This was obviously not going to work out, and I wasn’t even interested in seeing the bedroom. “I think I’m going to have to keep looking Jennifer. I’m probably too much of a morning person for you, I like sunlight, and I’m sure I’d be too noisy. Oh, and I thrive off of country music.” I added the last bit because I knew Macie was about to lose it.

“K. You know where the door is.” She turned back toward the band, and they started their shouty singing again. Jennifer had effectively dismissed Macie and me like it was no sweat off her back.

I grabbed Macie’s hand and hightailed it back down the long hallway and out into the sunlight. I took a deep breath in, not realizing I was feeling claustrophobic in the dark confines of the apartment.

“Holy shit, Keegan, I think you have hit the motherload of weirdos today.”

“Geez that was creepy and I was oddly afraid for my life. By the way, what was your verdict on the Pat?” I asked.

Her grin spread. “I’m leaning toward chick. I was close to asking her to drop her pants so I could see.”

“Hardy-har.” We got into her car and sat there for a few minutes. I leaned forward and put my face in my hands. I dug my palms into my eyes and rubbed hard. What if they were all like this? I’d rather just stick it out at my mom’s if they were.

“Stop it. I can practically hear your mind working over there. Knock it off. We have this last place to go to, and they say third time’s the charm right?” Macie was trying to be optimistic.

“Or three strikes you’re out.”

She rolled her eyes. “The last place is by the school right? The Ridgewood Apartments?”

“Yup.”

“Well, let’s go. I have a feeling about this one.”

Yeah, me too. Except my feeling was that I was going to be living with my mother for the next two years until I graduate.

We drove the few miles back toward campus and parked in front of the apartment complex. This was a place that I frequently passed by but had never been to. The grounds were well-maintained, there was a clubhouse that probably housed a small gym, and there was an outdoor pool and hot tub. No way would I be using those part of the facilities. I wasn’t a super big girl by any means, but I was pretty average. I wore a size ten jeans and had more than enough tits and ass, but I was very self-conscious about my body and curves. No bikinis for me.

After the last two disastrous interviews, I wasn’t holding my breath for this one. The apartment number I was given was on the second floor. I looked at Macie and took a deep breath. Just before I knocked the door opened. Air whooshed around me and I caught a smell that was so mouthwatering my knees almost buckled. It was some sort of soap and a light aftershave. My eyes traveled up the long lean legs that clearly belonged to a man. The further up my eyes went, the more I liked what I saw. Gym shorts covered a trim waist and a plain white Nike t-shirt was stretched over a muscled chest. When I finally reached the face of the person in front of me, all the air that had filled me before left my lungs in a rush. This guy had piercing blue eyes and dark hair that was disheveled from just getting out of the shower. I didn’t have to look over at Macie to know that her jaw was hanging open like mine. Mister Hottie Pants gave us a delicious smirk that caused me to reach out for the door frame. He knew he was good looking, and I was hit too stupid to remember that I normally hated these kinds of guys.

More awkward silence ensued before he held out his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Dodger, which one of you is Keegan?”

MACIE NUDGED ME WITH HER ELBOW. Dodger noticed, and his smirk turned into a full megawatt smile. How was it possible for someone to have teeth like that? All white and shiny and straight… I continued to stare. Macie nudged me again, except harder this time.

I coughed and cleared my throat. Oh dear God I was a deer in the headlights that got smacked in the forehead by some way too hot dude who knew I was checking him out. This was my future roommate, and I was ready to sign up. He needed me to sleep on the couch-check. If he needed the house to stay dark during the day-check. If he needed to sleep till noon and bring over guys that looked like him on a regular basis-double check. Oh Jesus, he was still standing there with his hand out waiting for me to take it. Get with the program Keegan, I scolded myself.

“Gosh, I’m sorry. I’m Keegan, the one that called about the room.” I stood there again with my hand in his large palm. I heard Macie clear her throat beside me. “Shit. And this is my friend Macie.” I wasn’t recovering from my bout of stupidity very well. “She came with me for some extra support. I hope you don’t mind.”

He released my hand and shook Macie’s as well. I watched her looking at him, and I recognized that sparkle in her eye. She was interested. Oh hell no, I was nipping this in the bud fast! No way was she ruining my possible perfect roommate situation because she wanted to jump in the sack with Mr. Hottie Pants. Ugh! And why did he have to look at her like he wanted to be doing the same thing? When they released each other, he turned to glance back in the apartment and said, “Please, come on in. It’s pretty picked up for the most part, but then again, it usually is.”

He turned around and in a few short feet, we were standing in an open concept living room. Off to the left was a kitchen that had espresso-colored cabinets lining one wall with a granite island. The living room ceilings were large and expansive. They reached all the way up to the second story where there was a small lookout with a wooden rail.

“The place is a two bedroom apartment. Majority of the rent is covered. Your portion would only be four hundred dollars, plus half the electricity and water bills. If you ladies wouldn’t mind following me upstairs, I’ll show you which rooms are which.” His smooth Georgia accent was very evident.

Macie leaned over and whispered, “I’d follow him into a fiery inferno if he asked me to. Did you see that ass?”

Dodger looked over his shoulder and said, “It’s from squatting. I could show you good form sometime,” then continued up the stairs after winking at her.

For the first time since, well, since I’ve known Macie, she looked genuinely embarrassed. Her cheeks were pink, and she looked down. Boy she was really crushing on the guy, and it had only been five minutes. Must be love, I thought after rolling my eyes.

We got to the top of the beige carpeted staircase and there was once again an open space. I could see the rail that looked down to the living room in front of me. But off to the left there were two doors and to the right was one. Dodger opened the first door, and inside it was semi-dark because the shades were closed and heavy curtains blocked any light. A king-size bed in the center of one wall had a dark blue comforter and across from it was a large television mounted on the wall with a dresser just below. There was memorabilia on almost every single surface that I could see, but it was too dim to see what it was for.

“Here’s the master bedroom. Sorry, obviously it’s going to be a bit bigger than your room,” Dodger said.

“Oh, that’s not a problem. At least this one has a door.”

Macie let out a little giggle. Dodger looked confused. She looked over at him with a smirk. “Don’t ask.”

He walked in front of us and crossed the space to the second closed door. “Here’s the bathroom for upstairs. Unfortunately it’ll have to be shared. But it shouldn’t really be an issue. Well, unless you are wanting to put all that frilly pink shit on the toilet seat and a rug.” I grinned and shook my head. “Okay good.” He closed the door and went to the last opening. “Here would be your room. There’s a lock on the inside, if you feel like you need it. Although I can tell you that your privacy won’t be interrupted. Have a look around, and I’ll be downstairs in the kitchen.”