long have you known each other?” I asked. My eyes went back to Decker, who had taken off his suit jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves, showing off his muscular, tanned forearms and expensive watch. What kind of teacher could afford a Rolex?
“We’ve been neighbors all our lives. We went to the same college, even. When I moved to Memphis, Decker got a teaching job here a year later,” Lance explained.
“So y’all are essentially in a committed bromance?” I joked, making Decker roll his eyes again.
“Mrs. Trask says that all the time. We just get along. Mostly, I keep him out of trouble,” Decker said before giving me a pointed look. What the hell was that supposed to mean? “I would rather have one consistent friend than a million flakes,” he added before leaning back on the couch, making his tight shirt cling to his abs in the process. My eyes raked up and down his chest before drifting back to Lance.
I could respect Decker’s views on friendships. I couldn’t even blame him for being an asshole earlier. I’d always been the type to keep to myself. I had a bunch of acquaintances, but when Mama was diagnosed, anyone who claimed to give a fuck disappeared.
“Can I show you your room?” Lance finally asked. I guess he was just as tired as I was of all this small talk. It was time to face the music and dive into the reality that I’d be staying here for a little while, at least until he let me down. “I’ve been working on it a lot. I hope you like it,” he added.
I was surprised to hear that he’d been working on it. I wasn’t really used to people investing time and consideration in me. Lance seemed eager and excited to have me here, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Sure!” I replied with enthusiasm, though admittedly I wasn’t expecting much. I was an unplanned visitor and hadn’t really intended for him to go out of his way. I spent the last few weeks telling myself that this was only for a little while and that I’d be out of here as quickly as I could. Not once had it occurred to me that there was some permanence to this arrangement.
Lance eagerly led me down the hallway toward my bedroom. “The bathroom is here,” he began while gesturing to a door on the side. “Decker’s room is here,” he added while pointing at another closed door. “And your room is across the hall from his. Mine is on the other side of the loft.”
I stared at Decker’s door for a second longer than necessary before listening to Lance ramble some more. “I called a friend of mine to decorate. I know you’re really into science, so I focused on geometric patterns as the main theme,” he said excitedly, the pitch of his voice rising with every syllable. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I wasn’t necessarily really into science. Science just came easily to me. It made more sense than people most of the time. “I really hope you like it, but if anything isn’t to your taste, I have a staging warehouse full of furniture. Just say the word, okay? I know how important a space is, and I want you to feel at home here.”
He wanted me to feel at home? When was the last time anyone cared enough for me to feel comfortable? I pushed that thought away and swallowed. Lance then twisted the doorknob and opened the door before stepping to the side so I could see. The moment I saw the bright, airy room, my breath caught in my chest, like a balloon inflated so much that it was about to pop. The space was beautiful. Stunning, even. Based on his job, I knew Lance was into design, but I wasn’t prepared for this.
The first thing I noticed was that it had a big window facing the street, giving me a clear view of the people walking by below. Now to some, that might not seem like a big ordeal. Windows were common enough. Bright rooms were a small luxury that many didn’t realize they were privileged to enjoy. But back in our trailer, three years ago, a massive hail storm destroyed our roof and all of our windows. Mama had to spend most of our grocery money on plywood, and we sealed the trailer shut as much as we