Alex gives me a squeeze before releasing me. “It’s okay. I know you’ve been going through some stuff. But we really care about you.” She glances at Geoff, then back to me, before adding, “And I think Myles does, too.”
“I know,” I murmur, sniffling. “Or at least, I’m really hoping he does, because…” I give a nervous little laugh. “I just put down a huge deposit on an apartment for us.”
Geoff’s jaw falls open. “You—what?”
“Really?” Alex is beaming.
“Yeah. He said he wanted to get an apartment in the East Village with me, so I figured…” I shrug, as if this is no big deal and I don’t feel like an exposed nerve.
“Gah! This is so exciting.” Alex is dancing on the spot now and I can’t help but laugh. “He’s going to be over the moon.”
“Yeah, this is huge.” Geoff grins. “What made you change your mind?”
“He did the website, and it’s…”
Before I can even finish the sentence Alex is behind the counter at the computer, clicking away. “Address?”
“S-E-W in love dot com.”
She types the words in, mouthing the name to herself. Then her hands still over the keyboard and her gaze snaps to mine. “Who came up with the name?”
“Myles.”
There’s a squeal beside me and I turn to Geoff just as he throws his arm around me. “Oh my God, Cat! He’ssoin love!”
“This is amazing,” Alex breathes, eyes glued to the computer screen, and Geoff abandons me to go see.
“Wow.” He hovers beside Alex, looking over her shoulder. “This is stunning. It’s soyou.This is the Cat I met. I miss her.”
The door to the store opens, and I do a double take when I recognize the figure stepping inside. “Hey, Stefan.”
He stops when he sees me, adjusting the bag over his shoulder. “Oh. Hi, Cat.” He peers past me toward the back of the store. “I’m just here to—”
“Check the toner levels?”
“Something like that,” he grumbles, ducking around me. When I turn back to Alex and Geoff, they’re watching me with barely restrained mirth.
And that’s when I realize.
“Seriously?” I hiss, stepping closer so Stefan can’t hear. “You guys set me up with him,knowingI wouldn’t like him?”
Geoff lifts a shoulder, feigning innocence, but the grin on Alex’s face gives the ruse away.
“We knew you should be with Myles,” she says, hands clasped.
“Do you know how long he ranted at me about photocopiers?”
A laugh splutters out of Geoff, and Alex shoves him.
“Please don’t be mad, Cat.”
I shake my head, surprised to find I’m smiling. “You know what? I’m not.”
“When are you going to tell Myles about the apartment?” Geoff asks.
“Tonight.” My middle fills with butterflies at the reminder. “I’m going to surprise him at Bounce. But I wanted to see you guys first and apologize for being a dick. Even if you did set me up on a terrible date.”
Geoff snickers again. “Call it even?”
