Chapter 4. First Meeting

“Two bathrooms?” I asked, and they both nodded.

“Yes, having two bathrooms is a lifesaver, especially when someone is taking a shower,” Asher chuckled. I nodded in agreement, relieved at the thought.

“The last room here is just a storage area where we keep cleaning supplies,” he continued, pointing to the utility closet door. Then, he pointed at another door. “This is Nash’s private space, so we shouldn’t go in without asking.”

Asher then slapped the wall and exclaimed, “And this is what Elias’s room looks like right now.” He opened the door, revealing an empty room with just an iron bed frame.

“It’s huge,” I remarked, and they both nodded in agreement. It was much larger than my bedroom at home and had wood floors and plain white walls.

Elias emerged from the half-bathroom and asked, “Are you guys showing her around? What do you think, Chloe?”

“May I take a look inside the closet?” I asked, and Elias confirmed with a nod.

“Of course, go ahead and explore,” he said, and I appreciated his friendly demeanor. The room had high ceilings and a large window. The closet was spacious and would be perfect if I had my dresser.

“Do you like it?” Elias asked, and I nodded in approval.

“It’s perfect for me,” I replied with a smile, but added, “If you guys are okay with it.” I extended my hands as a gesture of agreement, and they all laughed.

For me to move in, they needed to want me there, too, but it was not just about settling down. My social life was in a dismal state, and I needed to put myself out there again since most of my local acquaintances had left for college. I was bored and had no one to talk to.

“Could we have a moment to discuss this?” Caleb politely asked, and I agreed.

“Sure, why not?” I answered, and they all left the room. I followed them down the hall to rejoin them in the living room.

My mind raced with the tasks ahead. I needed to secure a lease, check my credit, and furnish the room. I hoped they would accept me as their new roommate, even though I felt nervous and anxious about it.

As I felt my purse vibrate, I knew it was my phone. I reached for it and found a call from my mom.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hey, sweetie,” my mom’s voice came through the speaker as I heard the background noise of her car’s engine. “How’s everything going?”

“It’s going fine,” I replied, glancing at the bed in the room. “I’m just at Elias’s place, chatting.”

“Are you planning to stay out for long?” my mom asked.

“No,” I admitted. I realized I should have waited to discuss moving in until we had a proper conversation.

“Alright, I need to run some errands in the city,” my mom informed me. “Are you ready for me to come and get you?”

“Sure, I’ll text you the address,” I replied, looking around the room at its clean walls. It was clear the room had been prepared for guests.

“That’s sweet. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes,” she said, making me smile.

“Okay, see you…” I began but was interrupted when I noticed a shadow in the doorway across the hall.

Nash.

I gave him a quick grin, and he returned it. I couldn’t help but notice his attractive features, from his sculpted jawline to his dark brown hair and captivating green eyes with a hint of yellow. He seemed like someone who had spent the summer outdoors.

“Chloe?” my mom’s voice snapped me back to reality, and I shook my head.

“Yeah, sorry, Mom, the signal’s not great here,” I mumbled, feeling somewhat distracted. Nash was big and imposing, which added to my hesitation about having him as a roommate. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay, see you, hon,” my mom replied, ending the call. I took a deep breath, put my phone back in my purse, and turned to see if Nash was still there.

He was still standing there, smiling as I walked away, my hands now sweaty once more.

“Hey,” he greeted, and I exhaled, my heart racing.