Page 122 of Only Lovers in the Building

“That’s a lot of upkeep for something you won’t wear,” Lily admitted.

“This watch is a loaner,” Noah said, pointing to his Santos. “I belong to a watch club. That takes the trouble out of it.”

“Would you like to buy it?” Ben asked Noah.

“Even with my promotion, I can’t afford it,” Noah said sadly. “If I were you, I’d sell it and pocket the money.”

“That’s the plan,” Ben said.

“If you want me to help you out, we’d have to act fast. I won’t be around for long.”

“Oh no . . .” Lily said, knowing what that likely meant.

“I accepted the job offer,” Noah said. “It’s much more generous than I thought. Relocation expenses are included, a lease on an apartment, too. I’ll have a year to sort myself out and find a place of my own.”

“That’s a good deal,” Ben said.

“It’s a great deal,” Noah said. “When I moved to Miami, I lived in a hostel for a month. My clothes kept getting stolen.”

“Get ready for houseguests,” Lily said. “I caught Sierra searching flights.”

Noah narrowed his eyes on her. “How about you, Lily? What are your plans?”

“I’m not sure when I’ll visit, but it’s on my bucket list.”

“I meant when will you start looking for a new job?”

“Soon,” Lily stammered. The last person she’d expected to get a lecture from was Noah.

“Let her enjoy her last couple weeks,” Ben intervened.

He rubbed her lower back, tracing wide circles, coaxing her to relax. It only made Lily tense up more. Last couple weeks. He made it sound so definite. As if they had no other option except to separate. In her mind, there were no hard limits. Couldn’t they work out an alternate ending? Was there no possible future for them? Would they ever talk about it? Or was the plan set in stone? Once he dropped her off at Miami International in his beloved BMW, would that be the end of it? Hadn’t he said he loved her? No, he hadn’t. He’d said he loved everything about her, which wasn’t the same. Lily closed her eyes. She was better than an ostrich at burying her head in the sand. She intended to enjoy these final few days, regardless of the outcome. She hadn’t done all this work just to fall apart over some guy. Once she left this building for good, she might never know true happiness again. Noah was off to a bright, sparkling future, a dream job in a dream location. Lily had found those things here. There was no use looking for it anywhere else. In a city known for its artificiality, she’d found her authentic self. Too bad she’d have to leave that girl behind.

Pop Shop

A Pop Culture Podcast

Category: Arts

Rating: 4.95 stars

*RATED #1 Podcast in Arts & Culture*

August 23: Arm Candy by Vikki Ong

with Lily Lyon and Ben Romero

Lily: At last, we have a classic romantic comedy! Our book of the week is Arm Candy by Vikki Ong. Beyond obsessed!

Ben: I was not as obsessed as you, but I enjoyed it.

Lily: Don’t you miss the simple rom-coms of the nineties? And the usual cast of characters? Julia Roberts, Nia Long, Meg Ryan, Angela Bassett, Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts—

Ben: I miss Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, and once again, De Niro.

Lily: Our nineties nostalgia could not be more different. That’s a subject for another podcast. Let’s focus on this super fun, fast-paced romance set in beautiful Singapore. Ben, could you give us a brief synopsis?

Ben: Jon Tan is a notorious womanizer and major fuckup. Desperate to prove to his dying grandfather that he deserves to inherit the family business, his plan is to hire a so-called nice girl to accompany him to a reunion. He’s willing to shell out a quarter of a million dollars.