Page 139 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

‘Why would you think we’re off somewhere romantic?’ Ashleigh asks, the last word coming out, I want to say, panicked, as she joins us.

‘Didn’t you go to a wedding together a couple of weeks ago? Weddings are very romantic. Then you went out sightseeing last week.’

‘Top of the Rock?’ Ashleigh scoffs. ‘Romantic? Sure. If romance equals vertigo and crowds.’

I watch Ashleigh so studiously avoiding my gaze and wonder at our completely different takes on last week’s day out together before looking back at Mrs. Lundy who says, ‘Romance is like magic,’ and nearly blinds me with the twinkle in her eye. ‘If you believe in it, you can find it in everything. All it takes is a look. A touch. Some Barry White.’

‘What’s a Barry White?’ Ashleigh asks suspiciously.

‘More who,’ Mrs. Lundy explains. ‘Look him up. Vintage but musical romantical magic.’

‘We don’t need Barry,’ Ashleigh assures, even while I’m wondering about heading back to the vinyl shop to investigate. ‘I’m only taking George out because it’s not good for him to be couped up in his apartment on the weekend.’

‘Woah.’ I turn my full attention on her with a look that suggests I don’t appreciate my name becoming synonymous with a six-letters-someone-you-feel-sorry-for crossword clue answer. ‘You’ve been taking me out on pity dates?’

‘Of course they haven’t been “pity” dates,’ she concedes, her gaze sliding away and then back to mine, as her chin tips up. ‘They haven’t been dates at all.’

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen.

Somehow between the wedding and now, I’ve been friend-zoned.

Kind of thought we were heading into a different zone and find myself announcing, ‘Thought we’d take the ferry over to Governors Island for the day. Have ourselves a picnic. Catch the sunset.’

‘S-sunset?’ Ashleigh stutters. ‘I have to be back by five.’

‘Why, are you a werewolf?’ I ask. And then it hits me. Has Ashleigh got a date tonight? Now she’s no longer seeing Zach, why wouldn’t Carlos and Oz be presenting her with new options? I hadn’t thought – hadn’t considered – had been enjoying too much how the anticipation was amping up between us.

‘Funny.’ Ashleigh stares at me, her huge brown eyes searching. She licks her lips and when she notices me track the action, swallows. ‘The whole day on Governors Island, that’s really your pick?’

‘Yep,’ I tell her, daring her to bail now she knows it isn’t a day of headphone-wearing-audio-guides.

A defiant glint enters her expression. ‘Can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday with a friend.’ Turning to Mrs. Lundy, she asks her if the plates she returned were okay and as they start chatting about some Japanese art of fixing things with gold I study her, fighting this new instinct to pull out all the stops for this non-date date and telling myself friendship is fine and I’ll appreciate having it when I get back from Marcus’s wedding. That I won’t have any problem seeing her dating, or having to negotiate spending time with her.

‘…Well, babysitting calls,’ Mrs. Lundy finally says, waving a hand before knocking on Julia Montford’s door. ‘I’ll let you two friends get going.’

We get in the elevator, silence reigning until I can stand it no more. ‘Look, would you rather not do this today?’

She looks up warily. ‘Why do you ask that?’

‘You seem a little…’ Do not say panicked. ‘Tense?’

‘That’s because it’s going to rain and your plan is to spend the day outside.’

I grind my jaws together, adding to the stab of hurt that she feels she has to lie to me. ‘It’s not going to rain.’

She brings up a weather app on her phone and points to it.

Shit.

‘Fine. What do you want to do instead?’

She hesitates and I can tell she’s trying to think of something – anything – more impersonal than sharing a picnic and a sunset. Finally, she squares her shoulders and says, ‘Nothing. You fly out for your brother’s wedding tomorrow so it’s only fair you pick today’s d?—’

‘Date?’

‘Day out,’ she corrects.

Outside, in the fabulous rain belying sunshine, we head, in silence, towards Brooklyn Bridge Park and the pier for the ferry.

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