“Ugh, I’ll tell you another time. But that’s over. Now what’s this about you leaving New York?” She looks at me sternly and I let out a long, weary breath.
“I’m not. I thought I should, but—”
“There’s no need to leave just because you broke up with a guy,” Geoff says.
“Well, I also destroyed my career.”
Geoff cocks his head. “What?”
“I got offered that column but Mel told Justin not to give it to me.”
Cat winces. “Yes, I think she was going to make sure you didn’t get it.”
Geoff stares at me wide-eyed. “What a crazy bitch.”
I snort in agreement. “It’s okay, I’m not going to let her stop me. I’ll talk to Justin. I worked hard to prove I’m a good writer, so I’m not just going to walk away.”
Geoff grins. “Good.”
“Besides, I don’t want to leave New York. This is my home, and I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Cat exhales in relief. “I’m so glad.” Her and Geoff exchange a look and he leans closer.
“And what about Michael?”
I shake my head, swallowing against the sudden sting in my throat. “No, that’s… no.”
“But why?” Geoff presses. “When I saw you together at New Year’s… it just looked like you were meant to be, you know? And the way you’re both writers, and you met in this huge city, then you got stranded at a snowy cabin… It’s like a fairy tale.”
I blink the tears away from my eyes, giving Geoff a humorless laugh. “That’s what I thought too. But that’s the problem, Geoff. Fairy tales only exist in movies and books. Real life isn’t perfect like that.”
His brow knits, and he opens his mouth to say more, but Cat puts her hand on his arm, turning to me.
“Will you come home now?”
I grimace. “I can’t come back to the building. I can’t risk running into Michael.”
Her face falls, but she nods in understanding.
“Stay with me,” Geoff offers.
I stare at him for a moment, at his kind face regarding me hopefully. Cat is waiting with her eyebrows raised. Gazing at my two friends—the friends who rushed out to the airport in Queens to stop me from leaving the country—I burst into tears of relief. I knew staying was the right thing to do.
43
“You have to let me read it!”
I shake my head at Geoff, pulling my boots on. “Are you kidding? No way.” I haven’t let myself eventhinkabout my romance novel, let alone look back over it. I know it will just make me think of Michael, and every time that happens, I cry. It’s only been a few days, but I’m beginning to worry that I’m getting severely dehydrated.
Geoff folds his arms. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll let you stay rent-free on my sofa in exchange for a copy of your romance novel.”
I straighten up, frowning in confusion. “I’m already staying here rent-free.”
“Exactly,” he says with a smug smile. “Ooh, I’ll sweeten the deal. How about I get you a great job at the bookstore I run?”
I roll my eyes, taking my laptop from his outstretched hand. “Fine, Geoff. I get your point.” I flip the lid open and wait for it to boot up. “Just… I don’t want totalkabout it, okay? You can read it but we are not going to discuss it.”
He puts his hand on his heart. “Promise.”
