Roommate Wanted

Stepping into the kitchen, she missed the breakfast smells, the morning noise, Colin's silent presence. She opened the fridge and fussed, regretting not having gone grocery shopping the night before. Her search was unproductive, so she moved to the pantry and found a bag of potato chips, but just one handful and she felt sick. Marie decided now was not the time to be independent or to be brave, so she decided she'd have to make a trip to Colin's room and figure things out.

Before she could even knock, Marie heard a ruckus beyond the door. She pressed her ear to the keyhole and heard Colin's voice, barely a whisper, and another sound, almost animal. Maybe he was watching something on his computer, she thought. She was beginning to feel uneasy about the whole situation. Maybe he was trouble after all.

She rapped lightly and waited for a response, but there was none. Something thumped against the door on the other side, and Marie gasped. "Colin?" she cried out. "What's going on?" There was still no answer, so she tried the handle. It was unlocked. "Colin?" she asked again, opening up and peeking in, and there he was, standing just a few feet away with a bundle of fur in his arms, looking like a child who'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. There was a long pause, and Marie assessed the situation.

"Okay, look," Colin finally offered. "My brother found this stray, but he lives in an apartment with a tyrannical landlord, so I mean, what should I have done?"

"You have a brother?"

"I...what? Yes." Colin looked puzzled. "So?" The dog looked over at her then, its expression just as clueless.

"That wasn't disclosed in the interview."

"What?" After a beat, Colin grinned widely. Marie crossed her arms.

"You could've just told me. Instead of trying to hide the thing in your bedroom."

"You're right. And I was going to. I was just trying to think of a strong pitch before coming to you about it."

"C'mere," she called to the dog and plopped down on the carpet. Colin let the dog drop to the floor and it ran to her, tongue lolling, tail wagging, snorting with brainless, unabashed excitement. It was a blond-colored mutt, matted and a little dirty, no more than twenty pounds. "Looks like he's got some terrier in him."

"I've already named him Lyle. I figure there's no turning back, now that he has a name. I mean, we can change the name if you'd like, but I can't give him up."

"You won't have to." Lyle rolled onto his back and wriggled with pleasure at Marie's ministrations. "No, wait. You can keep him as long as you keep making us breakfast. How does that sound?"

"It's a deal."

"Glad we sorted this out." He waited a beat. "I actually had another deal I'd been wanting to discuss with you. You have a minute?"

"Sure." Marie sounded hesitant. The puppy was in her lap, rolling around, apathetic to their conversation. "What's going on?"

"Oh, it's not serious. Well, not in the way you're taking it. I've given it a lot of thought, and I'd like to help you open up your antique store."

"What?" Marie gaped at Colin. "How do you mean?"

"Put a little money into it, help you get it off the ground. I've got more money than I know what to do with. It's going to be a while before I get back into the skyscraper business. I'd like to spend my money on something worthwhile in the meantime. Might be a few months before we can actually get going but I thought we'd start brainstorming now. If you're interested, that is."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't mention it to you if I wasn't." Marie jumped up, sending Lyle into a panic, barking and running this way and that.

"Oh, Colin! Thank you!" She gave Colin a hug, surprising him with this atypical display of affection and the sincerity of the embrace. "Why didn't you just open with this? There was no way I could've said no to Lyle. Hell, how could I say no to anything you ask me now?"

Colin felt a pang in his ribcage and a heat in his gut and wished that this were true.

***

A minute with Lyle was enough to convince Marie that she'd made the right choice. A week with Lyle, and she was in love. And Colin had her regretting ever doubting a roommate, ever doubting him. On her one-week anniversary with Lyle and her three-week anniversary with Colin, one of Marie's best friends called her up during her lunch break.

"Marie! It's Rachel. How's it going?"

"Hi, Rachel. Just fine." But the dog yipped in disagreement at Marie, clearly miffed that her attention was not on him.

"Are you sure? What was that?"

"Oh! We got a dog. Just last week."

"You got a dog? Wait, who's we?"

"New roommate. Told you I was getting one. I guess I never gave you the update."

"You have been holing up in there for a few weeks. So what's she like? Do I know her?"

"No, I don't think you do, and he's very nice."

"He?" It was impossible not to hear the sudden interest in Rachel's voice. She had been playing matchmaker for Marie for years, with disastrous results. "Is this a fling? We lose touch for just a few weeks and you move in with a boyfriend I've never even heard of?"

