Roommating (Preston's Mill #1) Read Online Free Page B

Chris took a couple of
steps toward her. “And I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced…I’m Chris. Chris
Dole.”
    “Christopher is a nice strong name,” she gushed, and for a
minute, he swore she was blushing. “And I’m Estelle. It’s lovely to meet you.” She
held her hand out for him to…kiss.
    Fabulous.
    So he did, and then had to admit he kind of liked the small
giggle she let out before taking her hand back. “So…Estelle. Who am I trying to
look nice for?”
    “Heather,” she replied firmly. “Although, now that you’re
all cleaned up, maybe I’ll have to talk to her again about your modern arrangement.”
    He had no idea what she was talking about and was starting
to get a headache. “Modern…”
    “Heather said there was no hanky-panky going on between the
two of you, no sexual relations, you understand. But you sure did clean up
nicely.”
    Now he was blushing!
    “You should go,” Estelle said. “Wheel of Fortune’s about to
start, and I don’t want to miss it.” Her door slammed shut, and Chris could
only stand in stunned silence for a minute as he tried to comprehend what had
just happened.
    Shaking his head, he walked to his door, let himself in and,
just as he’d suspected, the place was completely decorated. There were throw
pillows on the sofa and pictures hung on the wall. But luckily, Flo was exactly
where he’d left her.
    He shut the door and was about to call out to Heather, but
she walked into the room and came to a halt at the sight of him. No doubt she
was noticing that there was a whole lot less hair on his head and face. He
braced himself for the mountain man comment.
    “Good. I’m glad you’re back. I’ve written up some ground
rules for us to go over,” she said as she went to sit down at the kitchen
table.
    Rules? No comment about his hair?
    Rather than argue, he went and sat down beside her and
chuckled when she slid a sheet of paper in his direction. “You printed out the
rules for us to live by?” he asked incredulously.
    “It seemed the most efficient thing to do. I just drafted up
some to begin with, and we can discuss them.”
    He rolled his eyes and then settled in to scan the page. But
he was completely aware of Heather sitting there watching him—as if waiting for
him to find fault with something.
    And he did.
    “I’m not agreeing to number three.”
    She instantly picked up her copy and scanned it. “And why not?”
    “Because I enjoy watching TV late at night. I’m not going to
let you give me a curfew. That’s crazy!”
    “It’s not a curfew. But I like to go to sleep at a
reasonable hour. You can’t tell me that you have to have the television on
full-blast late at night.”
    “Ah, but it doesn’t say that here, does it? All it says is
no TV after eleven. What am I, ten years old? We’re roommates, Heather. You’re
not my mom.”
    She sighed loudly and crossed it off the list, and he went
back to reading. “And number seven is stupid.”
    “Why?” she asked, clearly irritated.
    “I’m not splitting the refrigerator in half. Believe me,
I’ll know what food is yours and what’s mine. I don’t think we’re going to have
that problem. And if by some chance I eat some of your peanut butter, I’ll go
out and get you more.”
    Chris read the rest of the list, and then stood up and
grabbed both copies and crumpled them up.
    “Hey!” Heather objected, coming to her feet. “What in the
world? We’re never going to be able to work this crazy situation out if we
don’t have a few ground rules.”
    He spun around and stood facing her. “Here’s the deal—we
both live here, and neither one of us should be dictating how the other lives. You
want rules, here they are. You buy your own food, I’ll buy mine. You cook for
yourself, and I’ll cook for me. Neither of us should be expected to wait on the
other one. You with me so far?”
    She nodded, although her eyes were narrowed as if she
weren’t thinking happy thoughts