“Pfft, I took my money, said, ‘Deuces bro,’ and I left.”
That gives Claire pause, and she stares, meat dangling from her lips like a cigar. “You did not say that.”
“No, but I wanted to.”
“Ugh, I hate when you do that! You give me this buildup and I get so excited and it’s just you being dramatic.”
“Well what the hell was I going to say? He didn’t have to tell me at all. He could have lied about his name today, too, but he told me the truth.”
“Well there’s something to be said for that, too. Why do you think he told you?”
“I don’t know.”
And it’s true—I don’t. Her guess is as good as mine.
“Maybe he wanted you to know the truth because he likes you.”
Okay, that was not my guess.
The car I’m in is almost to my apartment complex, so with one hand, I begin gathering my things.
“He doesn’t like me. He barely spoke when we were sitting there. It was all brooding and grunting and he let me leave without defending himself.”
“Would it have mattered?”
“Yes!” No. Maybe? “I don’t know.”
“I thought you said you felt a tingle in your lady business on Saturday after you talked to him.”
“Claire!” I pointedly shift my eyes toward the back of the driver’s head. Though Claire can’t see him, she knows I’m in an Uber and knows he can hear everything she’s saying. “Could you not?”
“You know I’m right. You had a party in your pants and you wanted to invite him.”
She needs to stop.
Instead, the car stops. She goes on as I thank the driver, climb out, and head toward the front door of my building.
“Look, all I’m saying is—since you started this passion project of yours, you have had zero time for yourself. It’s all interviews and hiring and looking at office space. Which I get! I love that you’re doing your own thing. But one day, after you work your ass off, you’re going to look around and realize you didn’t take time for yourself.”
I punch the elevator. “You’re being super dramatic. I take time for myself. I went out on Saturday! And I would have loved to stay and flirt with that guy, but he left, Claire. He left. Not me, him.”
She’s quiet because she knows I’m right; I sucked the wind right out of her preachy sails. She lets out a thoughtful “Hmmm” and looks to the side then back at me. “But why though? What happened before you hugged him?”
I’ve explained this to her before. The only thing I left out was him walking off—and never coming back. I told her he saw someone he knew, they started talking, and that was that.
“We were talking. I think we were flirting? He seemed uncomfortable.”
“What kind of guy is he? Outgoing, arrogant, what?”
None of those things. “Quiet? Shy but not really? Reserved.”
“And he was cool until you touched him?”
“Yes.”
Another hum. A sigh. “Well, it sounds like you either gave him a boner or scared the shit out of him. Either way, I’d say he was into you, especially if he showed up today and spilled his guts.”
“I wouldn’t call it spilling his guts. All he said was, ‘I’m Noah.’”
“So, a confession of sorts.”
“Not telling me his real name is not a crime.” I can’t help protecting him.
“Ahhh, you’re defending him now? Interesting.”
Sometimes she drives me absolutely mad, other times she’s absolutely brilliant and right now she’s both.
“Well.” I bite down on my bottom lip, thinking hard as the elevator door opens and I step out into the hall, hang a left, and walk the 40 feet to my door. “What should I do?”
“You do what every modern girl does: you send him a passive aggressive text.”
“Does it have to be passive aggressive? Why can’t I just say what’s on my mind?”
“What’s on your mind?”
“That I…wish it had been him from the start, because I think he’s great, and if he hadn’t been so immature, I would…”
Claire waits while I think then prods, “You would…?” encouraging me to finish my sentence.
“That’s it. That’s all I have.”
“Sounds like a good start to me. Now go get him, tiger—then call me back.” The last of her Bloody Mary gets chugged and she sets the glass down on her kitchen counter with a thud. “Oh, and Miranda?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t be a pussy this time.”
“What? When am I ever a pu—”
—ssy.
The line goes dead.
* * *
Me: You know what, jerk—I’ve got more to say to you.
Delete. Too confrontational out of the gate. He’ll never reply to that.
Me: Hey Noah. I need to talk to you.
Delete. Guys hate when girls say they ‘need to talk.’
Me: Yo.
Delete. What am I? One of his guy friends? No.
I try one more time.
Me: Hey Noah. I’ve been thinking about our meeting all afternoon and would like to apologize for reacting the way I did. And for leaving without hearing you out.
I stare at those words, not sure what I’m actually expecting him to say, if he decides to reply at all. I know he wants those baseball cards, so if he doesn’t respond, I’ll know I’ve ruined it—for him and for me.
I go through my bedtime routine, nerves vibrating through my body, busying myself with washing my face, putting on moisturizer and clean pajamas, the entire time listening for that familiar ping from my text notifications.
Why am I so nervous? He’s buying baseball cards from me, that is all!
I pull my long hair into a ponytail. Take it out again. Topknot. Down again. Ugh!
Tossing the rubber band on the counter, I stalk back to the bedside table and check my phone, turning it to the side to see if the mute is on.
It’s not.
Dammit! It’s been 18 minutes—who takes that long to respond to a text message? Monsters, that’s who!
I stalk back to the bathroom and pull my hair back.
Ping!
Ever so casually, so as not to appear overly anxious, I count to 10. Walk into my closet and stand there,
