Page 74 of The Reluctant Roommate

“We should leave,” Morgan whispered.

“No. I want her to see me here, and I want to tell her what I’ve done, so that she knows.”

Morgan sprang forward and grabbed the dishtowel, and rubbed the phone, paying particular attention to the screen. “Fingerprints.”

She’d just set it down and sat next to Heidi when footsteps sounded in the hall.

Heidi swallowed hard. Her heart pounded painfully. Any second now, Serena would enter the room, and Heidi still had absolutely no idea what she was going to say.

And then she was there, her long hair wrapped in a towel, a second wrapped around her body, her skin glowing and damp from the shower. Serena’s hands flew to cover her mouth, and her pale, perfect skin that Heidi had loved went even paler.

Heidi stared at her, waiting for the buzz of lust or regret for what they had done. But she was as cold as if she were outside in the snow. No regrets.

“Heidi.” Her voice was whisper thin. “What are you doing here?” She swayed and gripped the doorframe.

“Surprised to see me?” Heidi tilted her head. “You didn’t answer my calls or my emails. Your parents refused to pass on your address. Guess I’ve embraced the American way of life—I hired a private investigator.”

“Who’s she?” Serena’s voice gained strength, and she flicked a glance at Morgan.

“We live together.” Heidi folded her arms. “It’s nice to have someone I can trust.”

Serena licked her lips. “You can’t just break into someone’s house and help yourself to their beer.”

“You invited us in. Told us the door was open, to come in, and help ourselves to beer. We just did as you asked.”

“You must have known I thought you were Lacey.”

“Who’s Lacey?” Morgan’s finger drew a pattern on her beer bottle.

Serena shot her a dismissive glance. “My girlfriend.” She smirked at Heidi. “Surprised?”

“No. I don’t care who you fuck. I hope she knows not to leave her cell phone around you unguarded. Maybe I’ll let her know that when she arrives.”

“You won’t be here,” Serena snapped. “You’re leaving now.”

“I haven’t finished my beer. And you and I have unfinished business. The small matter of the twenty grand you stole from me.” Serena’s uncaring attitude hardened Heidi’s resolve. They had been girlfriends. Happy. Secure enough together that Serena had asked Heidi to come to America, and Heidi had upped herself from her roots and come. And now Serena was staring at her with disdain, begrudging her a beer and obviously wanting to get her out of the house before her girlfriend arrived.

No. Just no.

A part of Heidi wanted Serena’s face to crumple, to show some regret for her actions. Not an apology—that was obviously not going to happen—but she wanted to dent Serena’s smugness. She wanted Serena to admit she’d been wrong. Hell, even for her to say it had been a spur-of-the-moment decision to take the money, that she needed it for something major. Medical bills, starving puppies, a contribution to the Democrats. All of those would have been—not a good enough excuse, especially now that Heidi had seen her bank balance—but at least a reason that was more than an opportunity for free money.

In an ideal world, Serena’s eyes would fill with tears, her lower lip would tremble. She’d hold out a shaking hand, beg Heidi’s forgiveness, and then open her account to transfer the money back.

“What twenty grand?” Serena’s lip curled, and her eyes were like ice. “Oh, you mean the twenty grand you voluntarily transferred to me as a gift when you were logged into your banking app. Good luck getting that back, ex-girlfriend.”

So, this wasn’t the alternative universe ideal world, then. There went her little fantasy of bluebirds tweeting happiness and Serena as a Disney princess dispensing starshine and sparkles all around her. “Still the bitch, I see.” She drained her beer in large gulps and stood.

Morgan stood as well, and Heidi went across to her, putting an arm around Morgan’s waist. Her steadiness grounded her, and the tremor in her fingers eased as she gripped Morgan.

“You see bitch, I see street smarts.” Serena shrugged.

Heidi tilted her head and studied her. Serena met her stare. How had Heidi not noticed how cold her eyes were? How arrogant her posture, her callous assumption that Heidi’s money was hers to take simply because Heidi had trusted someone she loved?

“I used to love you.” Heidi threaded her fingers through the belt loops of Morgan’s jeans. “Followed you across the world, in fact. Planned our future. Silly me, I guess. You hurt me, Serena. But you know what?”

Serena folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

“You didn’t take anything from me that mattered. I still trust people. I stilllovepeople. I know there are good and kind people in the world—like Morgan—and that you’re the exception.”