Page 34 of She’ll Steal Your Heart
“I bet.” Lauren didn’t ask about Mia’s mother. She hadn’t mentioned her, which seemed to tell a story in itself. Lauren had lost enough people to know when not to pry. “Siblings?”
“Spoiled only child. Can’t you tell?” Mia grinned as she lifted her wineglass for a sip.
“I don’t know about spoiled, but you do have a bit of an only-child vibe, I guess. You’re very driven and conscientious.”
“I’m both of those things,” Mia agreed. “To my own detriment sometimes. I’m not very good at relaxing. Now that I’m divorced, I’m finding that I don’t know what to do with myself when I get home in the evenings.”
“You could try grocery shopping.” Lauren couldn’t resist the jab.
Mia snorted with laughter, nearly spilling her wine all over the counter. “I could,” she said. “I definitely should.”
“But I’m happy to monopolize your kitchen in the meantime,” Lauren said, sipping the wine Mia had given her. It was rich and a little bit spicy, but smooth as it went down her throat. When Lauren drank wine, she generally bought the cheap stuff. This was undoubtedly not cheap, and now Lauren had a new appreciation for fine wine.
“You must be wasting so much money staying in those hostels,” Mia said, staring at Lauren over the rim of her wineglass.
Lauren sighed. “Yeah, it’s not ideal, but it’s my cheapest option right now.”
“I might know of something cheaper.”
Lauren perked up. “Really? You know someone who needs a roommate?”
Mia shook her head, and a wavy lock of hair fell across her eyes. She blew it away, still watching Lauren closely. “My couch pulls out if you want to crash here until you find something more permanent.”
* * *
Lauren gapedat Mia like she’d lost her mind, and maybe she had. It wasn’t as if she was looking for a roommate, but she liked Lauren. They got along well, and Mia wouldn’t mind having Lauren on her couch for a few weeks until she found a place of her own. When Lauren was here, Mia tended to take better care of herself. She laughed more. She wasn’t lonely.
“That’s really generous of you, but I don’t want to impose,” Lauren said, her cheeks pink as she stared at her hands.
“You can pay rent, if it makes you feel better,” Mia said.
“Oh, I would never…I would never freeload.” Lauren looked more flustered than Mia had ever seen her, and she wasn’t quite sure why.
“I know you wouldn’t. And the truth is, this apartment is starting to feel lonely. I’ve never lived alone before, believe it or not, and I’m not sure I like it.” That was more honesty than she’d meant to share, but Lauren had been vulnerable with her enough times that she felt she owed her a bit of uncomfortable truth in return, especially if it helped Lauren feel more comfortable with the idea.
“Really?” Lauren asked, her eyes darting up to meet Mia’s. “I mean, I haven’t either. I’ve rarely even had my own bedroom.”
“Then my couch will feel like an upgrade for you.”
“It definitely will.” Lauren turned to stir the pasta. “Are you sure? Because I can keep hopping between hostels until I find a place.”
“Hopping between hostels is no way to live. I wouldn’t want you on my couch forever, but let’s try it for now. I think I’d like the company,” Mia told her, surprised by how much she meant it.
Lauren turned off the burner and moved to the sink to drain the pasta. She set the pot back on the stove and turned to face Mia. “You’re placing a lot of trust in me, offering me a key to your apartment.”
Mia heard what she wasn’t saying. She knew Lauren’s criminal history was the reason she hadn’t been able to find a place of her own yet. “I do trust you, Lauren.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of staying with you. I just don’t want to impose.”
“You’re not imposing,” Mia said. “What sounds fair for rent? Fifty a week?”
“That sounds more than fair, and a lot less than I’m paying at the hostel.”
“Plus, not to brag, but I have my own laundry room.”
Lauren groaned. “Oh my God. I would sell my soul for laundry facilities about now. And a kitchen!”
Mia straightened. That groan had done funny things to her pulse, which was now hurtling through her veins with entirely too much enthusiasm. Okay, so having Lauren on her couch might put a crimp in her plans to start dating, but she hadn’t made any progress on that front yet anyway. At least now, she wouldn’t be lonely at home until she was ready to put herself out there.