"He's not my boyfriend. Just a roommate. He moved in the day after we met."

"Cute? Single? Is the sexual tension insane?"

"He is single. Not my type, but yeah he's cute, I guess. Sexual tension is more than reasonable. Haven't caught a whiff of it yet, actually. Sorry to spoil the fun."

"Well, maybe Daisy will like him. She's been in heat lately. She's insufferable."

"Isn't she always?" Marie responded dryly. One of their well-meaning friends had befriended Daisy, and now she was just a fact of life, even though few of them in their inner circle genuinely liked her.

"Good point. We should all get together, though. Meet the new dog, the new roommate. Maybe this weekend?"

"Whenever works just fine for me. Just give me a heads up." She waited a beat. "Almost forgot to mention, I think he's going to help me out with my business. Maybe help me open an actual store."

"What?" Rachel exclaimed. "The dog or your roommate?" Even through the dryness, the excitement in Rachel's voice was evident. She had known Marie long enough to know just how monumental that was for her.

Marie's friends came over the next day, a Saturday night. Colin was in, hiding away in his bedroom, but Lyle, ever the extrovert, soaked up as much attention as the guests were willing to give him.

"Where's the new guy, anyway?" Rachel inquired. Lyle was cute, but it was time to size up the new roommate.

"I'll see what I can do about luring him out."

Unsurprisingly, Colin's bedroom door was shut. Marie knocked lightly, apprehensive about his response. She'd mentioned that a couple of friends were coming over, but there were a few more than she'd accounted for, and there was no telling how he'd feel about it.

"Hi." He opened the door wearing a cobalt blue shirt and faded jeans. The color of the shirt made his eyes look electric.

"Hey. You should come out and meet my friends, if you're up to it."

"Friends? How many of them are there?" he asked, eyeing her skeptically.

"Well, six. Too much?" Colin sighed. "You don't have to. Just thought you might like to socialize a little. They want to meet you."

"Okay, sure. There is booze, though, right?"

"No doubt. Even I need a little booze to deal with them sometimes."

Colin tagged along behind her. As they entered the living room, he felt all eyes on him. They seemed to be evaluating him. Four women, two men, he counted. And then there was Lyle, who bounded up to him, face bright with ecstasy as he sniffed Colin's shoes and tried not to pee with excitement. Colin watched as Marie strode over to the table to pour him a drink first thing. God bless her, he thought.

"Guys, this is my new roommate, Colin McKinley," she announced. She returned to him with his drink in hand. He took it from her and raised it as a greeting. Pointing to the respective owners of the names, she stated, "This is Rachel, Daisy, Jack, Ashley, Rosa, and Duncan. Nobody expects you to remember all those names, though."

It was Colin's turn to size up the guests. Ashley was tall and sullen, a solid blonde with Nordic features. She seemed to be attached to Duncan, who was handsome and olive-skinned and moved gracefully. He had the air of a dandy about him, with his black boots and corduroy slacks and fitted vest, his hair impeccable, no hair out of place. Rosa's complexion was even darker, her ethnicity difficult to pinpoint, with hair cropped close and simple clothes but with the bone structure and the attitude of a model. Daisy was a wisp of a thing, the kind of girl who talks with her hands, and a voice about an octave higher than it should be. She was speaking even now, during his introduction. Colin could see plainly that this was the kind of woman who other women found easy to hate -- but men sometimes couldn't see through.

Rachel was the most eccentric of all of them, though. She wore a long, shapeless dress made of flowing multi-colored silks. Her auburn hair was tucked up into a velvet navy turban. "My new age friend," Marie confided quietly. "Well, she's not really a hippie, she just loves Stevie Nicks."

"Where did they all come from?"

"Mostly college friends," she shrugged. "Rachel was my college roommate."

It was Jack that he liked the looks of the least. He seemed older than the rest, smug. He was dangerously masculine, his jaw line impossible, his eyes a deep, almost unnatural green. His black t-shirt and jeans would have been boring, but the way they fit him suggested he was disciplined about his trips to the gym. Before he could ask Marie what the deal was with Jack, Rachel took him aside and Marie drifted away.

"Colin. Maybe Marie vetted you thoroughly, but now it's my turn. Hope you don't mind. I didn't even know she'd found a roommate until yesterday."

