Page 12 of Elevator Pitch

“I got some of her mail by accident, and I brought it to her. She answered the door with a wine glass, looking like she’d had a rough day. She was expecting that card and thought it was lost in the mail. Before her husband passed, he wrote her a bunch of love letters and arranged for them to be sent in the future on their anniversaries and birthdays. He got really sick a few years ago and said he didn’t want her to forget how much he loved her when he was gone.” I pause as tears start to fall, and I snatch a tissue to dab at them. I take a deep breath before I continue. “She told me that, and I sobbed on her doorstep.”

“I understand why.” She nods.

“Yeah. She felt bad for making me cry, so she invited me infor wine and cookies. Then we watched theHousewivesmarathon for a bit.” I chuckle.

“It’s good to hear that you are finally settling in and meeting your neighbors. I would like to challenge you a bit. I don’t think you’ll like this, but I hope you’ll give it a shot.”

“Okay.”

She sits up in her chair and adjusts her glasses. “I’d like for you to try immersion therapy soon. Your dates are a version of this. You are still fearful of dating and relationships, yet you are trying to connect with people. I know the goal is to find partners for things on your list, but it matters no less.

“I know how you feel about working in the office, and I understand it’s optional. However, I’d like to suggest an experiment. How would you feel about working from a coffee shop for a few hours once or twice a week? Just to get out of the house and be around other people?”

I frown and exhale as I consider it.

“I don’t love the way it sounds, but I will give it a try.”

The timer sounds, signaling the end of our session. I couldn’t be happier because I want to climb in bed before I try to work on anything I learned today.

“Let’s recap. What is your homework for the next week?”

“Follow the rules of the strike system. Allow myself to be vulnerable. Try working outside the house once a week and meet new people.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll see you next week, same time. Take care, Selah.”

“You too, Doc.”

The screen goes black as the session ends. I take the tissues with me as I head to my bedroom. I call out for Peach to see if she wants to join me. Therapy is good, but I won’t deny how much it takes out of me. I forgot to bring up my recent nightmares, but I’ll make a note of it for next week.

6

the big, red dog

Greyson

Manhattan, NY | September 9, 2023

It’s beena week since my run-in with my new neighbor, Selah. She wasn’t kidding when she said she doesn’t leave the house much. It’s not like I’ve been waiting, hoping to run into her, but let’s just say that Cliff and I have gone on walks more frequently than usual. Not that he’s complaining. We’re on our way back from the neighborhood dog park. We’re enjoying these last few days of summer before the leaves start to change and the nights get shorter.

I finished the book she was reading the other night and prepared an elevator pitch for when I saw her again. I know she was being shy and didn’t believe that I would read it. I need to let her know that I not only read it, but I enjoyed it. Lilith Keene is a genius, and I hope that she’s finished reading it already because I need to talk about this with somebody. I’m not expecting us to have a book club, but I’ve never read romance before and was pleasantly surprised. I’d love another recommendation if she’s up for it.

I don’t know why I’ve put so much thoughtinto what to say when I see her again, but I won’t dig too deep into that. I’d be lying if I said that Aileen’s comments at the engagement party aren’t still ringing in my head. I’ve toyed with the idea of updating my profile ever since, but I haven’t even looked at it until today. While we were at the dog park, I sat while Cliff played and stared at my profile for—I don’t even know how long, but I was interrupted when my mom called. We chatted for a while, and I’m glad she didn’t ask about my love life. After we disconnected, I thought more about it and decided that updating my profile wasn’t a good idea. Neither would be wasting a woman’s time who’s on my app hoping to find her perfect match.

On the way home, I’m yanked from my thoughts, literally, when Clifford starts pulling on his leash. I look to where he’s dragging me, and I notice a woman strolling up the block, her curls whipping in the wind as she approaches my building. We’re a good distance, and I’m thankful for his harness, otherwise, he’d knock that woman down. I stop walking, and he gets the idea, slowing down in front of me. I want her to walk freely without being bombarded by my giant dog.

She moves her loose curls out of her face as she greets our doorman with a soft smile. They speak briefly before he lets her inside. Her tank top shows off the tattooed sleeves on her arms, and her ripped jeans reveal peeks of ink on her legs. I’ve never seen this woman before. We’re not far behind her, and once we’re in the lobby, he is still dragging me toward her, and I stifle my laughter.

Cliff can be a real handful sometimes. While he’s very friendly and loves attention, he’ll accept it from anyone, although he prefers it from women. He’s a great wingman whenever I’ve needed him to be, but he doesn’t flirt for my benefit. He sees potential friends in anyone he can smell another dog on.

She’s waiting near the elevator and rifling through her tote bag as we get closer. I stand a good distance beside her, but Cliffhas other plans. He eyes her curiously, and once he sniffs her shoes, he succeeds at getting her attention. She retrieves lip balm from her bag and applies it, smiling down at him.

“Hi, Mister. You’re not shy at all.”

His tail wags excitedly.

She eyes the leash and looks over to me, asking if she can pet him. I nod assuredly. She bends her short frame to pet his head as we wait for the elevator.

“What’s his name?”

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