Page 49 of The Plus-One Deal

“Fine, yeah. That’s fine. Good luck getting settled.” I was about to hang up then, but Conrad stopped me.

“Wait, Claire.”

I waited. He said nothing more. Annoyance surged in me —wait, Claire,what?

“What is it?”

“Nothing, just… nothing. Next time, okay?”

I hung up heartbroken, too sad to be angry. Not once in twelve years had we pushed off our deal. I stared at my phone, my worst fears confirmed: Conradhadghosted me. Our friendship had changed. I wasn’t quite ready to call it over — time healed a lot of wounds, even in friendships. But I didn’t think I could trust him again as I once had, knowing he’d do this when I needed him most.

“Goodbye, Conrad,” I said to my silent phone. “The Conrad I thought I knew, goodbye to you.”

CHAPTER 20

CONRAD

The night Claire called, I got home around ten o’clock. My penthouse was deserted, my cleaner long gone, though I knew it’d been cleaning day by the lingering scent of Pine-Sol. I opened the door to the balcony to let in some air. The breath of the city came in on the breeze, thin at this height but still distinctly New York. Nothing like the clean, salty smell of the ocean.

I’d done the right thing today, keeping my distance. Seeing Claire again so soon would screw up our friendship. We’d succumb to temptation or it would be awkward, and the gulf between us would grow and grow. What we needed was time for the feelings to pass. Time enough I could stand out here and not miss sitting with Claire by the ocean. Time enough I could shower and not think of her hair, suds running down her shoulders and over her back.

I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve again. Mom would give me one present, just a small one, meant to quell my excitement so I could sleep. But it had the opposite effect. It got me amped for my big gifts. I should’ve known it would be the same waywith Claire. I’d been foolish to think we could just dip our toes. Have a taste of each other and not crave the rest. I was sick of coming home to a penthouse that looked like no one lived in it. If Claire lived here too, she’d bring her fun pillows. Those bright, woven blankets draped over her chairs. She’d bring color and movement and presence and life. Someone to come home to. Someone I?—

“Damn it.”

Thiswas why —this— I’d been right to say no. Every second I spent on my own, not working, was a second I spent second-guessing myself. I never second-guessed myself. That wasn’t me. How long till my indecision crept into work? Had it already, in subtle ways? I’d been off my game lately, my instincts awry.

I went through to my study and fired up my laptop. Went through my emails for something to do. Nothing jumped out at me, and I stared at the screen. My phone buzzed and I sighed. No rest for the wicked.

“Hey, Joe. What’s up?”

“Some good news for once.”

My mind jumped to Claire at the mention of good news, though I had no reason to assume Joe meant her. And he didn’t, of course. He hardly knew her. He had no idea what we’d done on our trip, or where it had left us, with this chasm between us.

“Conrad?”

I cleared my throat. “Sorry? You cut out right there. What were you saying right after ‘good news?’”

Joe made a frustrated sound. I heard him pacing around, hunting a better signal. He hadn’t cut out. I just hadn’t been listening.

“Okay, can you hear me? I’m up to two bars.”

I winced, feeling guilty. “Loud and clear.”

“All right, a reporter’s reached out. A chance for some good press. Could help push that lawsuit out of the headlines.”

“Say more.”

“He’s doing a human-interest piece about that storm in The Bahamas. Apparently, you stepped in and saved some lost kid? He wants a comment on that, and you flying those folks out. I’d say you should give him one. Cast yourself as the good guy.”

“I didn’t save the kid,” I said, smiling. “I had the same pants as his dad, was all, and he’d followed me out. Couldn’t see where his parents went, so I walked him back inside.”

“Say that,” said Joe. “That tone, y’know, humble.I just did what anyone would have— and be sure to mention the thing with the turtles.”

I frowned, confused. “Turtles?”

“Didn’t you get my email?”