"I think I can take it. What do you want to know?"

"You single? Divorced? Gay?" He'd been expecting questions about whether or not he had a criminal record. Suddenly he wasn't so sure what she was up to.

"Divorced and unattached. And straight." He reddened despite himself.

"Do you and Marie have a thing going?" Colin's blush deepened.

"Oh, no. Does Marie know you're up to this right now?"

"She knows. At least, she expects this from me. I've been trying to set her up with someone for years," she explained. With some relief, he realized that she wasn't after him herself. Women did love to meddle in each other's love lives, he reflected. "Who could be a more convenient beau than a roommate? But I guess that's wishful thinking on my part. And probably not very wise wishful thinking, at that."

"Does she have a problem meeting men?"

"Not in the least. Men flock to her, and they do crazy things for her. She just has a quality. Fundamentally, she's a good girl, but you can tell there's something a little crazy about her. The best kind of crazy, I mean." Rachel sighed. Colin studied Marie from afar, listening intently to Rachel's report, feeling a pang of jealousy and protectiveness as he saw Jack sniffing around her. It was enlightening to hear someone else's view on Marie. He had suspected as much himself. There was no way that she was his secret, his alone, although he desperately wished that she were.

"Do her and Jack have a thing?" Rachel looked at him squarely in the face then, suddenly understanding that he didn't just want to gossip. Even if Marie didn't want him, he undoubtedly wanted Marie. She felt sorry for him. He wasn't her type.

"Oh, no. It's not reciprocated. But she wouldn't be single a day of her life if she wasn't so damn picky." Colin was silent then, thoughtful. Rachel excused herself for a trip to the bathroom, but before she left, she offered, "What you're doing to help Marie with her business is wonderful. She appreciates it more than she knows how to express. I hope you won't think I'm being too forward, but I want to give you a little advice because I like you. If you want a shot with her, be kind, but be confident. Forward. Be a man. It's a fine line, but no woman wants a milquetoast, least of all Marie."

As Rachel wandered away, Colin sighed. He thought he'd been discreet, but Rachel had known better.

Colin had barely had a moment to breathe before Daisy was on him. She had a crazy look in her eye that made him wary and put him on his guard.

"Colin, right? I'm Daisy." She touched his arm and smiled. You've got to be kidding me, he thought.

"Nice to meet you," he responded, sounding curt despite his best efforts.

"How long you been living here? You enjoying it?"

"Just a few weeks now. I'd have to say I am. Marie is a good roommate, the place is beautiful."

"You, uh, into something with her?" Good Christ, these women really got to the point.

"No, just roommates. Didn't know her at all before I moved in." Daisy laughed at this, a forced, terrible laughter.

"I've never heard of something like that keeping a man away from a woman."

"No, I guess I haven't either." He tried to smile but was almost positive he grimaced instead. He glanced over at Marie hopefully and managed to catch her eye. For a split second, her expression was unreadable. The expression that followed it was easy: amusement and sympathy. She shushed Jack and hurried to Colin's aid.

"Hi guys. Daisy, could you come with me into the kitchen for a sec? I need some help getting more food together for everyone, we're just about out of snacks here." Daisy looked distressed, almost mad, but she complied. Marie winked as she passed, and he mouthed the words, "My savior." Colin figured there was no better time for him than now to escape back into his bedroom.

It was well past 3AM when Colin could no longer hear the chatter of guests. He put on a brave face and ventured out to find Marie. She was in the kitchen, up to her elbows in soapy water and dirty dishes.

"You need any help there?" Marie turned to him and waved hello with a delicate, sudsy hand.

"I'm good, thanks. I may not be hot on cooking, but cleanup has always been relaxing for me."

"I owe you for rescuing me tonight." Marie couldn't help but laugh.

"I know a man in distress when I see one."

"Are you and Daisy close?" he asked as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. Although he couldn't see them being friends at all, he didn't want to put his foot in his mouth.

"Daisy? Ha! Not likely. Ashley felt bad for her because no one liked her, so she took her in, so to speak. She's... emotionally stunted. Slutty yet child-like. I think she did a lot of drugs in high school, and they messed her up. Some guys eat it up. Guess she's not your type, though," Marie teased. Colin gulped.

"No, not at all."

