Things Made Right [Suncoast Society] (Siren Publishing Sensations) Read online

  The dark and stormy night awakened something in Loren.

  At the time, she didn’t know what.

  It wasn’t until later, after the events of a different night, that she could fully appreciate who Ross was. What Ross was.

  And who and what she was, as well.

  * * * *

  “If you want,” Emily offered, “Loren and I can share a room tonight, and you guys can either share my bed, or one of you can have my bed and the other the couch.”

  It was nearly midnight and they were all yawning. With one lone pillar candle to light the apartment, and with the rain apparently not letting up anytime soon, it wasn’t like there was anything else to do.

  Mark stood at the living room window overlooking the street in front of their apartment building. They were on the second floor. “No, we need to get going. I have an early class in the morning.”

  “Me, too,” Ross said. “I won’t melt.”

  Mark dug his keys out of his pocket, jingling them in his hand. “Well, guess I won’t need to take my weekly Saturday bath now,” he joked.

  “Eww,” Emily protested in mock horror. “Is that what I’ve been smelling?”

  “Not for long, sis,” Mark said. “Hey, make sure you lock up after us.”

  Emily walked them to the door, shooting the deadbolt after they left. The women headed over to the window. They really couldn’t see much but rain and more rain, the moonless night and clouds combining with the power outage to make it pitch black outside.

  Across the street, in the apartment building there, candles flickered in a couple of apartments.

  “Oh!” Loren startled when the power blinked on. The street lamps outside started glowing to life outside, just in time for Loren to see the two men emerge from their building’s entrance on the street below.

  Ross turned and tossed a wave at her before dashing through the rain after Mark.

  Em crossed her arms over her chest. “Chase him, girlfriend,” she said. “He’s a catch. Nice guy, not a douche, hard worker, good grades.”

  “Maybe,” Loren said, watching as Mark’s headlights came on a moment later after he started the car. “Right now, I just want to get through this semester.”

  * * * *

  “Argh!” Loren pounded her fist on the top of the electric typewriter. It was her typewriter, but since Emily didn’t have one, it sat on the desk in the living room so they could both use it if they needed it. Neither bedroom in the tiny apartment was large enough for a desk, anyway.

  Ross laughed from where he sat at the small dinette table and had been talking with Mark and Emily. “I’ve heard of pounding out an assignment, Lor, but I don’t think they mean that literally. What’s wrong?”

  “This stupid piece of junk is what’s wrong,” Loren said. “I just have one lousy page to finish typing on my paper, and I really don’t want to drive all the way in to campus to go to the computer lab for that. But the keys keep hanging up.”

  Ross pushed back from the table and walked over to the desk. Her parents had given her the electric typewriter when she entered high school. It wasn’t the nifty—and expensive—electronic word processor that she’d asked for, but it had come in handy. Especially since one of those expensive desktop computers was way out of her budget.

  Now it was aggravating the hell out of her, the countless hours of use over the past several years finally taking its toll on the machine.

  “Let me take a look at it,” he said.

  She vacated the chair in front of the desk and he took her place. “The keys keep sticking together,” she told him.

  He rolled her piece of paper out and rolled in a fresh one, playing with it for a minute. “It looks like this key is a little bent. See?” He pointed. “And it needs to be cleaned out. What is that, cat hair?”

  She looked where she was pointing. “Maybe. I caught my cat laying on it a couple of times at home. Probably because it’s warm when it’s plugged in.”

  “The grease is gummed up with dust and cat hair and stuff. Haven’t you ever cleaned it out?”

  “It’s a machine. I don’t understand it. You might as well be speaking Greek to me.”

  He laughed. “I have a toolkit in my trunk. Let me run down and get it. I bet I can fix it for you in just a couple of minutes. It’ll still need a good cleaning, but maybe I can get it working for you for now.”

  “Would you? I’d really appreciate it. Heck, I’ll pay you if you want.”

  “I’ll work for some of your chocolate chip cookies. How about that?”

  She laughed. “Deal! But I can’t make them tonight. I don’t have the ingredients. Can I owe you?”

  He stood, leaning in with a wink. “That’ll cost you interest, then.” He took her hand, his gaze never leaving hers, and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “You’ll want to make sure you pay my vig. How about you fix me dinner Saturday night?”

  “Deal! You’re not going out?”

  He shrugged. “Wasn’t planning on it.” He headed toward the front door. “I’ll be right back.”

  When he left, Emily let out a giggle. “You know, you should chase him. And I don’t mean down the stairs, either.”

  “Yeah,” Mark agreed. “He’s single. He broke up with his last girlfriend a couple of months ago. He’s not dating anyone right now.”

  Loren blushed. “I don’t know him that well. How do I even know he likes me?”

  “Yeah?” Mark said. “Well, get to know him better. He asked me a couple of weeks ago if you were seeing anyone.”

  She felt even more heat fill her face. “He did? Really?”

  “Really. Hey, I’m a dumb guy, but I’m smart enough to know when a guy likes a girl. And he’s been asking to drop by here with me the past couple of weeks. So…duh.”

