Room For One Read Online Free

that anyone tried to cross the sacred boundary of his bedroom door, and Toby respected Steff for putting forth the effort.
    Steff closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed. She was still clutching her coffee cup, so they drank in silence for a bit as the kitchen noises started dying down.
    “David’s a nice guy,” Steff said finally, giving Toby a studied look.
    “Yes yes yes, we had sex. I was tired and we were drinking and he made dinner and we had sex.”
    Steff nodded. “I figured. I’ve lived with you for three years. I knew something was up when the couch was a disaster and your boxers were on the rocking chair.”
    Toby looked around frantically and realized that the pile of clothes he’d dragged back with him the night before was, indeed, missing his underwear. “Oh crap.”
    “Anyway, he was awake when I got home, looking thoroughly debauched.”
    “Who says that? Debauched?”
    “Shut up. You know what I mean. Also, he looked thoroughly pissed too.”
    “Hey, I’m not that bad.”
    “What are you, blind?”
    Toby frowned. “No, I know he’s cute. Pretty, even. I’m a photographer, Steff, I notice things like that.”
    “But not that he’s been hitting on you for the last three months?”
    “He… what?”
    Steff rolled her eyes and took a slug from her mug before answering. “He grilled me not long after he moved in, asking if you were gay and about who you were seeing and what kind of guys you like and… really, really not subtle. And then he’s always making you dinner, and making sure you attend his parties, and… seriously, you didn’t know?”
    Toby sat in stunned wonderment, remembering the candles and the music and the food, the very good whisky and David’s willingness to share.
    “It was a date.” Toby groaned and lowered his head into his free hand.
    “What?”
    “I kept asking him if he had a date planned last night. It was all so… staged. I can’t believe I fell for that.”
    Steff laughed, loudly, and the noises from upfront paused for a bit. Then the vacuum cleaner started up.
    “Toby. Toby!” Steff, still laughing, poked him.
    “What?”
    “Do you like him?”
    “Well yeah, hello, boxers on the rocking chair.”
    “No, I mean…you know, like him .”
    Toby paused. “I don’t know…” He turned to look at Steff. “It’s been a long time.”
    “Long enough, maybe?” Steff gently put her hand on Toby’s knee, smiling at him. “You gotta try again sometime. David’s awesome, and he adores you. Everyone knows it. Well, except you, obviously.” Steff patted his knee and then stood up. “I’m just saying, think about it.” She left, closing the door behind her, and Toby sat on the bed drinking his cold coffee long after David gave up on the house cleaning and slammed the front door on his way out.
     
    T HE usual monthly fete was set for the following Friday, and Toby was torn between making an awkward appearance or acting like a dick by staying away the whole night. David had been MIA since the morning he stormed out, and Toby was not too sure what he was going to say to him anyway, so he took the reprieve in the spirit of a man getting a free day before execution.
    What ended up happening was that Steff locked him in the garage Friday afternoon before he could decide to escape or not.
    “Open!”
    “No!”
    The door opened into the garage, so Toby wondered how the hell she had jammed it from the other side. “Steff, come on.”
    “You are staying for dinner.”
    “This really isn’t any of your business.”
    “Yes or no.”
    “Yes! Dammit! Open the door!”
    “Hold on.”
    There was some scuffling on the other side before the door was pushed open. Toby stepped back, ready to flay Steff alive, but instead David tumbled through.
    “Don’t make me move out because your gay-boy emo moping drives me insane. Fix this.” Steff pointed at both of them and shut the door again with a loud slam. Toby stared at it, wondering if she had somehow