“Without a doubt.” It was something I had never said out loud before, but it was the truth, I knew it.

His hand stroked my knee. “I guess we’re both fucked, huh?”

“Looks that way.”

“Then I guess it’s a damn good thing we found each other.”

It was.

By the time Riley finally called me at eleven thirty the next day, I was clammy from anxiety. My temporary roommate, Maggie, had been trying to chat with me after Tyler had dropped me off that morning, but I had been so lame and boring, she’d given up.

“Hello?” I said, already pacing back and forth in the small kitchen.

“It went good. The social worker said everything looks fine. That it was a clean and ‘pleasant environment’ for four guys our age.”

“Yes!” I gave a fist pump, letting out a sigh of relief.

He laughed. “She had Easton go through the pictures in the hallway and tell her about them. When he got to the one of you and me, he said, ‘That’s Jessica. She says no one is allowed to smoke in the house.’ The social worker said that was a good rule.”

“My work is done here,” I told Riley, highly satisfied. “Though I didn’t even realize Easton heard me.” Or remembered my name.

“He hears everything. It’s his superpower.”

“What’s your superpower?”

“You haven’t seen it yet.”

Oh, my. The night before we had just spooned again. No making out, no nothing. It was like Riley had been too worried to be turned on. I had tried not to find it weird, but the truth was, I found it weird. Most guys I knew used sex as an excuse to avoid anything and everything. Or it was the one thing that could distract them from something they didn’t want to deal with. Riley was different.

“Oh, yeah? That sounds ominous.”

“Nah. Superpowers are always a positive thing.” There was a pause where I could tell he was lighting a cigarette because there was a muffled rustling as his shoulder connected with the phone.

I wondered when his birthday was, because I wanted to buy him a nicotine patch.

“The cookie jar was a nice touch, by the way. Jayden reached in and got one out and he actually remembered to offer one to her. I don’t know how he pulled manners out of his ass at the right second, but it was golden.”

“That’s awesome. I’m really happy it went so well.” Happy and relieved.

“Thanks, babe. I owe you one.”

Hopefully it would be in the form of a giant orgasm. “What are you doing now?” Maybe we could celebrate.

“I’m heading to work. I’ll at least get a half day’s pay.”

Ick. So much for thoughts of celebration. “Hey, I forgot to ask, how was the zoo yesterday? Did you actually make it?”

“Yes. And it was ninety degrees there. It was like doing laps in ball soup. We saw a gorilla eat his own shit and two lemurs fucking.”

“Hm. Sounds delightful.”

“But for whatever reason Jayden and Easton loved it. They must be seeing something I’m not.”

“I never liked the zoo either. It’s a lot of walking to look at dirty and bored animals.”

“See? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. How come you and I are the only ones who get it?”

“We’re an island unto ourselves.” I paced again, suddenly overcome by the urge to call off work and be at the house when Riley got home.

The thought was alien. I had wanted to ditch work plenty of times, but not for the simple reason that I wanted to see a guy. It was scary. I was sharing my feelings with him and wanting to be with him all the time.

I was pretty sure this meant that I was emotionally invested, aka emotionally screwed.

He laughed and it ended in a cough, a real hacking sound that was not normal for a twenty-five-year-old. “Sorry,” he said when it petered out. “The tuberculosis is kicking up.”

“Ha ha. Maybe you should try quitting smoking.”

“Maybe you should try quitting nagging.”

I was nagging. I sounded like a bitchy wife. “Doesn’t mean I’m not right.” Let him argue with that logic.

“I’ll quit someday. Just not today. Besides, I can just about guarantee I’m in better shape than you. I haul roofing materials all day and I go to the gym.”

“You also eat fried foods. And I’m reasonably athletic,” I protested. “I was on the volleyball team in high school.”

“I’m doing a Warrior Dash on Saturday. Want to do it with me?”

“What’s that?” I asked, suspicious. I was fairly certain I was being tricked into something heinous.

“It’s an obstacle course, where you scale a wall and stuff like that. Once you finish, they give you beer. People of all ages and levels of endurance do it, and there are no high speeds or demons.”

He was just a regular Jimmy Fallon. “I could probably do that.” Though I didn’t exactly sound enthusiastic. “I like beer.”

“You don’t have to,” he said. “It requires determination and a willingness to get dirty. But maybe you can come and just cheer me on.”

Hello. Just because I was blond didn’t mean I was going to be relegated to the role of cheerleader in a tight T-shirt. “I can get dirty. I’m determined. Screw you, Mann. Tell me when and where.”

I could practically hear him grinning. “You are so easy to manipulate.”

How amusing. Not. “Dick.” Though I had walked right into that one.

“What?”

“You know. But fine, I’ll still do it. Now I have a point to prove and maybe you’ll stop calling me princess.”

“I already have. Pita.”

“How about no nicknames unless they start with Sexy?”

“No. That shows no imagination.”

Winning. “I’m okay with cliché as long as it references my beauty.”

“We can talk about your beauty later. Right now I have to go to work.”

“Work sucks.”

“Tell me about it. I’ll call you later.” He made exaggerated and obnoxious kissing sounds into the phone.

I laughed. “Oh, God, never make that sound again.”

Wednesday night after he picked me up, we went back to his house and played video games in the hot living room. “So who do you normally hang out with?” I asked, thumbs moving fast on my controller.

“I don’t know. I’m either at work or the gym or with my brothers. Sometimes I grab a beer with the guys I work with.”

“Maybe we should invite some people over sometime.”

“You mean, like a party?” he asked, glancing over at me.

“No. I guess we really can’t do that. Not with the boys and social workers and all that. I meant more just like, maybe you could introduce me to your friends.” The minute it was out of my mouth, I wanted to retract the statement. It was so “girlfriend.” So needy.

“I don’t have any friends. I have coworkers I grab a beer with. I have Tyler and Nathan and that’s about it. You’re dating a loser. There is still time for you to bail if you want.”

“Don’t be self-deprecating. It’s not a good look on you.” I dodged a missile on the screen. “I don’t have a lot of true friends either. Just Rory and Kylie and Robin.” The rest were fringe.

“Robin’s the hot one, right?” he asked, voice teasing.

“I will cut you if you say that again.”

“And you were worried about my jealousy? Damn.”

“Maybe we could have a cookout or something for your friends and my friends.” Why was I still pushing this? I wasn’t even sure what I was pushing.

“Why do we have to be with other people? Can’t I just be with you?” He paused the game and tossed his controller on the coffee table. “Come here, weirdo.”

He pulled me into his arms and I settled with my back against his chest. “What are you really asking for, Jess?”

“I don’t know,” I told him honestly. “I don’t really have any idea how to date someone. I haven’t had a boyfriend since my junior year in high school.”

“Well, I’ve never had a boyfriend so you’re one step ahead of me.”

Oh, God. I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see them. “Cute.”