Chapter 2The Tow-Away Zone

He blinked, as if the question surprised him.

Then, he put a piece of fish on my plate and casually dangled my car keys. “Babe, you have a car now. You can just drive me.”

“That’s why I took the job. I figured you’d be able to. Otherwise, I’d be wasting four hours I could be using to moonlight.”

I didn't answer. My apartment, his apartment, my new job, and his new job were at four completely different corners of the city. Driving him would add at least two hours to my day. My parents bought me the car to make my life easier, not to turn me into his personal chauffeur.

He didn't notice my silence. “I’ll even pick you up breakfast! You’ll save money.”

“And at night, we can go grocery shopping, I’ll cook, and you can just pay for the food!”

I held up my hand. “Matt, stop. It’s not on the way. At all.”

He leaned across the table, grabbing my arms and putting on his pathetic puppy-dog face. “But it would be on the way if you moved in with me!”

I stared at him.

“We’d commute together, eat together... it would be perfect!”

I laughed, but it was a cold sound. “So, let me get this straight. You want me to give up my 800-square-foot apartment to move into your 300-square-foot studio?”

“And pay for the groceries?”

“And wake up an hour earlier every day to be your driver?”

The audacity was stunning.

He smiled, his voice turning into a wheedle. “Babe, don’t make it sound so bad! And hey, if you do... some of the chores, I won't even make you pay for food. I’ll only charge you, like, a thousand bucks for rent. It’s a steal.”

“This new job has a huge future, Liv. I’m doing this to save up for our house. This is all for you.”

My voice was flat. “So I should be thanking you, then.”

“Exactly! You’re my future wife!” he chirped. “Oh, by the way, my washing machine is broken, so you’ll have to hand-wash our stuff for a while. Or you could just buy a new one.”

“And since you’re saving so much, you should really learn to cook. That’s what a good wife does.”

“My college reunion is next month. My license should be here by then. Make sure you get the car detailed. I want to look good pulling up.”