Page 132 of Elevator Pitch

Me

Bet.

64

burgers + wine

Selah

Manhattan, NY | April 22, 2024

I feellike shit and called out of work today. If I’m not crying, I’m sleeping and Grey is on my mind every minute. Even my bed smells just like him and once I noticed that, I’ve stayed right here. I’m curled up with Peach under the covers when there’s a knock at my door. She pops her head up and looks at me with the same expression.

Who could that be?

I’mnervous that it may be Greyson, but my doorbell app proves me wrong. It’s just Estelle with wine and takeout? I press the mic to tell her I’ll be right there. When I answer the door, I’m greeted with a smile and her lovely perfume. She wants to know if I’m free for burgers and wine. I’m pretty sure if I was busy, I’d clear my schedule for that.

“Your place or mine?” she asks.

“Mine. I have something I’d like to talk to you about. So, come on in.”

She gives me an incredulous look before she enters my apartment. Once I close the door behind her, she starts whispering loudly.

“What’s going on with you? You don’t look like yourself and where’s Greyson? Is he out of town? Finally giving your body a break?” She asks playfully.

She sets the wine bottle and glasses down on my dining table, and I grab a bottle opener to get started pouring because I surely could use it after this week.

“Yeah, he’s given me a break, alright. Mostly because he told me he’s in love with me, and I panicked. I’m currently avoiding him, and it doesn’t help since I’m hiding in my house, and so much reminds me of him—Hold on. You got fries with those burgers?”

“You trying to insult me? Go get some plates and spill. I’ll pour the wine.”

I glance at my watch and wrinkle my brow in confusion.

“Um-Estelle, it’s 10 a.m.”

“Hush. I’m retired, and the cheese on the burger pairs nicely with that wine. Now hurry up with those plates, I’m hungry.”

“Fair enough,” I chuckle.

We get settled at my dining table, and I tell her everything. What’s been going on with the whole neighbors-with-benefits arrangement we created a few months back, and how things have escalated in an unexpected way. How much he’s helped me with theFuck It List,the reading nook, the dates, and his birthday dinner. I leave the whole ‘I love you’ fiasco for last, hoping to get some advice from her on how to get through this because I don’t know anyone else who’s had a successful relationship like Estelle did with her late husband, Robert.

She gives me a knowing look for the duration of the conversation and asks to see these projects he was working on around my place. When I take her to my office and show her the reading nook, she assesses it thoroughly and even sits in my damn chair before she says anything. Then I take her to look at the mirror in my room and her silence is killing me. She walks back into my office and gets cozy in my chair. I follow behind and stand in the doorway, staring expectantly.

“So, what do you think?”

“I think that you know the answer, and you’re bullshitting me. That boy loves youa lot. He looks at you the way Rob looked at me.”

I’m taken aback by how casually she responded to that.

“I really like this chair. Could you send me the link?”

I nod. “When did you know that you were in love with Robert?”

“I trusted Robert instantly, gave it up on the first date. We said ‘I love you’ after two weeks and were married within a month. We celebrated thirty beautiful years together. I wouldn’t change a thing,” she says with a smile. “Actually, I would change something about him.”

I’m curious as I await her response.

“I wish he wasn’t allergic to fucking peanuts. Ilovepeanut butter cups. There were so many times I almost took my husband out on accident from eating some damn candy. It was terrible.”

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