He Texted the Wrong Chat, So I Moved In With Her Husband novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Lodger

Rafe moved into my grandmother's spare room on Sunday night with two duffel bags and a ring light.

Eli carried the ring light up the stairs with both arms.

"It's a lamp," Rafe said.

"It's a lamp with a personality," Eli said. "Where do you want it?"

By ten, the room smelled like canvas and coffee.

I lay awake listening to a stranger move around on the other side of the wall, the floorboards creaking, a drawer opening, a long pause.

He didn't sleep either.

At eight on Monday morning, the doorbell rang.

I looked through the peephole.

Lydia stood on my porch in a cream coat, carrying a paper tray with two coffees and a white bakery bag.

"It's her," I called down the hall.

Rafe came out of the kitchen in gray socks and a faded T-shirt, holding a spatula.

"Where do you want me?" he said.

"Exactly where you are."

I opened the door.

"Case!" Lydia pulled me into a hug. "I couldn't stop thinking about you. I know it's early, but I brought breakfast, the almond croissants you like. And your coffee, oat milk, and..."

She stopped.

Her eyes had found the kitchen doorway, and the man in it, and the spatula.

I watched the color leave her face and come back too fast.

For one second she did not move at all.

"This is Rafe," I said. "He's renting my spare room. Rafe, this is my best friend, Lydia."

Rafe wiped his hand on his shirt and held it out.

"Hi, Lydia," he said. "Casey's told me a lot about you."

Lydia took his hand.

"Hi," she said, and her voice came out half an octave too high. "Hi. Wow. I'm... I'm such a big fan."

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