"What is your type, anyway? You dating anyone right now?"

"Well, no. My type..." Colin hesitated and tried not to say, You. He liked petite, he liked her rosy coloring, her energy, even the nervous energy. Especially the nervous energy. He liked unusual. And more than anything, he liked beautiful. "I guess I don't have a type," he lied.

"Anything goes, then?"

"Hardly," he retorted, feeling defensive. "I'm just no good at putting it into words. It's hard to articulate chemistry."

"I understand. If you ever like any of my friends, just say the word. I'll try my best to help you out." His heart sank, realizing that she hadn't been asking for her own sake. This lack of jealousy was just what he'd been afraid of.

"Are you dating anyone?" Colin strained, knowing the answer full well, but struggling with what to say. He didn't want the focus on him anymore, especially when all answers led back to her. Marie set down the platter that she had been washing and turned to him, resting against the sink and propping herself up on her elbow.

"Ah, no. It's been forever, though. I get kind of worried about it, actually." She lowered her voice, as though someone else might hear. "Like, what if I forget what to do?" The human in him sympathized, but the man in him couldn't help but fantasize about what it might be like to help her remember all the steps. He watched her reach over to a platter she hadn't yet cleaned, one still half covered with food. She went for the gooiest brownie and ate it with relish, almost sensually. It made him feel a different kind of hunger.

"It's been a long time for me, too," he heard himself tell her, gulping and looking down at his feet. "I haven't really dated anyone since the divorce. For a long time I walked around feeling like someone had socked me in the gut."

"Did she break your heart?"

"Nothing so dramatic. I just hadn't realized I'd married such a mean-spirited woman. I had a lot of hope for us in the beginning. We met in college and married young. I fell more out of love the more I knew about her. She cheated on me toward the end, and that was my wake-up call."

"Jesus."

"It wasn't all that bad. I mean, I was upset, but I'd already stopped loving her. And I imagine she'd stopped loving me, too." Colin looked up, his eyes back on Marie, who he now noticed had a smudge of chocolate on her cheek. "You have a little something..." He instinctively reached out to wipe the smudge off. He stopped himself just before he touched her and jerked back. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be a mom."

"Don't worry about it. Would you get it for me, please? I'll just smear it around." The thought, the simple request, jarred his system. With exaggerated movements, Colin brought his thumb up to his mouth, licked it, and brought it to her cheek. It took him less than a second to wipe it off, but he let his hand linger. "Everything all right? What kind of mess are we talking about here?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," he explained, caressing her skin, "it's just that you got it everywhere. I don't know how you did it. How much did you drink tonight?"

Marie knew better. She knew she should push his hand away, that she should take a step back. She knew she was going to get herself into just the kind of trouble she had been worried about. But his blue eyes were so vivid, so intent on hers. She still was just a little tipsy, she told herself. And it had been so long since a man had touched her, and what better way to help her remember than practice?

Colin tilted Marie's head back and leaned in, his mouth skimming hers gently at first. Then his mouth was insistent, his kiss searching and full of want. He seized her waist, and Marie touched his chest, thrilling at the strength in his hands and the feel of the hard muscle she made out beneath the thin cotton of his shirt.

Colin's senses were overwhelmed with Marie. The softness of her skin, her little moans. She smelled of cinnamon spice, tasted like red wine and chocolate. When he pulled back to look at her, her eyes were wide with surprise and misty with need.

As if on cue, Lyle bounded into the kitchen and flew at his masters, desperately licking their feet and ankles. Marie was the first to step back. The two had both become self-conscious and eyed each other warily.

"Looks like someone woke up from his nap," Colin laughed weakly.

"Well, I should finish up here." Marie stared at the dishes in front of her. She looked a little lost and a little panicked. Or maybe Colin was just projecting his own emotions.

"Sure. And I should get to bed. Goodnight Marie." Colin gave Lyle a friendly pat and hastened from the room. Marie frowned at Lyle. When she heard Colin's door shut, she gave the door a long wondering look.

***

The longer Colin and Marie lived together, the more they found that their routines had synced. Neither of them dared to speak about the night in the kitchen. On the surface, it was as though nothing had happened. They had wordlessly decided never to speak of it. Both of them threw themselves headlong into a "sincere" friendship with the other, hoping that it would somehow negate their kiss or erase it from their memories.