Page 18 of Promise Me Sunshine

“Well,” she says on a sigh. “If you ever change your mind, I can tell how much Ainsley liked you.”

I shake her hand and gather my things. “Do you want me to lock up on my way out?”

“No, that’s fine. I’m sure Miles will be down in a few minutes. Finding something to criticize.” She collapses into oneof the kitchen chairs. “If you can’t save me from that, at least save me a trip to unlock the door.”

I’m just closing their front door on my way out when suddenly I’m face-to-face with a crossed pair of arms.

“Hey,” Miles says.

“Hey.”

“Are you going home tonight?” he asks.

Men. You let them feed you one egg bagel and suddenly your whereabouts are their business. I’d like to tell him to mind his own, but then an image from this morning flashes in my mind: my ponytail being carefully extricated from the path of snot and tears. Sigh. He can be a real dick but I suppose he’s not all bad. “Eventually. I have to shower at some point, ya know?”

“What doeseventuallymean?”

He’s a quick one.

I shrug.

“The ferry, then?” he presses.

“No. Not on Mondays. There’s this all-night dance party on the Lower East Side that they do every Monday night. I usually go there instead.”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “You look like you need three days of sleep and an IV, but you’re headed to an all-night dance party?”

“What can I say? I’m a dancing machine.”

He takes a step toward the door but looks back at me.

He’s pausing. I’m pausing. This is it for me and Miles. I can’t bring myself to acknowledge anything that’s passed these last few days. But we have to say something, right?

“Well,” I say, holding out my hand for a shake. “We met.”

He exhales quickly in what I think might be a laugh. “True.”

We shake hands and he slides his hands into his pockets, catching my eye right as I’m about to turn away.

“Define all-night dance party.”

“It’s from seven to seven. People come straight from work and dance until dawn. It’s a spiritual melee. You should come, seems right up your alley,” I joke.

“Okay,” he says with a shrug. “Let me just say hi to Reese and I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, I’m sorry.” Words have stopped making sense to me. “What?”

“I haven’t seen her in a few days. I just wanted to say hi.” He points behind him to her apartment.

“Yeah. I got that part. I’m a little foggy on the part where you think you’re coming with me?”

“Didn’t you just invite me?”

“I mean, yes?” The wordyessqueaks like a chipmunk has said it.

“Great. Give me two seconds.”

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