Maid for Each Other(54)

Abi: I mean, going to a show would be cool but I wouldn’t want the time investment of trying to get tickets.

As we texted back and forth, I could picture it. I could picture her at a show （that she didn’t have to wait in line for tickets for）， petting bodega cats even though she shouldn’t, writing in Central Park, and reading on my terrace.

Fuck.

I wanted her here.

I texted: You should come meet me.

The word Delivered just beneath the text message should have scared me, but it didn’t. She was kind of my friend, and all the people who mattered at Hathaway had already engaged with her. So what would be the harm of hanging out with her a little more?

Just as friends.

Or.

Abi: Haha just let me fire up my private jet and I’ll be there within the hour.

Laughing, I texted: A private jet wouldn’t make you get there any faster, and I’m serious.

Abi: You cannot be serious

I texted: WHY NOT?

There were conversation bubbles, but it took her a couple minutes to send a response. Finally she replied: Because that’s not the way life works. You can’t just say someone should come hang out with you in another city on the other side of the country.

Somehow I knew she’d have to be convinced. I texted: I’ll be booking your plane tix so it’s free, Mariano

Abi: WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

I could almost hear her yelling that and it made me smile.

I sent: Because I’m bored and all about making your dreams come true.

Abi: Very funny. And I have to work.

Suddenly, I wanted this badly. I texted: Come tomorrow. Call in to Benny’s—a relapse of your weekend illness. Just do it and fly back the next morning.

She texted: THIS IS NOT HOW LIFE WORKS.

I wasn’t giving up. I replied: Tell me why this won’t work. All you have to do is show up at the airport and you can come to New York like you’ve always wanted. We can do whatever you want while you’re here, and then you go home the next day. I have infinite frequent flyer miles so it won’t cost me anything if that’s what you’re worried about.

I saw those conversation bubbles, but I wasn’t having it.

I speed-texted: And if you don’t want to hang out with me when you get here, I can show you how to take the subway. Or book a hotel room if you don’t want to stay at my place.

I was committed to convincing her, trying to sell my ass off.

Abi: You’re really serious? Are there Hathaway people there that you want to see us together?

I wanted to tell the truth, that I wanted her there for no apparent reason, but I chickened out and gave a half-truth because I had no idea how she’d respond to honesty in this scenario.

I texted: I wouldn’t hate that, but I just think it sounds fun to have my friend Abi visit.

Abi: We’re officially friends now? Is that what you’re saying?

I texted: Absolutely it is.

Abi: Let me think on this while I go to work tonight OK?

I was disappointed, but I knew she needed to think about it. Especially when on my end, the thinking I was doing was on whether I wanted to maybe move this past friendship.

Everything inside me was screaming to chill out and proceed with caution, but every time I looked at her, talked to her, or had a solitary thought that included her, I kind of wanted more.

So this trip might help me right the ship.

Or send me deep underwater.

I finished the rest of my beer and changed into workout clothes, but not before adding: Do me a favor, Ab. While you’re working, think about how great a day in NYC with no responsibilities would be.

Abi: Trust me, I will.

25

New York

Abi

“I guess I just don’t understand this reluctance.”

Lauren’s voice sounded loud over the speakerphone as she said, “You have always wanted to visit New York and now you have a rich friend who is going to pay for you to spend a day in the city with him. Why would this even require any thought?”

“Well, it’s more complicated than that,” I said as I scrubbed the grout with a toothbrush. According to my boss, the lady who lived in this unit was very particular, so I always made sure to be attentive to every detail so I didn’t have trouble later.

“For starters, he just paid me to pretend to be his girlfriend for a weekend. We kissed a couple times and even though it was all part of the show, they were good enough kisses to make me unsure if I should spend more time with him.”

“What exactly are you afraid of?” Lauren asked. “Are you saying you think you’ll fall for him, or are you saying you think you two will hook up? Or wait—are you worried he’s into you and you’re not into him?”

I didn’t know what to say, but I was saved from responding when she spoke up again. “None of those sound like a reason not to go, though. If you’re kind of into him, why wouldn’t you want to lean into this weekend? It sounds like he just wants to hang out with you, which is the perfect opportunity to explore the vibes. If you’re concerned you two will hook up, either do it because it sounds fun and there are no strings attached, or don’t do it because you’re a grown-ass woman and you don’t have to.”

I hated that she was making sense.

“I understand that this is an odd situation because your relationship has been transactional so far, but this is different, right? This is entirely unrelated. This is a guy who wants to hang out with his friend, so if you like him, you should go and have a good time. Embrace it.”