Nice Guys Don't Win (The Boys #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,12

is.”

I crack a smile. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Hand still on my wrist he pulls me away from Murray and back toward the kitchen where he’d taken up residence before. Lowering his mouth to my ear, he whispers, “These guys can get rowdy, but I promise they’re all decent.” I believe him too, because Cole’s a good guy, that much is obvious to me, and I can’t imagine him hanging out with anyone that’s not okay. “You weren’t here when I got home, so I haven’t had a chance to ask you how your first day went?”

Pulling a piece of stringy cheese away from my mouth—how attractive, not that I’m trying to attract Cole or anyone—I finish chewing my bite of pizza before I answer. “It was good. Only got lost once. This campus is massive, but beautiful. I love the old buildings.”

He grins, raising his root beer to his lips. “The buildings are one of my favorite things. Don’t laugh at me, but it reminds me of a fairytale. You know, like old castles covered in ivy.”

I smile at his comparison. “It totally is.”

“Where did you go after classes? To your dad’s?”

I shake my head. “No, I was job hunting. I have an okay amount of savings, but I’ll go through it fast with rent and other necessities so I need to find something.”

He rubs his jaw. “I might be able to help you with that.” I hesitate, because I hate taking favors from anyone, even if I don’t owe them for it. I’m a go-getter and like to do things by myself. “I work at a mechanic shop and Joe, the owner, is in need of a receptionist. Taylor who used to do it had a baby and decided she wants to stay home now.”

Answering phones and taking care of files wouldn’t be so bad, but it would put me around Cole even more than we already are as roommates. Sure, he’s a nice guy, but I don’t want to spend so much time with him that we get sick of each other and things get awkward.

“I’ll think about it.” It’s a non-answer, but it isn’t a flat out no, either.

He grabs a slice of pizza, leaning against the kitchen counter. He’s wearing a t-shirt and sweats that leave nothing to the imagination. Guys can’t really be that oblivious to the sweatpants thing, can they? I mean we can see the entire outline of their penis, and from what I can see of Cole’s … the dude’s packing.

Not that I was looking.

Absolutely not.

“There are plenty of other places if an auto shop isn’t your kind of place.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I have no idea why I sound so defensive over it.

“Nothing bad. Just that, like this,” he waves his hand around the room, “it’s mostly guys.”

“Oh, that doesn’t bother me. I was a manager at a gym before I moved here.”

“Why did you move here?”

My chest deflates at his question. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” He looks genuinely apologetic about it.

I exhale a breath. “It’s a normal question, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Maybe one day you’ll tell me.” His eyes are warm with understanding.

“Maybe,” I reply, but in my mind, I’m thinking not likely. I finish my plate of food and the beer. “I’m going to bed this time. Can you have them out of here by eleven?”

“Shit,” he grins, “I’ll get rid of them now.” He wraps his hands around his mouth. “Get your shit and get out of my house! I’m going to bed!”

Teddy stands up from the couch. “Are you kicking me out too?”

“Yes, even you.”

“B-But I’m your favorite.”

“Out.”

“I brought you food and beer. I—”

“And you also ditched on being my roommate.” Cole grabs up the pizza boxes and shoves them in Teddy’s arms. “Thanks for dinner, dude, but it’s time for you to go.”

The other guys say their goodbyes and throw away the trash before heading out the door. Teddy ends up leaving a box of pizza behind saying if Cole and I want leftovers then we have it.

Even though the guys did an okay job cleaning up after themselves, a few cans and napkins were left behind. Neither of us say a word to each other, but Cole picks it all up while I wipe everything down.

Shutting off the lights in the living area, he gives me a tired half-smile. “Goodnight, Zoey.”

I open my mouth to say goodnight back, but for some reason