Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 56831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
With that, he started weaving through the crowded living room, and I tried to keep up. Once we reached the cheerful pink and purple kitchen at the back of the house, he began to gather ingredients, and I said, “This place is amazing. How long have you lived here?”
“About a month. One of my friend Noah’s boyfriends used to rent my room, so it became available when they all moved in together around the holidays.”
I repeated, “One of his boyfriends?”
He nodded as he poured a hell of a lot of gin into a pitcher. “He’s part of a throuple with two guys named Kel and Hudson. They’re very cute together.”
“That’s awesome.”
“So, Jack said you’re here visiting from Vegas. Will you be staying in San Francisco for a while?”
“I don’t know. I’m on an open-ended leave of absence from work, but there’s literally no plan.”
“Well, if you decide to stay here long-term and need a job, the restaurant where I work is always looking for servers. Everyone thinks the owner is a jerk, so they keep quitting. And he is, but like, once you accept that, it’s a pretty okay place to work.”
“That’s good to know.” Fortunately, I had enough savings to live on for at least three months, so there wasn’t an immediate need to bring in a paycheck.
When my phone buzzed, I said, “Excuse me for a minute,” and pulled it from the pocket of my hoodie. It turned out to be a message from my mom, which read: Just wanted you to know I’m thinking about you, sweetie. Call if you need anything.
The day after I’d arrived in San Francisco, I’d finally had a very long and overdue video call with her. We talked about my dad, and then I told her about Marcus and how he’d turned out to be Mario Greco, and it was hard to say which one upset her more. Since then, she’d been checking on me every day.
I sent a reply letting her know I was having dinner with Jack and Reno at the home of some of their friends, and she wrote: Thank god you’ve finally left the house! Your brother said you’ve been moping, and that’s not good for you. Go have fun and I’ll talk to you soon.
I hated the fact that my mom and brother were worried about me. I’d have to start leaving the house more often to make them think I was okay, not that I was up for much. But maybe I could start reading at a café instead of in my room or something.
While I’d been texting, Timothy finished making the cocktails. He filled two mason jars and handed me one as he said, “So, tell me, Romy. What do you do for fun?”
“I read a lot, and I watch movies.” I probably should have dressed that up a bit, but there it was.
“Well, if you decide you want to go out and meet someone new, I can be your night club tour guide. I honestly believe the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”
There was no way I was ready for that, but I told him it sounded great, just so I didn’t come across as a total hermit. Then I asked, “What else are you into, besides the local club scene?”
“I love skateboarding, roller blading, mountain biking—basically, if it’s physical, I’m into it. Last week, I started learning how to pole dance. That’s been super fun.”
I took a sip of my extremely boozy gin and tonic before saying, “That sounds cool. I watched a video of a men’s pole dancing competition once, and it all looked so athletic and graceful.”
“Would you want to try it?”
“Me?”
“Sure, why not?”
I frowned and told him, “I’m not exactly coordinated.”
“That doesn’t matter. I go to this great, super inclusive studio, and there are people from all walks of life and every skill level. Come with me and try it out! The first class is free, so what do you have to lose?”
“I can’t even sort of imagine myself pole dancing, and that’s actually why I’m going to say yes to this. I’ve been thinking I really need to try new things, so it’s worth a shot, right?” It would also get me out of the house, so my family could quit worrying about me.
Timothy’s blue eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, “Absolutely! My class is Tuesdays and Thursdays at ten a.m. I work the dinner shift, so my days are wide open.”
“Text me the address, and I’ll be there this Tuesday.”
We exchanged numbers, and he beamed at me and said, “You’re going to love it. The studio is owned by the most drop-dead gorgeous guy named Dare. Sadly, he’s married, but I still appreciate the eye candy.”
Just then, a group of people came into the kitchen. Timothy squealed and grabbed a tall brunet in a hug before introducing me to Noah and his boyfriends.