My Summer Roommate Read Free

a scorcher. When I open the door, my top already damp from dragging the boxes into the hallway, I find Izzy standing on the porch. The smart girl put on a tank top and cutoff jeans, while I’m sweating away in my yoga pants.
    “I brought help,” Izzy says, and grins over her shoulder at Harper.
    “Good . We could use some muscle.”
    “That’s all you girl s see in men,” Harper complains, not even hinting at a smile. He always cracks me up with his serious face and the snarky comments.
    “Don’t be insulted. We need you for sex, too,” I say.
    “Chloe!” Isabelle squeaks , and looks at Harper panicked. He rolls his eyes and follows us into my former home.
    “Anyone want a cold drink?” I ask as I head into the kitchen. “Now’s the time to have them. I have to unplug the fridge before we leave.”
    We sit on the sofa, everyone holding their sweating cans. I look at the empty walls and the deserted-looking room.
    “I can’t believe we’re leaving.”
    “We’ve had a lot of fun here,” Izzy says, looking at me conspiratorially. “Has Mom moved all her stuff yet?”
    “Yeah, these few boxes are the last ones. I put most of my things in storage.”
    “I’m sure you’ll find a good place soon,” Izzy says. “Even without moving house, you’d still move to college in the fall, anyway. The change is unavoidable.”
    I appreciate Isabelle trying to comfort me. She always has my back. I haven’t had many people in my life that I could count on, but I can count on Izzy. Always. She’s my safety net, my friend, soul sister, everything that matters.
    I hug her spontaneously, taking her by surprise, so she nearly spills her drink.
    “W hat was that for?” She chuckles.
    “Do you know how many times I cried on this sofa and you comforted me? Or stayed over to keep me company when Mom was at one of her conventions or book tours? It’s for all that and a whole lot more.”
    I’m embarrassed by my emotional outburst, but I’m overwhelmed by this change. It was sudden, and I didn’t have the time to prepare for it and accept it.
    Deep down, you’re a bit worried about staying with Chris. Admit it.
    T o hide my discomfort I playfully punch Izzy in her arm. I know she understands what’s happening with me right now.
    “Yeah. Remember that one time you wanted me here with you because you invited … Ron, was it? … and you didn’t know how to behave around him?”
    I laugh at the vivid memory. Harper is silent and watching us with an amused expression on his face. His eyes keep flitting to Izzy even when I talk. He is so in love with her. I wish I had something like that in my life. My crush on Harper is long over. He is off limits now, anyway. I’d never do that to Isabelle, and I don’t want Harper. I want someone to be as crazy about me as he is about Izzy. So crazy, that it would make it safe for me to be just as crazy back.
    “God, that was so awkward, ” Izzy says.
    “Why?”
    “Cause you two were all over each other ten minutes in, and I wanted to dissolve myself into the wallpaper.” Isabelle rolls her eyes.
    I don’t remember it quite like that, but Izzy is probably right. My memory has never been very reliable when it comes to boys. I always remember the awkward, painful, bad parts. The good ones vanish together with the emotions. I am an odd mixture of a pessimist and optimist. I only see the worst, but always trust things will get better. It’s a crazy combination that always gets me in trouble.
    “Or that one time when you and Adam just started going out —for the first time, I may add—and he came here in the middle of the night and started throwing pebbles in your window?” Isabelle says after a moment. “You made me go home even though I was supposed to sleep over.”
    I snigger. “You could sleep over any time, Iz. He was harder to catch.”
    “Al l right.” Harper gets up. “I don’t want to hear any more. Let’s get to work.”
    We laugh at his words, but follow