He frowned. “He’s never home. He’s always at Falyn’s. Besides, he’s not the roommate I want to come home to.”

I blinked, instantly realizing where the conversation was going. “Is she still coming to the party?”

“She’s supposed to,” he muttered, used to my deflection.

“What?” I said, nudging him. “You don’t like her?”

“They fight a lot.”

“Hmm, I know a couple like that.”

“We don’t fight. Not anymore,” he said. “Not for another few days, anyway.”

“What does that mean?”

“I want you to move in,” Tyler blurted out.

“Where is this coming from? We’re one month in. Baby steps, Maddox.”

He glanced around, trying to keep his voice down. “Maybe I just need a little more commitment.”

I was no longer amused. “What the fuck, Tyler? You’re becoming an overly attached girlfriend. Get a grip.”

“What? It’s not like we just met. Every time I go home, all I see is you. The headboard you made, the decorations … that’s all you.”

“So?”

He spread his knees apart, slumping in his seat. He looked like a pouting child.

“You are being so weird right now I don’t really know how to respond.”

His jaw muscles danced beneath his skin. “I’m not looking forward to this party.”

“Okay…?”

“I’m worried that things will get awkward. And we’re in a fragile place anyway.”

“A fragile place? Who are you? And why would things get awkward?”

The flight attendant began her announcements, going over the safety information and asking passengers to put their electronic devices into airplane mode. Tyler’s mind was spinning, but not about anything to do with the flight.

“The girl I kissed in Colorado Springs?”

“Yeah?” I asked, bracing myself for what he might say.

“It was Falyn,” he said finally. “I kissed Falyn.” He turned to me, desperate. “It’s like what happened with you and Taylor. She thought I was him, I thought she was flirting with me…”

“You kissed Falyn so you’re asking me to move in with you?”

“Yes.”

I shook my head. “You kissed Taylor’s girlfriend?”

“She wasn’t his girlfriend then.”

“I’m so confused. What does that have to do with me moving in?”

“I don’t know, Ellie, I’m freaking the fuck out. I’ve never—” He grabbed my hand and kissed it. “I’m in love with you. You haven’t said it since Thanksgiving. You balk every time I mention moving in. Okay, yeah, I might be a little desperate, but I don’t know what I’d do if you told me to kick rocks.”

“I see.”

Tyler waited for me to say more.

“You’re asking me to move in with you because when I found out about Falyn at the party it would have been easier to keep me from dumping you?” I snapped. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

He winced.