  “Where’s your girlfriend tonight?” Loren asked.

  “Family stuff. They’re here in town. I’ll see her tomorrow night. Why you think I’m hanging out here with my dumb little sister? Ross wanted to know if he could hang out with me here tonight.”

  “Hey, I’m not dumb!” Emily protested, her laughter belying her feelings. “I scored higher on my SATs than you did.”

  “I know.” He smacked the table. “Another reason I should be allowed to pick on you, dammit.”

  * * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Ross had Loren’s typewriter back in working order. She gave him a grateful hug. “What time Saturday would you like to eat? I have to work from one to five, but after that I’m available.”

  “How about I come over at seven thirty, then? I have to work Saturday morning, too.”

  “Perfect. Any preference on what you’d like me to cook for you?”

  “Nope. Surprise me.”

  She rolled her paper back into the machine and picked up where she’d left off.

  It now worked perfectly.

  “Thank you so much!”

  He smiled at her from where he’d retaken his seat at the small table. “You’re very welcome. Any time I can fix something for you, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  She smiled as she returned her focus to her assignment, hoping he didn’t see the way she was blushing.

  She’d let Ross fix anything for her.

  Any time.

  Maybe it’s time I accidentally break a few things around here.

  It wouldn’t be the worst way to spend an evening, that’s for sure.

  Loren even managed to get her paper typed, and still had time to sit and talk with Ross, Emily, and Mark before the two men had to leave for the evening.

  She tried not to think about what Mark had said. She didn’t want to read too much into it. Ross had never given her any indication he really liked her, and she didn’t want to come off as his best friend’s little sister’s goofy friend.

  Try saying that three times fast.

  Before her parents had allowed her to move out of the house and first into a dorm, then here to the apartment with Emily, Loren had to promise them she wou
ld finish school. That she would not get involved with a guy and end up throwing away her education.

  Well, her mom had insisted on that more than her father.

  And out of earshot of her father.

  Loren knew her mom regretted never completing her degree when she dropped out after getting pregnant with Loren in her junior year of college.

  Loren didn’t want that, either.

  But she’d also not told her mom she wasn’t a virgin anymore. Loren kept condoms in her purse, just in case. She’d only slept with two guys, one in high school, and a guy she briefly dated her first semester before she realized he didn’t want her for much else besides sex and helping him do his homework. She was also on the pill now, something she’d taken care of her first semester via the student health center.

  The condoms were for extra protection against the kinds of things the pill wouldn’t protect her against.

  As Loren prepared for bed, she wondered if maybe she should make some sort of move Saturday night. She really liked Ross. He was a great guy. He was handsome, with his sandy-brown hair and deep brown eyes. Just a hair over six feet, he wasn’t a hulk, but he wasn’t some skinny twig, either. He always had a calm demeanor, but a quick wit and easy laugh. Just being around him always seemed to leave her in a better mood.

  Hmm.

  * * * *

  Mark had a way of stating the obvious in the most roundabout way possible. “Saturday evening, huh?”

  “What?” Ross had driven them tonight and had to drop Mark off on his way home.

  Mark grinned at him. “You fixed her typewriter. She was definitely grateful.”

  “She needed help. I like being helpful.”

  “You’re single, and she’s single.”

  There were things Mark didn’t know about him. Things any woman he was interested in would have to know if he pursued a serious relationship with her.

  Difficult things to talk about and share unless he knew the woman already leaned that way.

  Yes, Ross did like Loren.

  A lot.

  But he had to take his time and go slow and see if she was the kind of woman who’d take an interest in his…interests. His last girlfriend hadn’t, but it had taken him several months to finally figure that out without being overt. He didn’t want to ruin his reputation, or anyone else’s.

  Once he’d realized his ex was only interested in vanilla sex and nothing else, he’d engineered an amicable breakup by fibbing and intimating he really wasn’t interested in sex for anything but procreation, and only within the confines of marriage.

  She’d quickly started finding excuses not to get together, and when he offered her the option of breaking up and being friends, she’d accepted.

  It had saved face all around.

  But Loren…there was something about her. Maybe she would prove to be the one.

  Only time would tell.

  * * * *

  Saturday evening, Loren had opted for easy, something she couldn’t possibly screw up unless she set fire to the stove in the process. Spaghetti with meat sauce, including mushrooms. Not just out of a jar, either, but homemade sauce. With a salad and garlic bread, it was easy on the budget and on her nerves.

  Emily and Mark had gone home for the weekend for some family stuff, leaving Loren alone with Ross for the night. Loren had time to grab a shower, and she changed clothes three different times before Ross rang the bell downstairs at 7:29.

  Dammit.

  She stared at her outfit. She was trying for a flirty but casual vibe with a sundress she hadn’t worn in a few months. She rarely wore skirts or dresses anyway. It was shorts or jeans, depending on what she was doing. Even at work, where their dress code was casual, all the employees wore T-shirts with the coffeeshop’s logo on them.

  Too late to change again now, she buzzed Ross in and fought the urge to be standing there in the open doorway when he reached her apartment.

