I looked at her, but she just stared.

“What?” I was suddenly a little self-conscious.

“Nothing.” She looked away and took a sip of her beer.

“Okay, Red. It’s your turn. Why does Kerri think she needs to set you up?” I asked, shifting to face her.

She sighed and started to pick at the label on the bottle. “I don’t know.”

“Come on. I answered your question. You aren’t playing fair.”

She rolled her eyes at me and sighed. “I haven’t been getting out much lately. The last year was kind of tough for me. I guess I’m not living up to her college roommate fantasy.”

“What fantasy is that? Naked pillow fights and lesbian experimentation?” I wiggled my eyebrows.

She playfully slapped my arm as I laughed.

“No, you dick! I mean, going to parties together, sharing each other’s clothes, becoming lifelong friends…stuff like that.”

“No offense, but I cannot see you and Queen Kerri becoming lifelong friends. I’m surprised you haven’t killed her in her sleep.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She’s kind of shallow.”

She laughed, almost spitting beer at me. “Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”

“I’m not shallow.”

She cocked her head to the side, shooting me a look that said she didn’t buy it.

“I’m not,” I said. “I may, on occasion, hook up with a random girl, but who says I’m not looking for a meaningful relationship?” Not even I was buying this, but who knows? Red was changing things, making me rethink a lot of my choices.

“Are you?”

“Am I what?”

She let out a frustrated sigh and made a show of rolling her eyes. “Looking for a meaningful relationship.”

“What do you think this is?”

“This is not meaningful.” She gestured between us. “This is me avoiding my slutty roommate.”

I pressed a hand to my chest. “Ah, you wound me, Red.”

“Oh please,” she said, sitting up straighter. “You only hang around me because it kills you that I’m the one girl who won’t sleep with you.”

“That’s not true. I like you. You’re different than the other girls around here.” I finished the last of my beer and got up to grab another.

“You mean because my IQ is higher than my bra size?”

I laughed. “For starters.”

“You’re not really like I expected you to be.”

I shot her a look over the refrigerator door before grabbing a beer and heading back to the couch. “What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know, really. I guess you’re just full of surprises.” She smiled, sipping her beer.

Red walked to the built-in bookshelves near the TV. She picked up a small wood frame and held it out to me. “Is this your family?”

I stood behind her, looking over her shoulder at the picture in the frame. It was Mom, Dad, David, and me on the back deck on the Fourth of July. We each wore a matching grin, beers held high in the air. It was a moment of happiness before everything changed.

“Yeah,” I said, clearing my throat to hide the emotion trapped there.

She studied the picture as a sadness crept across her face. “You all look so happy.”

“We’re pretty close.” I nodded. “What about you? You close to your family?”

Her face crumpled as she set the frame back on the shelf. “I don’t have one.” She cleared her throat and crossed her arms protectively across her chest.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean they’re gone. I’m all that’s left.”

“You’re losing me, Red.”

“My parents died last year. They were the only family I had.”

My eyes widened and my heart clinched. I felt like such an asshole for pushing her. “Shit! Alex, I’m so sorry.” I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at me, forcing a smile, but I could see the tears welling in her eyes. “It’s okay, you didn’t know.”

“Can I ask what happened?” I said, proceeding with caution. I didn’t want to upset her any more.

She let out a long breath and looked up at the ceiling, trying to get a hold of herself. “It was a car accident. They were hit head on by a drunk driver, killed instantly.” I watched as tears slipped down her cheek. She took a deep breath. “So now I’m all that’s left.”

“No one else? No aunts? Grandparents?” I asked, trying to find some way to comfort her, to let her know she wasn’t alone. She just shook her head in response, wiping a tear from her cheek. I reached out and pulled her to my chest, wrapping my arms around her. I didn’t know what to say, so I just held her and let her cry. I felt horrible. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if I lost my family. No wonder Red was so guarded. She was all alone.

She pulled out of my arms, taking her glasses off to wipe her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she sniffled. “I didn’t mean to ruin the whole night.”

I gave her a small smile, pulling her back against my chest. “You didn’t ruin anything,” I said, briefly kissing her hair. “But you know what?” She looked up at me, her beautiful eyes still glistening with tears. “You’re not alone anymore. You got me. Okay?”

She blinked at me, wide eyed. I was determined to keep that promise. I could see in her eyes that she was reluctant to believe me, but no matter what, I was going to make sure that Red knew that I was there for her.

“Come on,” I said, taking a hold of her hand. “I think we might need a little help from my friend, Jose.”

“Who?” She let me pull her into the kitchen. I stopped in front of the fridge and pulled a bottle of Jose Cuervo from the cabinet.

“Jose can turn anyone’s night around.” I grabbed two shot glasses down from the shelf.

“I don’t know.” She sounded apprehensive.

“What? Do you think I’m going to get you drunk and take advantage of you?” I raised my eyebrows at her, pouring two shots and holding one out to her.

She stared at me with a puzzled look in her eyes before caving in and taking the glass from me.

I held out my glass to toast. “To family.”

I winked, then drank the shot, the amber liquid burning down my throat and settling deep in my stomach. I watched as she saluted me with her glass before taking the shot, wincing as it slid down her throat.

I grabbed the bottle and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, leading her back into the living room. “See, I told you we could be friends.”

Chapter 4

Alex (Now)

Monday morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm, the fog horn. Just one more thread in a string of bad ring tone decisions. I showered quickly, then blow dried my hair in an attempt to tame the frizz. I put on just enough makeup to look presentable and dressed quickly in my vintage cigarette pants, a polka dot blouse, and some comfy ballet flats.

I never go overboard for work. The job requires professional attire, but as an interior designer, I spend most of my days in musty carpet stores and construction sites covered in drywall dust. Usually, by the end of the day, I end up looking like I just went through a desert.

I ran through today’s projects in my head and mapped out my schedule for the morning on the walk to work. After college, I landed my dream job with Madeline Grant Interiors. I met Madeline when she was a guest lecturer for my Introduction to Sustainable Design class. She told us that interior design required a gift that couldn’t be taught. That day, she became my personal god, and when I found out she was looking for an associate designer to join her firm, I camped outside her office for three days until she finally agreed to review my portfolio. She said if I was half as talented as I was persistent, then I had the job. She flipped through three pages and told me I was hired.

I could already tell that this week was going to be hell, but I was excited to present my proposal for the Ashburn Hotel to Madeline. She asked me and another designer to do a storyboard for the Ashburn Hotel lobby. We were supposed to present them to her today. The best idea would be pitched to the client.