A well-groomed brow rises. “So? Last time I checked we have Skype. And planes. And cell phones for dirty late-night phone sex.”
I nibble my bottom lip. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been fantasizing about something more with Jesse as part of my Authentic Ruby Revamp plan. “But I don’t know if he would be open to something like that,” I say. “To a relationship. We were only supposed to be friends with benefits for a little while.”
“And you’re supposed to take over Sweetie Pies and run it until the day you die too,” she challenges as the train rattles past tall trees, with colonial homes in the distance. “And you’re not going to do that anymore. You get to decide.”
I tear at my empty croissant wrapper, shredding it into tiny pieces. “Not everything. It takes two to tango.”
“Then tango over to his place and ask him to dance,” she says before lifting her hands in surrender. “But that’s all I’m going to say about it. My lips are zipped from now on. Whatever you decide, I’m here to love and support, regardless.”
“Same,” I promise.
And I mean it, all the way to the marrow of my bones.
I mean it so much that as soon as we make our way back to Brooklyn and emerge from the subway stop in our neighborhood, I hug Gigi goodbye outside the park instead of walking with her the rest of the way to my place.
“Gotta see a mama about a pie shop,” I say.
Gigi pulls back, her eyes wide. “You’re doing it now?”
I take a bracing breath. “No time like the present.”
“You want me to come with you? Just in case you need someone to help you catch Barb when she faints?”
I force a smile. “No, she’s not going to faint. She’s going to see that I’m right. I’ll make her see.”
Or at least . . . I hope I will.
26
Jesse
The Datsun shimmers.
I step back, rag in hand, and circle my favorite car one more time.
Even the hubcaps shine.
They’d better—I’ve spent the bulk of the last forty-eight hours here in my garage prepping this beauty for a road trip across the country.
Maybe I should check the oil one more time.
I do.
It’s all good.
And the tire pressure.
Yup. That’s solid as well.
“Need anything else, you sexy silver beast?”
She’s silent.
And so is my phone.
So is my apartment.
So is my fucking garage, emptied out and waiting for the new owners to take possession next week.