Roommates

Chapter 26

Trey stopped by guest services as his shift was coming to an end at five bells. He leaned over the swinging doors and whistled to get Evangeline's attention. His high-pitched noise typically made her angry, but this time she seemed unresponsive. "Hey!" He whistled again, this time louder. "Eve?"

Evangeline set her phone down with a guilty cringe and she spun around with a nervous expression on her face. A forced smile consumed her entire red face. She walked up to him, massaging a pen between her hands. She kept trying to force words out of her mouth but fell short.

"If you're having a stroke, kiss me. I'll make you feel better."

She clenched her jaw and groaned. "I made a choice, and I haven't decided if I will regret it yet."

"Did you text Chloe again?" He deadpanned.

"No."

"Then it probably wasn't a regrettable mistake." He brought his head into the service booth and smiled widely. "So, how about that kiss?"

She pressed her finger tips to his puckered lips, shoving him out of her space. "I asked Aurora on a date."

Taken by no surprise, Trey rose his hand for a high-five. "Get it, girl! Are y'all gonna wine and dine?"

"God, I hope not," Evangeline sighed in disappointment at the accusation. She lowered his hand forcefully and her voice lowered as she got in his face. "I want to treat her right. What about that wasn't clear?"

He tossed a single thought around his brain over and over before opening his mouth and letting it fall out. "Do you know how to treat a girl right?"

Considering his question, she pulled her lip between her teeth and lowered her head. It shook slowly side to side. "Not really. I'm not much of a romantic, and I take it that she is."

He slipped between the swinging doors and embraced her. He patted her shoulder. "As long as you don't sleep with her on the first date, I would say you have treated her better than others."

"I won't."

He set his head on top of hers, chittering his jaw to annoy her. "I know you're a whore, my love, but I believe in you."

"I offered to make her dinner. Is that good enough?"

"Do you know what you're going to make?"

"I mean, I don't even know what she likes. What should I make?" Throughout the day, she had gone through all of the dishes she could potentially make, and none of them sounded good enough to make for someone as kind and thoughtful as Aurora. Evangeline also didn't know the first thing about Aurora. Food had not really come up between the pair over the past few days.

"You could make that chicken and wine dish," he suggested, remembering the last time she made it a few years back. He had six platefuls and blacked out on the couch following an array of illicit drugs. "And, you could also give me the leftovers like the fat atristo-cat I am."

She nodded in agreement. "I could do that. It's a safe option and it's easy to make."

He let go of their embrace and kissed the side of her head. "Put in the order online and I'll go pick up everything you need. I've still got fifteen minutes, and Papa needs the money. You're also giving me a ride home and tipping me twenty-six percent."

"Twenty-six?"

"Or fifty bucks, whichever is more." He smirked at her and nudged her. "Maybe I'll make food for someone tonight."

"Yeah, right. Good luck with that," she scoffed.

"I'd make a wonderful chef." He pouted. "I'd make some boy very happy."