I nodded. As both of them grabbed a box, I headed into Jesse’s house. Jamie had put all his boxes in the foyer and dining room so we sidestepped his stuff and placed my boxes in the living room. “Yeah,” I answered Beth as we headed back out. “Derek and Kara got their own place since she’s not a Resident Advisor this year.”
“I can’t believe you’re really living with Jesse now.”
Beth frowned at her cousin. “Why not? She basically did last year.”
“Yeah, but she still had a place of her own. What if something happens? What if she needs somewhere to go?”
I grinned while Beth punched her cousin’s arm. “Good thing I have your place to go to.”
“Go to?” Hannah froze as if she hadn’t thought about that. “But we only have a two bedroom apartment. And her boytoy doesn’t work at Club T anymore. He’s got a new job so I know he’ll be sleeping over more. And me—”
“We all know your sex life hasn’t really dwindled,” Beth spoke over her cousin, giving her a meaningful look.
“What? It has. I’m not dating Scarred Baldy anymore.”
I grinned, reaching into my car for another box. The other two followed suit and we headed back inside. As we got there, Jamie had jumped from the stairs. He landed in the foyer and scooped one of his boxes. When he noticed who else was with me, the slight warmth chilled. “Oh. You.”
“Oh. You.” Hannah sent him a snarl.
Beth sighed and moved around her cousin to put her box down. Hannah lingered in the foyer, skimming a disgusted eye up and down Jamie. “Have you gained weight over the summer?”
“No.” He looked insulted. “I’ve been lifting over the summer.” Then he cast a shrewd eye over her figure. “You’re not the normal whore that you usually are. What’s up with that? Are you in costume today? Practicing for Halloween? We’ve still got two months to go.”
“Shut up and what are you doing, gaining weight? That’s only going to slow you down on the basketball court.”
I frowned and handed my box to Beth so I could take the one Hannah was holding. She looked ready to throw it at him.
“It’s none of your business. You’re just hot for me. That’s the only reason you give a damn.”
Her top lip curved even higher in a sneer as she tossed her platinum hair back. “You’re just jealous because my sister dumped your ass in May. Good one. Classy move cheating on her.”
He stiffened, looking ready to throw his box at her now. “I was set up. Your sister wanted me to cheat on her.”
Her mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged out. “Are you kidding me? That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I don’t give a shit what you think. Alex.”
My back stiffened at the abrupt call. “Yeah?”
“Who’s the new roommate?”
I sucked in my breath and shook my head. No way was I getting involved with that one. “Jesse’s almost home. You can ask him.”
“What?”
But I hurried out of there. I wasn’t looking forward to hearing Hannah’s reaction either when the new roommate did show up. And just then, because karma hated me, Tiffany’s Mazda pulled into the driveway. She got out, flashed me a friendly wave, and grabbed two large suitcases before she crossed the lawn. “Hi!”
This wasn’t going to go well. I gestured towards the house. “He doesn’t know. And neither does she.”
Tiffany went rigid. “My sister’s here?”
I nodded. No words were needed.
Beth stepped out from the door. She saw the packed car, her other cousin, and the luggage. She turned around and went back inside. Emerging a moment later, she had Hannah’s keys in her hand and she waved at us as she crossed the street. The red Camaro took off a second later.
Tiffany grinned as she pushed her pink sunglasses on top of her head. “She’s smarter than I give her credit.”
I grunted. “I was starting to like you until that comment.”
She shrugged. “That doesn’t bother me either.” Nodding towards the house, she asked, “So who’s all in there? I see Cord and Jamie’s car.”
“I just got here ten minutes ago. I had to go back home to finalize the sale on my house.”
“Oh, that’s right. The one your parents left you.”
I nodded. It was better in someone else’s hands. And it wasn’t somewhere I saw myself spending time in. With the monthly allowance my father was still paying, which I had been surprised when I got my statements from the bank; and the inheritance I got from my grandfather, the money from the house wasn’t that much. Still, I figured I’d find good use for it somewhere down the line. For the next three years, Jesse wanted me to stay in his house. He said even if we broke up, he still wanted me there. If that happened, he was family no matter what. He had to be. We needed each other.
“Where’s Jesse?”
I was distracted from my thoughts. “What? Oh. He was called in for a meeting with the coach. He just texted. He was going to help me move the last of my stuff, but he’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“So I have Derek’s old room?”
I nodded. The unspoken question was if she was still across the hall from her ex-boyfriend, and yes. She was.
She took a deep breath and surveyed the house as if we were heading into enemy territory. “This is going to be interesting.”