notice. Even if I didn’t accept her offer, I was pretty sure she’d still exhibit my paintings, if only so that she could make a small commission off of them if they did sell.
But there was another reason I didn’t think she would do it.
Because she didn’t expect me to say no.
“Plans for today?” Lance asked. He started typing again.
“Uh, try to make a decision,” I said, grimacing.
His lips stretched into a smile. “Are you gonna sit here and stare at the wall while you decide or would you like to go somewhere?”
“I don’t know yet.” The package of blueberry muffins was on the counter next to me and I reached for one.
“Alright. I need to write for a bit but I’ll be free later if you want to do something.”
I leaned closer, taking a peek at the screen. “A play?”
“Uh, no.” He grinned.
I shook my head and took a bite of the muffin. It was good but not as good as the muffins I made. I thought about my kitchen back home. A late September weekend would be spent one of two ways: stealing a few hours in my studio, painting, or holed up in the kitchen, baking. Apple pie, apple crisp, pumpkin muffins. I loved to bake and I loved having roommates who enjoyed my cooking. I loved having a boyfriend who enjoyed my cooking.
I sighed. It was one of the many things I would miss. I stole a glance at Lance. After two dinners out and pre-packaged or pre-made breakfasts and lunches, I was pretty sure he’d appreciate having home-cooked meals.
But he wasn’t my boyfriend. He wasn’t Andy.
I finished my muffin and retreated back to the bedroom, a fresh cup of coffee in hand. I glanced at the bed, at the tangle of twisted sheets. Would I have had such a restless night of sleep if Andy had been pressed up next to me, his arm draped over me, his breathing light and steady in my ear?
I hated sleeping alone. Was I prepared for six straight months of restless sleep?
My phone buzzed on the nightstand and I hurried to grab it. Andy had sent a goodnight text last night but he hadn’t called. I knew it was earlier there but maybe he was texting first, seeing if I was awake.
But it wasn’t Andy. It was Yuri.
Downstairs in your apartment building. Can I come up?
What the hell was he doing here? I typed a quick text back.
Give me five and I’ll come down.
Was Yuri here for an answer? I wasn’t prepared to give him one yet and I really didn’t want to see him, but I couldn’t blow him off completely. I changed into jeans and a t-shirt and pulled my curls into a ponytail.
My phone buzzed again. This time it was Andy. Calling.
I grabbed it. “Hey.”
“Hey.” His voice was sleepy, like he’d just woken up. “How are you?”
“I’m alright.” I slipped into a pair of sandals.
“You sleep OK?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What are you doing?” Andy asked.
I didn’t want to tell him but I didn’t want to lie, either.
“Well, Yuri is here … ”
“He’s at Lance’s?” Andy’s voice was suddenly sharp. “Right now? This morning?”
“No,” I said. “I mean, yes. He’s not in the apartment. He’s waiting downstairs. Said he needs to see me about something.”
“About … ?”
“I don’t really know.” It was the truth. I didn’t know why he’d shown up at Lance’s building.
“Have you given any more thought to Katya’s offer?” He said the word ‘ offer’ like it was something vile.
“A little.” I didn’t tell him that it had consumed me, kept me up all night long.
“Well, I guess you’d better go talk to him. Don’t keep him waiting.” He said goodbye and hung up.
I tried to stem the flood of frustration rising up inside of me. I knew Andy was upset and I knew what it was about—the choice—but it felt like he was angry at me. His tone both the day before and that morning had been clipped, measured. I needed him to support me, to pull things out of me even when I didn’t want to share, and he had decided to do the exact opposite: create distance.
I
But there was another reason I didn’t think she would do it.
Because she didn’t expect me to say no.
“Plans for today?” Lance asked. He started typing again.
“Uh, try to make a decision,” I said, grimacing.
His lips stretched into a smile. “Are you gonna sit here and stare at the wall while you decide or would you like to go somewhere?”
“I don’t know yet.” The package of blueberry muffins was on the counter next to me and I reached for one.
“Alright. I need to write for a bit but I’ll be free later if you want to do something.”
I leaned closer, taking a peek at the screen. “A play?”
“Uh, no.” He grinned.
I shook my head and took a bite of the muffin. It was good but not as good as the muffins I made. I thought about my kitchen back home. A late September weekend would be spent one of two ways: stealing a few hours in my studio, painting, or holed up in the kitchen, baking. Apple pie, apple crisp, pumpkin muffins. I loved to bake and I loved having roommates who enjoyed my cooking. I loved having a boyfriend who enjoyed my cooking.
I sighed. It was one of the many things I would miss. I stole a glance at Lance. After two dinners out and pre-packaged or pre-made breakfasts and lunches, I was pretty sure he’d appreciate having home-cooked meals.
But he wasn’t my boyfriend. He wasn’t Andy.
I finished my muffin and retreated back to the bedroom, a fresh cup of coffee in hand. I glanced at the bed, at the tangle of twisted sheets. Would I have had such a restless night of sleep if Andy had been pressed up next to me, his arm draped over me, his breathing light and steady in my ear?
I hated sleeping alone. Was I prepared for six straight months of restless sleep?
My phone buzzed on the nightstand and I hurried to grab it. Andy had sent a goodnight text last night but he hadn’t called. I knew it was earlier there but maybe he was texting first, seeing if I was awake.
But it wasn’t Andy. It was Yuri.
Downstairs in your apartment building. Can I come up?
What the hell was he doing here? I typed a quick text back.
Give me five and I’ll come down.
Was Yuri here for an answer? I wasn’t prepared to give him one yet and I really didn’t want to see him, but I couldn’t blow him off completely. I changed into jeans and a t-shirt and pulled my curls into a ponytail.
My phone buzzed again. This time it was Andy. Calling.
I grabbed it. “Hey.”
“Hey.” His voice was sleepy, like he’d just woken up. “How are you?”
“I’m alright.” I slipped into a pair of sandals.
“You sleep OK?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What are you doing?” Andy asked.
I didn’t want to tell him but I didn’t want to lie, either.
“Well, Yuri is here … ”
“He’s at Lance’s?” Andy’s voice was suddenly sharp. “Right now? This morning?”
“No,” I said. “I mean, yes. He’s not in the apartment. He’s waiting downstairs. Said he needs to see me about something.”
“About … ?”
“I don’t really know.” It was the truth. I didn’t know why he’d shown up at Lance’s building.
“Have you given any more thought to Katya’s offer?” He said the word ‘ offer’ like it was something vile.
“A little.” I didn’t tell him that it had consumed me, kept me up all night long.
“Well, I guess you’d better go talk to him. Don’t keep him waiting.” He said goodbye and hung up.
I tried to stem the flood of frustration rising up inside of me. I knew Andy was upset and I knew what it was about—the choice—but it felt like he was angry at me. His tone both the day before and that morning had been clipped, measured. I needed him to support me, to pull things out of me even when I didn’t want to share, and he had decided to do the exact opposite: create distance.
I
Similar Books
