Page 116 of Only Lovers in the Building

“I’m done playing around,” Kylie said. “I’m looking for something long-term, someone I can bring home to Minnesota.”

“I’ve known you a while,” Sierra said. “I’ve never once heard you talk of Minnesota. You’re just looking for excuses.”

“Minnesota is my home. I’d like to raise my kids there, someday. Besides, I miss snow.”

Lily wasn’t buying any of this. Kylie hadn’t applied the Minnesota standard to the Italian architect. Why limit it to Jeremy? Besides, it was easy to miss snow in seventy-eight-degree weather.

“I’m never moving back to Tallahassee,” Sierra said. “Anyway, I don’t think I can. They’d chase me out. I’ve burned too many bridges.”

“I never thought I’d leave New York or the tristate area,” Lily said. “But I’ve always lived a short train ride away from my parents, and I’m kind of sick of it.”

Jeremy returned. The waffles and pancakes arrived, along with bacon, hash browns, toast, and sausage.

“I may be moving back to France.”

Noah made the announcement so quietly they might have missed it. It was instantly drowned out by the music, chatter, and the orchestra of their forks and knives.

“What did you say?” Lily asked.

He set down his utensils and fixed them with his clear blue eyes. “I may be moving to France in the fall.”

“What?” Kylie cried. “You can’t do that!”

“But you can move back to Minnesota?” Noah fired back.

Jeremy swiveled in his chair and confronted Kylie. “You’re moving to Minnesota?”

“No,” she replied honestly. “It was just a thought. Anyway, this isn’t about me.”

“My sales figures have been solid lately,” Noah said. “Last week, we had a visit from headquarters. They took me to lunch and made me an offer. It’s too good to pass up.”

So much had happened during the rainy season, Lily’s head was spinning. “What about Nicolas?”

He gave her a look that said it all.

“Is this why you insisted on brunch?” Kylie asked. “For you to drop this news on us?”

Chastised, Noah nodded, eyes cast down. This blew Lily’s mind. She’d never seen her bold friend so low.

“Am I the only one who sees this as a good thing?” Sierra asked. “He’s going to Paris! That’s the dream!”

“Saint-Tropez,” Noah corrected her. “I can’t live far from the water.”

“That’s an even better dream!” Sierra cried. “Make sure you have a guest room or a pullout couch.”

“I’m going to cry,” Kylie said.

“I’m going to cry, too,” Lily said. “You were my first Miami friend. I’ll miss you.”

Noah scoffed. “Lily, what do you have to be sad about? You’re leaving soon.”

“How soon?” Kylie asked.

“At the end of the month,” Noah tossed out casually, as if this weren’t loaded information.

“Before you all go, we should have a night out,” Sierra said. “We haven’t hit the clubs all summer.”

“Since when do we ever hit the clubs?” Noah asked.