Page 23 of The Deadbeat DILF
With a jolt, my eyes snapped open. I was in my bed, my heart racing, the back of my neck soaked with sweat.
The first thing I felt was disappointment. Then irritation.
Damn it. My dreams always ended before the good part.
Slowly, I realized my phone was ringing, loud like the fire alarm in my dream. With a groan, I reached for it, checking the time. It was six-thirty.
Worse, it was my mother calling.
“Hello?” I said once I answered, my voice a little scratchy from sleep.
“Brooke, I’ve called you three times! It’s about time you picked up.”
“I was asleep,” I explained.
She ignored that. “It’s the house! One of the pipes burst, and now the whole place is flooded,” she shrieked.
I sat up so fast, I was momentarily dizzy. “What? When?”
“This morning,” Mom replied. “I told you we needed money for the plumbing, and now so much is ruined. We already called a plumber, and it’s going to take a few days for everything to be fixed.”
My throat felt dry. “I — I’m sorry.” My family had mentioned needing money for the plumbing, and I hadn’t helped them.
Mom ignored my apology. “We need to stay at your place until it’s fixed,” she said in a clipped, no-nonsense tone. “We’re packing up now — at least, everything we can pack that isn’t destroyed — and we’ll be arriving in a few hours.”
“Of course,” I said, guilt churning in my stomach. This was my fault. “I’ll see you soon.”
Mom didn’t reply, just hung up. I lowered my phone and stared at the ‘call ended’ screen.
Shit. I’d been looking forward to a relaxing Sunday — I had brunch scheduled with my friends and a pilates class at midday, but now I needed to cancel. I couldn’t complain. It wasn’t my family’s fault the plumbing broke.
I got dressed and ready for the day. By the time I walked into the living area, Robert was already up, cooking eggs and bacon, which smelled delicious.
His back was to me, and he hummed softly to himself. For a second, I stayed quiet and admired the breadth of his shoulders and the way his navy sweatpants hung off his hips.
Then, as if he knew I was thinking about him, he looked over his shoulder and grinned. “Morning, Brooke. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“The food smells good,” I told him as I headed to the coffeemaker, where he had already brewed a pot for us to share.
His eyes swept over my face, and he frowned at me. “Is everything okay?”
Were my emotions that obvious, or could he just read me that well?
I sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. “I got a call from my mom this morning. The plumbing broke and flooded my family’s house, so they’ll have to stay here for a few days until everything is repaired.”
“Shit,” Robert said, turning off the stove. “I can stay somewhere else while your family is here.”
I shook my head quickly, touching his arm. “No, you were here first. You don’t have to go anywhere.”
Robert glanced down at my hand, and I drew it back, my cheeks heating. “It’s no problem for you to stay,” I said. “Iwanted to give you a heads up because they’re coming in a few hours.”
“Are you sure?” Robert asked, still looking uncertain. “It’s no problem for me to stay on a friend’s couch for a few days.”
“It’s fine,” I said, my tone more forceful than usual. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck alone with my family for a few days. At least with Robert, I’d be with someone who I considered a friend. “Don’t leave me.”
He stared.
“I mean,” I said, glancing at the floor. “My family is… well…”
