“Oh, trust me, I do. Karma has been good to me. But enough about me, what about you?”
“I think I’ll save my news for when I get there too. Not that it’s anything near as exciting as being on Fifth Avenue.” Actually, it’s about the opposite of that, but I’m not going to wallow in my sad situation right now. I’m going to let my mind wander through Leah’s possible life and try to guess what she’s been up to instead. It’ll keep my brain occupied as I drive the four and a half hours.
“Okay, sounds like a plan. So you think you’ll be here by Friday?”
“Yep. Friday maybe by dinner time? Late afternoon, maybe?”
“Perfect. I’ll be waiting to hear from you. And I have your number now, so I can call you if anything comes up.”
“Great. So, I guess I’ll see you soon!” I’m not faking my happiness; now I really feel it. This is turning out much better than I thought it would.
“Yes! It’s going to be so awesome. Can’t wait. Bye!”
“Bye.”
I hang up and slide my phone into my pocket. Finally, my adventure is feeling like a good decision and not a complete disaster.
Chapter Two
WHEN I PULL UP IN front of Trump Towers at six o’clock on Friday night, I don’t know what to expect. When Leah comes striding over to my window wearing a thick, tailored wool coat with a baby in a snowsuit on her hip, I’m too stunned to speak. She looks great. And a baby? Whoa.
I’ve never seen her dressed like she is now, and her hair is amazing. And if she had that baby herself and not through adoption or a surrogate, she’s managed to already lose all the pregnancy weight. She can’t be more than a size eight.
I cannot wait to hear what’s happened in her life; clearly her news is going to be much better than mine, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer girl. Just realizing that makes me the slightest bit cheerful. I roll down my window, letting in a blast of freezing cold air.
“Hey! You made it!” she exclaims, her breath throwing out puffs of cold-smoke. “Do you want to park in the garage? They have some guest spaces. We can get someone to help you bring your things in.” She looks in the back window of my car. “Wow, you have a lot of boxes.” Grinning at me, she leans in and we exchange a quick kiss of greeting. Her lips are freezing cold on my heater-warmed cheek.
“You have a baby,” I say, finally finding my voice.
“Oh, this isn’t my baby. I’m just borrowing her.” She laughs. “Just pull around the block there, and you’ll see the entrance to the garage. I’d ride with you but you don’t have a carseat.”
“Okay.” I shift the car back into Drive, acting like borrowing a baby is a totally natural thing that people do. “Just over there?” I point to the next block.
“Yep. Grab a guest spot. Tell them you’re with James Oliver.”
“Okee dokee.” I roll up the window, turn up my heater to full blast, and pull forward off the curb, wary of all the cabs driving like maniacs around me. Everything in Manhattan goes faster than anywhere else. It’s making me nervous already. The potential ice on the roads is not helping. Winter coming early did not figure into my plans.
The garage is huge, and much quieter than the main street where everyone has decided that horns are how cars speak to one another and that they should be carrying on conversations all the time. I crack my window open a couple inches when an older man in a uniform approaches me.
“I’m with James Oliver. I’m supposed to park in a guest spot.”
He points with a white-gloved hand. “Just over there, Miss.”
I smile politely and roll my window up as I follow his instructions. I’m just pulling into the generous space when Leah shows up at my door again. I can hear her through my closed window, her voice slightly muffled.
“Yaaaay! Look, Cassie, my best friend Sarah is here for a visit!”
Guilt twangs my heartstrings. She still considers me her best friend after I ignored her for almost two years? Whatever happy glow I had coming in here is snuffed out with the realization that I’m a superjerk. After my latest relationship experience, I learned that friendships — real friendships — are one of the most precious things in the world. I haven’t valued Leah like I should have, but that’s going to change as of right now.
I look up at her and grin as I push the door open. “Yay! I’m so happy to be here!”