“Oh,” I say, taken aback. It had never occurred to me that Cat would want me to stay here. It is a lovely apartment, but I was kind of hoping for my own room, or even my own place. Still, I haven’t found a single apartment that meets the criteria of being somewhere I’d actually want to live, available now and—perhaps most crucially—within my budget.
Cat gestures to the corner. “Come and have a look.”
I set Stevie down and wander over, stepping into the nook behind the partition. She’s sewed some thick, dark curtains and hung them from the ceiling, with big ties to hold them back when I want to open them up. She’s made up a double bed with fresh linen, put a dresser and lamp in the corner and even put up a rail to hang my clothes. And while it’s not quite where I imagined myself living in all my fantasies of New York, it’s a cozy space with a roommate I know and like.
“Are you sure?”
She smiles. “Of course. We can come to an agreement on the rent.”
I cast my gaze around the nook, feeling relief sink into my bones. I can’t believe she went to all this trouble to set this up for me, after everything I’ve been through. Grateful tears prick my eyes and I quickly blink them away. “Why are you doing this?”
She looks down at her hands, lifting her shoulders in a light shrug. “I know you’ve had a hard time finding a place. And the more I thought about you leaving, the more I realized I’ve been enjoying the company. So, if you want to stay, you’re welcome.”
“I’d love to stay, Cat. Thank you so much.” I drag my suitcases into the nook with a happy sigh. Stevie jumps up onto the bed and watches as I begin to unpack.
“Oh shit, is that the time?” Cat’s glancing down at her phone with a frown. “I’ve got to get ready!” She disappears into the bathroom and I hear the shower turn on.
I put away all my clothes, taking my time to fold and hang everything neatly. Once all my things are in their new home, I slide my suitcases under the bed, glancing around. Cat appears in the living room, giving me a fright. I’d forgotten she was home, she’s been in there so long. But I can see why; she looks stunning.
“Hot date?”
“Sort of,” she says, reaching over to stroke Stevie’s back where she’s curled up on my bed. “Mel and I are going on this group date thing. They can be fun, but the guys are a little…” She rolls her hand, searching for the right word.
“Disappointing?”
“Exactly. But it’s fun going out with Mel, at least. Ooh!” Her eyes brighten. “You should come with us!”
“Oh…” I sink down onto my new bed beside Stevie. “I don’t think so. Thanks, though.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod. “I might take a break from men, focus on my writing for a bit.”
“Because of your ex?”
I think of Travis and how jaded I’ve been feeling about love recently. “Something like that,” I mumble. “Anyway, I came all the way over here to write, so I need to work on that. If I could just figure out what to write about.” This morning I was excited to begin my romance novel, but after seeing the amusement in Michael’s eyes when he caught me with my stack of books, the thought of doing that now makes me feel deflated.
“Why not write about not dating?” Cat suggests.
“What?”
“You said you wanted a project to help you focus. You could blog about all that—about moving here and not looking for a man. Write about what it’s like to be single in the city.” She shrugs as she grabs her purse off the counter. “Could be interesting.”
I rub Stevie’s back, thinking. I guess I could blog about that. It’s similar to what I used to blog about, after all. But when I sit with the idea, something is missing. It doesn’t excite me in the same way my romance novel does—or, at least, it did this morning. Still, it’s the best idea I’ve got right now.
Cat turns to me, smoothing her hands down her dress. “Okay, how do I look?”
I give her a once-over as she fusses with her purse and reapplies her lipstick. Instead of her jeans and combat boots—the funky style I’ve gotten used to—she’s wearing a slinky black dress and heels, her lips now a deep shade of red. It’s sexy, but it’s kind of jarring after the way she’s looked since I met her. It’s like she doesn’t quite look like herself. But then I guess I’ve only known her for a couple of weeks.
“You look amazing,” I say truthfully. I’m not sure I could pull off a dress like that.
Cat gives a humble smile, putting her lipstick into her purse and snapping it shut. “Thanks. So, what are you going to do this evening?”
“Write. I’m going to write.” I wave as she heads out. “Have fun!” The door closes behind her and I pull my laptop out, powering it on. Silence rings through the apartment, my fingers hovering over the keys.
Great. Time to write. Here we go.
I stare at the glowing screen, willing the words to come. But they don’t. Instead, all I can think about is Michael, in his suit, taking me on the floor of the book aisle.
12
Ugh, this is stupid. Why on earth am I thinking about that asshole? He was nothing but rude to me.
I stuff the thought of him back into that dirty little box in my head, and pad into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. As the kettle boils, I look around the apartment—officially my New York home, now—and feel a smile creep onto my lips. Between this and my new job, it’s finally starting to feel like things could work out for me here in the city.
Now if I could just get
