Free Rooter (Double H Romance) by Teiran Smith Page A

asks, “Why is he here?”
    “He took me grocery shopping.”
    “I thought Miranda was going to the store tonight because you aren’t supposed to be walking.”
    I don’t know what to say. I’m not about to tell him I lied to Rooter and convinced him to take me so I could spend time with him. But when I turn around, Rooter is standing only a few feet away from us. The look on his face conveys he overheard our conversation. He carries the bags into the kitchen and then heads out for more.
    “Thanks for offering to help,” Rooter snipes at Mike with his arms full of bags, on his last trip. “I assume you won’t be eating any of this.”
    Once he’s in the kitchen, Mike goes up to his room. I gimp into the kitchen after Rooter.
    “So, you lied to get me to take you to the store?”
    “Rooter, I’m sorry. I just…” I can’t finish the sentence. Mortified, I look to the floor.
    I hear him step closer, but don’t have the courage to look up. “Why?” He asks.
    I can feel the heat radiating off his body. My breath hitches. “Because it’s the only thing I could come up with to get you to hang out with me.”
    He laughs loud. “What?”
    Exasperated, I look up, which is a mistake because the amusement in his eyes only increases my humiliation. “You’re dead set against me getting to know you, so it wasn’t like I could call to chat or ask you to come over.”
    He sighs and pinches his eyebrows together. “Sophie, it’s for your own good. Deep down, you know I’m right.”
    “No, I don’t and you won’t give me a chance to prove you wrong.”
    Rooter exhales sharply and rubs his forehead. The look in his eyes conveys that he’s torn between his conviction and mine. “What you saw in the store tonight… That’s who I am. Do you really want to be around that?”
    “You were defending me.”
    “Why do you constantly make excuses for people?”
    “I’m not making excuses. It’s what I believe.”
    He exhales and takes a step back. “You know what I believe?” He asks but doesn’t give me a chance to answer. “You need to forget about me. Forget about me and focus your attention on the guy who woke up in your bed this morning.”
    Miranda suddenly appears before us. Talk about bad timing.
    “Can you put these away?” Rooter barks at her before I can state my defense.
    Shit!
    “Of course,” she says, her eyes are wide, and she’s frozen in place.
    “Rooter, last night wasn’t what it looked like,” I try to explain but he’s already walking away and I’m in no shape to run after him. “Rooter,” I shout.
    He throws a hand in the air. “It really doesn’t matter,” he yells and stomps out of the house.
    “It does to me!” I say, but it’s too late, he’s already gone.
    “What was that about?” Miranda asks.
    “More of the,” I make air quotes with my fingers, “I’m better off not knowing him shit.”
    She makes a face that reiterates she thinks he’s right.
    I hold my hand up to her. “Miranda, don’t.”
    She puts her hands up in the air and steps away. “I didn’t say anything.”
    “Your face said it all.”
    “Well, he seems pretty persistent about it. Maybe you should spare yourself the trouble and let it go.”
    “Maybe you should leave me alone and quit telling me what to do!”
    “I’m not telling you what to do, dammit!” She kicks a bag and sends frozen pizzas flying across the kitchen. “Excuse me for caring about my best fucking friend!”
    I desperately want to run after Rooter and explain Ryan is just a friend. A gay friend. I pick up my phone to text him, but my battery is dead and my charger is upstairs in my room. If it wasn’t for my injury I’d run and get it so I could text him, but that isn’t an option. And there’s mint chocolate chip ice cream melting in one of these bags.
     
    Fifteen minutes later, I’ve managed to put away the contents of two out of the nine bags of groceries when Miranda plods back into the