Then I walk as quick as I can around the corner and call an Uber to get back home.
When I finally get to the apartment, Tori’s just making a pot of coffee.
"Well, I did not expect to see you this early," Tori says. She's in a tank top and booty shorts. Her hair is in a messy bun on top of her head. "Are you hungover or just..."
"No," I say, locking the door behind me. "I'm not." I drop my purse and burst into tears.
"What happened?”
“Nothing unsafe happened and I’m not hurt,” I assure her. She nods in relief. But then my lip quivers. “It’s just that men suck!”
“Oh sweetie. You're crying, like a lot. You need coffee and a shower."
I say, interrupting her flow, "Yes, I really need a shower."
I want to wash last night off of me, I think as I turn on the water as hot as it can go. I undress quickly and step inside.
Tori tells me she's going to make me something good for breakfast, but I don't care about food. I care about feeling better.
I wash my hair, my face, my skin, and I towel off then reach for the comfiest pair of sweats I own and a hoodie. I run a comb through my hair, put moisturizer on my face, knowing simple self-care rituals will ease this agony I suddenly feel.
"Okay," Tori says when I finally make my way back into the kitchen, "tell me what's going on. You come home way earlier than I was expecting. And then you're crying and you have barely spoken a word. Are you sure you're physically okay? Did something bad happen?"
"Not like that," I say, shaking my head and taking the coffee with the creamer that she offers me. She puts a cupcake on a plate and tells me to sit.
"I got you these birthday cupcakes," she says, "but you left the bar before we could enjoy them."
"Sorry," I say, cringing.
"Don't apologize. I was hoping you were off having a great time, a great night, but it sounds like it didn't go so well?" She sits next to me, ready to really listen.
"Well, last night was awesome," I tell her. "We had an incredible time."
"Like incredible, incredible?"
I nod, heat rising to my cheeks. "Yeah," I say. "Incredible, incredible. He was funny. And seemed so genuine. He made me laugh and feel so comfortable, and even though he kept mentioning things about a future and being together, I never felt overwhelmed by his interest."
"Okay, so where did things go wrong?" Tori asks.
I groan, taking a long drink of my coffee. "So this morning we have an awesome time," I say, grinning at the memory, "and then he leaves to go get coffees, right? So I'm in his house by myself. And I notice, on his wall, this plaque." I tell her about the pictures on the wall and explain the words on the plaque. "He's the owner of Water Well, Tori."
"Okay," Tori says slowly, "but are you sure he is a bad guy? It sounds like he's the owner of a really awesome company."
I groan. "He was the person who was supposed to interview me yesterday. I was having an interview with the owner. I didn't know his name, but God, I feel so stupid. He didn't want to interview me. I wasn't good enough on paper, but then I was good enough in the bar? Either that or he saw me at his office and didn't want to hire me for some reason." I groan, "And yet he wanted to sleep with me. I mean, doesn't that feel sketchy to you?"
Tori runs her fingertip around the mug of her coffee. "I don't know. I just... Sometimes you make rash decisions with your emotions, and I wonder if that's what you did here."
"What do you mean?" I say, scoffing, wanting her to be on my side.
"Well, yesterday you didn't get the job. So then you wanted to call off your whole birthday party. Thankfully, I was able to cajole you into getting dressed and going, but it wasn't easy. You are ruled by your emotions a lot, Ginny. And I just hope..."
"What?" I ask, tears in my eyes. "You hope I didn't make a big mistake?"
"Yeah," Tori says, "I love you and I want you to be happy, but..."
"But you think I'm an idiot?"
"I do not think you're an idiot. I just hope you didn't leave something that could have been awesome. You’ve wanted to be with someone for a long time, been waiting for your Mr. Right, and...”
I shake my head. "It wasn't Grant. He didn't like the way I looked on a resume. I want someone who wants me for more than my outward appearance, Tori.”
"I get that," she says softly. "You need another cupcake?"
"100% I do," I say.