“Because you’re a dude and we’re a house of women.”
“Sounds familiar.”
Katie shakes her head. “This is different. They’re not related to you.”
“What about the basement?”
Katie closes her eyes. “What about the basement?” She’s scrambling for new excuses.
“You said none of you go down there because it’s unfinished. I’ll sleep in the basement.”
“It’s not going to work.”
“Why?”
Katie tilts her head back, her blue eyes narrowed. “Because we don’t want cleat chasers and random people showing up at the house with a keg over one shoulder, looking for a good time. We have routines and a cleaning chart.”
“Sign me up. I’ll help.”
“Nolan—”
“Name your price.”
“I don’t have a price.”
“I will wash your car for a year. I’ll be your personal chauffeur home from every party you attend—”
“I don’t get shit-faced.” She gives me a pointed look that sayslike you.
“I can do house projects, get you box seats to give to Carsen for Christmas, get test answers for one of your classes.”
“How?”
“Is that what you want?”
“No!” She sounds exasperated.
“Katie, come on. I’ll live in the basement. The only time you’ll see me is when I’m coming or going.” I already know offering to help with finances will be a moot point. Our grandparents on our mom’s side left all three of my sisters and me inheritances for college that could support us going to college for a decade a piece if we wanted to thanks to the oil that was found on their property. Still, I make the pitch, “I’ll help with the bills and groceries, and if some random idiot shows up in the middle of the night, I’ll be here to chase them away.”
“The only random idiot I’m worried about showing up is you.”
“Come on. I’m desperate. Name your price.”
Katie’s shoulders sink, revealing her reluctance is beginning to break. “There are going to be rules, and it’s not forever, but I need to talk to my roommates first. I can’t make this decision on my own, and if they say no…”
I nod, not hearing anything except her accepting me to move in.
Chapter3
Hadley
“Tell me your thoughts,” Katie says. “We can say no—I mean,Ican say no.” Katie, Hannah, and I are sitting in the living room, two mostly empty pizza boxes in front of us.
I picked them up on my way home after Katie texted asking us to meet with her tonight. I had thought maybe like me, she was realizing how little time we’ve spent together and was hoping to hang out, instead, it’s been an impromptu roommate meeting to discuss the possibility of her brother moving in.
Hannah pushes her glasses up a little higher on her nose. “You have to let him move in. He’s your brother.”
Katie scoffs. “It’s not like he’s being put out on the streets. He has a perfectly good room; he just doesn’t want to live there.”