Cat glances over as I place my bag on the counter. “Oh good, you’re home.”
“Hey.” I pick Stevie up to cuddle, taking a deep breath to prepare for what’s coming. “You wanted to talk about the apartment, yeah?”
“Yes!” She grins as she climbs down the ladder.
“I haven’t found a place yet, but I can hopefully get out of your hair in the next couple days. Would that be okay? I just need to—”
“Wait. You think I’m asking you to leave?”
“Er…” I scratch my nose. “Well, yeah.”
“No! I had an idea that could work for both of us.” She pauses, chewing her lip. “Would you consider living here? I can’t offer you a room, but there’s that area over there.” She gestures to the corner of the living room where she was hanging the curtains. I notice her sewing stuff is gone, and there’s a bed and dresser tucked behind the partition wall. “I know it’s not ideal, but I won’t charge you anywhere near what an apartment would cost.”
“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.
