounded the hotel. Brooklyn might as well be a different city.Isit a different city?
“I will. Love you,” Liem says as he leaves his room. He looks down at his phone, flinching when he sees me as if he forgot I was here.
“Was that your mommy?” I ask teasingly.
“Yeah. She’s overseas taking care of my grandma right now, soshe calls at odd hours.”
“Is your grandma okay?”
“She’s fine. She’s just ninety, you know?”
“Okay, good. Did you tell her you’re moving in with a stranger?” I ask. His lips part to offer an explanation to match the intimidation on his face. I save him the trouble. “I’m kidding. It’s sweet you talk to your mom so often.”
He brushes off my compliment with another shy laugh. He’s such a puppy. Or a kitten. An accidental sex kitten.
“I was coming to tell you that my room feels way better now. Thank you,” he says.
I couldn’t help myself. The bed was in the stupidest location. Moving it to the other wall opened the circulation and gave him space to let the desk work the way he needed. Easy stuff.
“I’m glad.” For the first time, an awkward moment settles between us. I haven’t moved in with a stranger before, not even the dorms in college. Keisha was my roomie from day one. “What are we supposed to do now?”
“I can make dinner for us. Break in the kitchen,” he offers.A man who cooks?“I’m good, I promise. I grew up in a restaurant.”
“You did?”
He nods. “My parents’. It’s like soul food–Vietnamese fusion.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. They have more in common than you’d think. They serve, like, oxtail pho, chili crisp mac and cheese, coconut milk grits with short ribs . . .”
