Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 55

As Abby and I walked home from the library, she asked, "So, when will I finally meet this guy?" I chuckled in response to her question. "You're starting to sound like my mom," I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

I've been dating Dane for almost two weeks now, even though we've only been on two actual dates. Two weeks might not seem like a long time to some, but for me, who hasn't dated anyone in years, it feels like a significant amount of time.

I believe Dane and I are a good match. Ever since our disastrous first date, he's been incredibly sweet and kind to me. He's been eager to meet up, but I've been too busy studying for a midterm exam scheduled for tomorrow.

Balancing schoolwork with a relationship isn't always easy, especially when my roommates seem to have lighter course loads. On Monday evening, Abby and I left the library to grab dinner together, but she had to return for soccer practice.

"I'm not sure," I replied to Abby's question about when I should introduce Dane to my friends. "How long do you wait before introducing someone you're dating to your friends?"

"Why don't you invite him to the Halloween party at your apartment this Friday?" she suggested. Halloween falls on a weekend this year, and I was planning to have a good time.

"I'll ask him," I said, shrugging. My apartment was hosting the party, and we had a spacious living area to accommodate all the guests.

"What's he like?" Abby asked, and I smiled.

"He's nice," I admitted, and she furrowed her brows, looking puzzled. "That's it?" she asked, and I blinked.

"Well, what else is there to say? He's kind and mature," I explained, and she nodded.

"It just seems like you should feel more after two weeks," she remarked, shrugging.

"We're taking things slow," I clarified, and she nodded. "Besides, we've only been on two dates," I added.

"Is he a good kisser?" she asked, and I felt my cheeks warm up. Dane had leaned in for a kiss a few nights ago, but I turned it into a hug, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Yeah, he is," I answered, even though we hadn't kissed yet. I didn't want Abby to make me feel more self-conscious about the fact that I wasn't completely into Dane yet.

"You can't fake a blush like that," she laughed. "Have you guys had sex yet?"

"No, I don't really know him that well yet," I replied quietly. The thought of having sex with him frightened me, and I didn't want to feel that way. It wasn't a nervous but exhilarated feeling; it was more like, "What am I going to do when he wants that?"

"It hasn't been that long, I suppose," she said, giving a shrug with a smile as we reached the halfway point of our journey home. "We'll have to chat more about it later," she added.

"Definitely," I replied, trying to sound self-assured. "See you soon!"

"Bye, Juls!" she beamed, and I took a deep breath, continuing my walk home. My phone started vibrating in my bag, and I pulled it out, noticing a message from Dane flashing on the screen. I changed his name to simply 'Dane' after our first date.

"Hello?" I grinned, placing the phone to my ear.

"Hey, gorgeous," he greeted me, and my eyes widened in surprise. He's taken things to the next level. "How's your day going?"

"I'm just fine," I said with a shrug, taking a turn down the next street on my way home.

"Walking home from the library. How about you?"

"Still busy," he chuckled. "I was just checking to see if you had any plans for the week. Are you free tonight?"

As he spoke, I spotted Kent running on the opposite side of the street. His hair was damp with sweat, and his sleeves clung to his muscles, giving me a glimpse of his impressive physique. He was so focused that he didn't even see me.

"Juls?" Dane asked, snapping me back to reality.

"Yeah, sorry," I cleared my throat. "I have a midterm on Monday, so I was hoping to spend the evening studying. Dinner at home, then back to the library."

"No plans to study at my place?" he suggested.

"I have three roommates, and it's not always peaceful at home," I explained. "I need a quiet place to get things done."

"What if I come to pick you up after work?" he proposed. "You can work at my place. I have some work to finish up, too, so I'll be on my best behavior."

The idea made me nervous, as I had never spent that much time alone with him before. But the prospect of a quiet and neutral space to study was too tempting to resist.

"Okay, that could work," I said with a smile. "It would also be a good opportunity to talk about Halloween. By Friday, we'll be close to three weeks, and I'll need to introduce you to my friends."

"Don't worry about dinner," he said. "I'll order something for us."

"Alright, when should I expect you?" I asked, now close to my apartment.

"In about thirty minutes?" he suggested. "Have you decided I'm not a serial killer by now? I still need your address."

"I'll send it to you," I replied with a grin. "Bye, Dane. See you soon."

"Later, Juls," he answered, and I hung up the phone, putting it back in my pocket.

I couldn't help but think that dating has changed since my high school days. Everything feels like a big event or an excuse to do something. Back then, it was much more low-key, but perhaps that's because I was dealing with teenage boys. Dane, on the other hand, is a mature adult.

I tried the door to my apartment and found it unlocked, stepping inside to find Mark and Kyle lounging on the couch. They never seemed to be in their rooms, always making themselves at home in the common area.

