Page 115 of Only Lovers in the Building

“I have a book deal!” Lily had sat on the news at first, waiting until she’d officially signed with Rebecca Blackwell. Then rainy season had dampened the news, somehow making it less real. But the sun was out, and she was feeling optimistic. “Or . . . I may have a book deal. It’s in the works.”

“Great,” Kylie said.

“Yes, congrats,” Jeremy added.

“It’s the logical next step,” Sierra said. “Your book reviews are slamming. The podcast is a hit. It was just a matter of time. Have you considered starting an online course?”

“No, I haven’t,” Lily replied. “Thanks for the idea.”

“Will you quit practicing law?” Jeremy asked.

“No,” Lily said. “It’s in my DNA. Besides, law is like a tool kit. You can build any career you want.”

Jeremy nodded and wiped the thick curtain of bangs from his eyes. “Cool.”

An awkward silence settled at the table. This was not the reaction Lily had expected. Her friends appeared slightly underwhelmed by her big news. A book deal, whether it materialized or not, was big. She was going to be a published author. It had taken a while for it to sink in. Rebecca had followed up with a call on which she and Lily worked through the outlines of a potential publishing contract. Afterward, Lily had not slept well. Could she do this? The question kept her up, staring at the ceiling. An opportunity fell at your feet, you couldn’t kick it away. How crazy that her silly idea to read romance books by the pool had gained such speed and momentum, drawing people from everywhere through the reviews, the podcast, and maybe now a book.

That next morning, the storms had rolled in. Ben had skipped his run and was sleeping pleasantly beside her. He’d been publishing for years: a book deal didn’t scare him. She had reached for her journal and flipped through the first notes she’d drafted for the podcast. Romance tropes versus reality. Apply popular romance tropes to real life. She sat there, weeping. It was all there, the DNA of a book.

“Are you sure that’s all you have to tell us?” Kylie asked.

“Isn’t that enough?” Lily protested. “This is a big deal, guys!”

Lily demanded their enthusiasm. She would not let them shrug off her news.

“We’re happy for you!” Sierra exclaimed.

“We thought you were going to finally tell us about Ben,” Noah said, fulfilling his role as the group’s straight shooter.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to,” Sierra said. “But FYI, the whole building knows what’s going on.”

“You have to talk about it,” Noah said. “I’ve had a crush on Ben for years, and I’m living vicariously through you.”

Kylie fixed her a mimosa from the bottles of orange juice and prosecco on the table. “Maybe you need loosening up,” she said. “Drink this.”

Lily sipped her mimosa, all while squirming in her chair. Wow, she thought. You wait your whole life to have a friend group to dish with over brunch. When it happens, you don’t like it. It makes you uncomfortable, and you’d rather run home and crawl back into bed.

“Is he any good in bed?” Kylie asked.

The question caught her off guard, and Lily coughed up the truth. “Yes.”

“We knew it!” Sierra screamed in her ear.

Lily covered her face with her hands while the others cheered, and the waitress dropped off a fresh bottle of prosecco at the table.

Jeremy excused himself to go to the restroom. As soon as he disappeared through the barn doors at the back of the restaurant, Kylie shared some news of her own with giddy delight. “Lily may not want to share details, but I will,” she said. “Jeremy is exceptionally well-endowed. He’s hung like you wouldn’t believe.”

“I believe it,” Sierra said. “He’s got that energy. Quiet confidence.”

“You and Jeremy hooked up?” Lily asked, fully aware of the double standard she was peddling. She wanted every scrap of information regarding her friends’ affairs, while keeping her own under lock and key.

“No!” Kylie exclaimed. “We’ve been hanging out a lot, though. The weather’s been shit lately, so we headed to Hotel Blake to use the indoor pool. He came out of the water, and his tiny little suit left nothing to the imagination. It made me start paying serious attention.”

“You really should,” Sierra said. “The poor guy follows you around everywhere like a puppy.”

“I’m not fool enough to think it would actually work,” Kylie insisted. “I wasn’t born yesterday.”

“We know!” Noah said, exasperated. “You were born exactly three decades ago. We don’t want to hear about it anymore.”