Somebody Else's Sky (Something in the Way #2)(45)

"Don't admit that to her. She'll think you're ready for the next step."

I grunted. "I think this is the last step for a while."

"Sure," Gary said. "I thought the same thing about Lydia. She said she wasn't looking for anything too serious. Six months later, she's been hinting about the fact that her lease is almost up."

"I already bit that bullet."

"Exactly. You're one step ahead of us. You know there's more coming, too."

I frowned. "I don't think so. Tiffany's not really the settling-down type."

"Denial will only get you so far, bro." You've been together almost two years."

"One of which I wasn't around."

"That's not how chicks do math. Just watch. Can I bum one?"

I passed Gary the pack. I wasn't so sure. As well as things had been going between us, Tiffany got frustrated with me, too. She wanted us to do more stuff together, like hitting the bars with her friends, shopping, couples yoga. I didn't have the money, and except for absolute necessities, I wouldn't take more from her dad.

Not that I'd been so well-off before going away, but at least then I hadn't had a record, and I'd been able to pay my student loans. Inside, I hadn't made enough to keep up my payments, which once had felt manageable and now seemed to balloon.



       
         
       
        

There were some days where life had felt easier behind bars. I hadn't had much time alone with Lake in the two months I'd been out. We'd had moments here and there. Some days, I read her like a book, and others, it terrified me how little I knew about her. She had a million things going on, from classes at community college to study groups to pep rallies and even a fucking job at some country club for rich people. She was due to hear from USC any day now. She seemed more and more anxious, unhappy even, but I wasn't sure if it was just being around me that made her that way. Sometimes, she'd get a certain kind of look and go somewhere in her head-somewhere I wanted to be.

A guy I recognized from the apartment above mine came down the outdoor stairs and toward us. "You selling this?" he asked, admiring the TV stand.

Gary shook his head. "Nah. We just made it."

"No shit." He cocked his head to see the front. Just to make Tiff happy, I'd crafted two glass portholes on the cabinets. She wasn't kidding about the nautical theme, and had been adding seashells and shit all around the apartment.

"Can I buy it off you?" he asked. "Our furniture's falling apart and my girlfriend's been bugging me to take her shopping. You'd be saving my ass."

I took the cigarette from my mouth, letting it burn between my fingers. Fuck. I needed the money, but I knew how much Tiffany wanted this done. Plus, I'd personalized it for her. "Gotta save my own ass first. I need it for my place," I said. "But I can make you one, no problem."

"Yeah?" he asked. "I'll pay a premium, just so I don't have to spend the day furniture shopping."

Gary and I exchanged a look. The reclaimed wood from a boatyard had cost hardly anything, and I certainly had the time. "Consider it done."

"Cool." He pointed above my apartment. "I'm there. 2B."

"My girlfriend and I are the place below you," I said as we shook hands.

Gary and I took the entertainment center into the apartment. Tiffany walked in with a shopping bag as we were hooking up the TV.

"Finally," she said. "Now I don't have to strain my neck to watch Melrose Place."

I got off the carpet, brushing off my hands on my jeans. She came over to kiss me, slipping me the tongue even though I'd told her lots of times how much I hated public displays of affection. "It looks nice," she said about the unit. "Those windows are cool. Did you boys have fun?"

"Sure did," Gary said. "Where've you been?"

"Work." She dropped the word like an anvil and set a Nordstrom bag on the breakfast bar. "I bought myself a present." 

"Tiff," I said, not bothering to hide my irritation. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't have a lot of disposable income."

"You don't," she corrected.

"Neither of us do. Just because our rent is covered doesn't mean we're off the hook. If you have extra cash, you should be giving it to your dad."

She waved me off. "I know, but it's almost my one-year anniversary."

"A year of what?" I asked.

"Working at Nordstrom." She dug through the tissue and lifted a black, ruffled bra up to her chest. "What do you guys think?"