"Hello, Juls," Kyle greeted with a smile, and Mark waved. "How was the library?"

"It was busy," I replied. "I think it's midterm season for most people."

"Not for us," Mark said with a chuckle.

"I wish I was a business major," I joked, taking off my coat. "Can I talk to you guys about something?"

"Go ahead," Kyle said.

"How would you feel if I brought Dane to Halloween?" I asked.

"Is he into that kind of thing?" Mark inquired. "We're planning to play beer pong and do shots, not drink brandy."

"I say bring him, Juls," Kyle said. "I'd like to meet him. If he doesn't enjoy it, he can always leave."

"That's true," Mark agreed with a chuckle. "Are things getting serious between the two of you?"

"Not yet," I shrugged. "I'm still trying to figure everything out, see if he gets along with everyone."

"That's important, right?" Mark asked.

"Has he been told that you live with three guys?" Mark asked, and my eyes widened.

"No, I don't think I've mentioned it," I admitted. "But I'm sure it won't be a problem for him. He's mature and can handle it."

"That's a fair point," Mark agreed. "You can't change who you live with, right?"

"He's coming to pick me up in about half an hour," I informed them. "You might get to meet him then."

"Alright," Kyle said with a shrug.

"I'll start thinking of things to tell him," Mark said, making me roll my eyes. "How about the fact that you organize the drawers in the vanity in alphabetical order?"

"That might actually turn him on," I chuckled, and they all laughed.

Twenty minutes later, I heard a knock on the door and headed to answer it. To my surprise, it was Kent on the other side, red-faced and sweating from his run.

"The door was locked," Kent said, coming inside. "What's going on?" He headed to the kitchen for a glass of water, taking out his AirPods and putting them in a case on the kitchen peninsula.

"Jul's guy is here to take her away," Kyle said with a chuckle, while I simply rolled my eyes.

"He's not my guy; we're just working together at his place for a few hours," I replied, collecting my things and putting them into my bag along with my textbook.

"So you and Captain America have hit it off?" Kent asked casually. I could tell it was bothering him deep down, but he couldn't admit it, so he acted this way. He acted like a jerk about Dane, but that was okay.

"I guess so," I shrugged, trying to keep my cool. Another knock was heard, and I laughed. "That must be him." I walked to the door, opened it, and let Dane in. He looked a bit confused, but I smiled.

"Hey, come on in," I grinned as he put an arm around me, giving me a quick hug.

"Hi, I got these for you," Dane said, holding out a bouquet of red roses. My smile faded a bit as I remembered all of the other red rose bouquets I've dumped from Chase.

I heard a cough that sounded like a chuckle, and I looked over at Mark on the couch. I gave him a stern look, and he stopped immediately.

"Do you like roses?" Dane asked. "I think most girls do."

"T-they're great. Let me grab a vase for them," I replied, trying to keep up my fake smile.

I walked to the edge of the counter where I've lined up all of the previous cheap bouquets from Chase, and I headed to the faucet.

"Dane, these are my roommates, Kyle and Mark," I introduced, gesturing to the two of them on the couch. "And this is Kent," I added, pointing to Kent who is now standing next to me in the kitchen.

Kent mouthed "red roses" to me, and I mouthed back "stop" with a chuckle.

"Nice to meet you, man," Mark greeted, standing up and giving Dane a quick handshake. Kyle followed suit, and Dane took it all in, but I could tell he was a bit thrown off. They exchanged pleasantries when I felt someone come up behind me.

"Didn't tell him you lived with three guys, huh?" Kent whispered, and I sighed.

"I never mentioned it; I just said I have three roommates," I whispered back, removing the plastic from the flowers and putting them in the vase.

"Nice flowers," Kent said with sarcasm, and I huffed. Dane meant well with the bouquet, and he didn't know I disliked red roses. "Nice to meet you, Dane. I have to run and take a shower!" Kent said with a quick wave, and I watched him head down the hallway.

"It's nice to meet you guys, but I think we should go. Right, Juls?" Dane asked, and I nodded in agreement.

"Okay." I placed the vase on the dining table and grabbed my school bag. "Bye guys, see you later tonight!" I waved, and they waved back.

"Good to meet you, Dane," they both said, returning to their couch and their show.

I followed Dane out and closed the door, making sure I had my keys. We walked back to his car, and I was shocked to see a beautiful BMW parked on the street. It had all the latest features and a bright red exterior.

"This is your car?" I gaped, and he nodded.

"Yeah," he shrugged quietly, unlocking the doors. His answer was dismissive, and I knew something was wrong. But I gave him the benefit of being tired after a long day.