  Although she was standing at the door and looking through the viewfinder when he knocked.

  After a deep breath that did jack shit to calm her nerves, she opened the door for him.

  He carried a cheesecake in his hands. “I decided to bring dessert. I hope that’s okay.”

  D’oh! She’d forgotten about a dessert. “It’s perfect,” she said. “Come on in.”

  They exchanged an awkward, laughter-filled half hug around the cheesecake before he walked in.

  “Smells great, whatever it is,” he said.

  “Spaghetti.” She took the cheesecake from him and went to put it in their fridge. “Hope that’s all right.”

  “Perfect. Can I do anything to help?”

  “Nope. It’s ready. Just have to finish browning the garlic bread.”

  She turned and found herself toe-to-toe with him. The gulp was a nervous reaction to the way her stomach dropped in a good way as she stared up into his eyes.

  “So, did you make me my cookies?” he asked.

  There was something about his tone of voice, the depth, the hidden meanings that stirred things inside her in an uncomfortably good way.

  It took her a minute to realize what he meant. “Oh, no. Sorry. I forgot all about the cookies.”

  A sexy smirk curved his lips. “Then I guess you’re still indebted to me, aren’t you?”

  More flutters deep inside her. Holy moly, he was hot. “I guess so.”

  “I’m off work on Wednesday. How about I come over for dinner again? More vig for forgetting the cookies.”

  “Deal.” The word escaped her before she’d even realized she’d said it.

  Spend another evening with Ross?

  Hell yes.

  They ate, he helped her clean up, and they talked as they sat and watched TV until after midnight.

  Loren wasn’t sure if Ross was as into her as Mark had said, but even she couldn’t deny there was an easy attraction to him that grew stronger by the hour.

  She wouldn’t rush into anything.

  He was in pre-law and still trying to decide where to go to law school. His father was pushing him to go to UPenn, but he’d been accepted at several schools.

  “Sounds like your dad has some opinions,” she said.

  Ross let out a snort. “He sure does.” She realized Ross didn’t talk about his family a lot. She got the impression he wasn’t thrilled with them, but she didn’t feel like she should pry.

  “No siblings?” she asked. The more they talked, the more she realized she didn’t know about him.

  “Nope. Only child. You?”

  “Ditto.”

  He glanced at the clock hanging by the kitchen doorway just as a yawn escaped her. Contagious, he yawned, too.

  “Time for me to think about heading home,” he said, making no move to stand.

  She smiled. “I’m not rushing you out the door.”

  “I know. But I don’t want tongues to wag.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully, as if worrying about others’ opinions was the last thing on his list.

  “I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”

  He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I’m sure you can. But I’m a gentleman. And I’d like to extort a few more meals out of you before I sully your reputation.” He smiled.

  An overwhelming urge to throw herself into his lap swept through her, one she barely managed to fight back.

  Something about Ross seemed far older than his age. She’d heard about “old souls” and wondered if he was one. She could easily picture him as a lawyer, calmly dealing with cases and clients with a surety and finesse many never had. Like a steady, calm fog rolling in, before you knew it, he was there and his presence blanketed everything.

  In a good way.

  “Promises, promises,” she finally settled on as an answer.

  “Besides, you don’t even know if you want to handle the real me,” he mysteriously said.

  “Oh, I’m sure I can.”

  He finally stood, holding out a hand to help her up off the couch. “So you say. Let’s h
ave a few more dinners, at least, before we find out.” He pulled her in for a hug she desperately didn’t want to end. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. I’m in no rush. And other than school and work, I’m all yours.”

  She snuggled just a little bit closer in his arms at that statement. It sent a thrill through her, even though she knew it wasn’t anywhere close to a promise or even a hint of one.

  Just a subtle reassurance.

  When he finally left a few minutes later, she watched from the living room window when he emerged onto the sidewalk below. He looked up and waved before walking toward where his car was parked.

  She waited until his headlights disappeared before closing the curtains.

  I don’t know what it is about him, but I want to spend a lot more time with him.

  Chapter Three

  Over the next couple of weeks, Loren and Ross spent more time together. Then a guy at Ross’ job got hurt, and they gave the hours to Ross temporarily. Meaning less time he had to spend with Loren.

  With Ross’ hours now changed to evenings for the next few weeks, he wasn’t coming over to the apartment, alone or with Mark. Loren felt a little disappointed by that, but with her own work schedule, and classes, there wasn’t much time during the week for them to see each other for more than a few minutes here and there. They did talk on the phone some, but usually late at night and only for a few minutes before one or both of them had to head to bed.

  It didn’t matter what Mark said, or what she felt, she didn’t feel right just going up to Ross and getting pushy and asking for more. Yes, she’d cooked for him a few times, and they’d gone out a couple of times. He’d taken her to the movies, too.

  That wasn’t a “relationship.” And Ross hadn’t even made a move romantically, other than his original statement that very first night she cooked dinner for him that he wasn’t going anywhere.

  Maybe he’s gay?

  Maybe that explained why she felt so safe with him, so secure, despite her apparently unrequited attraction to him.