I grabbed the trash bag, made sure I had my keys in my pocket—I’d locked myself out a couple of times already and didn’t want to do it again—and took it out into the hall.
“Hey, Corban.”
I shut my door and glanced at my neighbor. Paisley Hayes stood in front of her door, holding her keys, a smile on her face. Her thick blond hair was wavy around her shoulders and her pink lipstick stood out against her skin.
“Hi, Paisley.”
“Taking out the garbage?”
I glanced down at the trash bag, wondering why she was asking such an obvious question. “Yeah.”
“Cool.” Her keys dangled from her hand, but she wasn’t making any attempt to unlock her door. “Do you have any plans for later?”
“Not really. I might go the gym and shoot some hoops.”
“Oh yeah? I don’t have plans either.”
Wasn’t it a Friday? It seemed like she usually went out on Fridays. I glanced around the hallway as if there’d be a calendar somewhere. “Isn’t it Friday?”
“It better be, because I am not going in to work tomorrow.”
“Yeah, it would suck to make that mistake and get fired.”
Her smile faded a little. “Yeah.”
“Well, have a good night.”
“I was hoping to do something with Molly tonight, but she said she’s too tired,” she said quickly. “I guess pregnancy would be tiring. So, no plans.”
Paisley had been my sister’s best friend since high school. But we’d existed on rungs of the social ladder that were so far apart, they might as well have been different worlds. I’d been nothing but her best friend’s nerdy twin brother. Totally beneath her notice.
That hadn’t stopped me from having the world’s biggest crush on Paisley Hayes. At seventeen, I’d been a lovesick puppy, a total idiot who’d given over self-control to the whims of teenage hormones.
Now, though? I wondered what I’d ever seen in her. She was pretty—almost any guy would think so—and she knew how to maximize her physical advantages to attract members of the opposite sex.
But she and I had almost nothing in common. And I knew from Molly that over the years, she’d dated a string of guys, all variations on the same theme—good-looking assholes. I wasn’t her type, and one thing I’d learned working for social media and dating app developers was that most people had a type and stuck to it.
She wasn’t my type either. She was just my sister’s friend, and she was fine as a neighbor. She’d even given me the lead on this apartment when I’d been looking for a place to live.
“Okay, well, I’m going to take this out.” I held up the trash bag. “See you.”
“Oh, okay. Yeah, you don’t want to stand there holding the garbage. I guess I’ll just go inside and figure out what to do with my free evening.” She gestured to her still-locked door.
“Yep. Night, Paisley.”
“Bye.”
I patted my pocket again—really wanted to make sure I hadn’t locked myself out—and took the garbage downstairs. Molly’s mention of wedding cake made me wish I’d stopped by the bakery down the street and picked up something. They had salted caramel cupcakes that were amazeballs.
And why not? I’d just gotten a new job that meant I could stay in Seattle. I’d taken a risk in moving up here and it had paid off. That called for a celebration for one.
4
Hazel
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” ~ Charles M. Schulz
Erwin blinked at me, his green eyes bright in his flat-nosed face. His long gray fur was so thick, it was prone to matting, and it was time we took a trip to the groomer. Although my cat was typically even-tempered—he didn’t do much other than sleep—he was incredibly defiant when it came to one particular activity. Getting in his pet carrier.
I was lying on the floor next to the open pet carrier, sticky with sweat after chasing him around my apartment. None of my usual tricks had worked, and he’d escaped from every trap I’d attempted.
“Come on, Erwin. I put six salmon-flavored cat treats in there. Surely it’s worth getting in for six whole cat treats.”
He blinked again.
“You’re being far too dramatic about this. Get in the carrier, already.”
I sighed and sat up, crossing my legs. Erwin didn’t move.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t raise my voice. It’s just that I’m already stressed about work, and I’d very much like to get this over with. I’m meeting the girls for a run and drinks later, and I don’t want to be late.”
Erwin ignored me.
There had been a time when my sweet gray cat was trusting enough to follow a trail of cat treats right into his pet carrier. But the Erwin of today had seen things. Moving car things. Veterinarian’s office and rectal thermometer things. Coaxing him into his carrier—I didn’t like to think of it as forcing—had become a two-person job.
“We aren’t going to the vet today. The groomer is like the spa. They’ll make your fur nice and soft and keep it from getting matted. We are both well aware of the ramifications of matted fur, particularly in your anal region.”
I needed help, but even though my friend Nora lived just two floors down, I couldn’t call her. Not after last time. My other friend Everly would have been willing to help, but she was busy with preparations for her upcoming wedding.
Other than my girlfriends, I didn’t have many options. My only close family were my parents, and they lived several hours away—and weren’t the sort of people a girl could call with no notice to help get her pet to the groomer. And although I had numerous coworkers with whom I enjoyed amiable relationships, I wasn’t close enough to any of them to ask for this sort of favor, especially on a weekend.
My circle was small, but I refused to describe myself as lonely. However, in moments like this, I did wonder if my self-imposed singlehood had more drawbacks than I wanted to admit.
There was one other person I hadn’t yet considered: Sophie Abbott. She was Everly’s replacement at her old job, and Everly had started inviting her to come running—and out for drinks—with us. Nora, Everly, and I had been friends since high school, but Sophie fit in quite naturally. Perhaps she and I had built up enough of a rapport that I could call on her for help with a minor cat crisis.
I texted Sophie, explaining the situation as briefly as I could. A few minutes later, she replied that she’d be right over. I breathed out a sigh of relief.
It was good to have friends.
“Don’t look so smug, Erwin. Sophie is on her way.”
My cat didn’t seem to think the latest addition to our so-called running club would make a difference. I hoped he was wrong.
It didn’t take long for Sophie to arrive. Her mass of dark blond curls was partially contained in a bun, and she was dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans.
“Hey.” She smiled and set her purse on the table by the door, knocking over my mail basket in the process. “Oh no, I’m sorry. Here, let me get that.”