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Dick’s Drive-In burgers

Chocolate café

Elliott Bay Book Company

She wasn’t sure how many of these items were actually feasible, but it felt good to have an agenda of sorts.

Arden looked down at her list. It was early enough to take herself out to dinner and still have time for plenty of Netflix afterward. She found a Thai restaurant only a block away—she didn’t want to walk much farther than that in the cold darkness—and soon she was seated at a table. Alone.

It wasn’t like she had never gone to a restaurant by herself, but she wasn’t particularly comfortable doing it. She wasn’t comfortable doing a lot of the things on her list. That was kind of the point. She was leaning in to being on her own. She was owning her confidence. She didn’t need Peter Blake; she didn’t need anyone.

A few minutes later, she was digging into a pile of pad thai noodles. She had asked for zero stars, but it was still a little on the spicy side for her taste. Her mom would never stop teasing her for her inability to handle spice.

She’d meant to read a book, but she pulled out her phone instead. Becca had texted her, asking if she’d found the apartment okay.

Yep! Everything is great so far. Excited to explore Seattle more tomorrow.

I’m so glad! We miss you, though! Wish you were here!

Arden smiled and shook her head, knowing that Becca had plenty of family around her this time of year.

She wolfed down her dinner, chugged a glass of water, and asked for the check. She couldn’t wait to be back in the privacy of Phoebe’s apartment. It was actually kind of embarrassing to eat dinner by herself. And she was embarrassed that she was embarrassed. She was supposed to be becoming more confident. Who cared that she was eating alone?

Well, Arden cared. As much as she wished that she didn’t.

As she walked back, she texted Phoebe: Had some yummy Thai food. Now heading back to your gorgeous apartment.

Phoebe texted a selfie of her with her laptop on her lap and Mittens curled against her leg.

Phoebe: We’re hard at work over here! Did you go to the Thai place down the street? That’s my favorite.

Arden: Yes, it was so good! Why are you working at midnight?

Phoebe: Call it jet lag plus a type A personality. I’m trying to get a new business off the ground.

Arden: Didn’t you lose your job like two days ago?

Phoebe: Exactly. No time to waste.

Arden: Well, give Mittens a cuddle for me. And go to sleep!

She let herself into Phoebe’s. Jet lag was catching up with her, and that bathtub was calling her name. Her Netflix binge would have to wait until tomorrow.

Chapter 5

Phoebe

Phoebe woke to the persistent buzzing of her phone. Her face was pressed into something furry and warm. And… alive?

She bolted upright with a yell. Mittens shot into the air and careened out of the room.

“Sorry, Mittens,” Phoebe called after him. “Wasn’t expecting anyone in bed with me.” She glanced sharply at the other side of the bed just to make sure she had not, in fact, brought anyone to bed with her. No, that’s right; she had stayed up until one in the morning working on her business idea.

She followed Mittens into the kitchen and opened a can of food for him. Her eyes felt swollen and itchy. “You guys have a pharmacy around here?” Mittens ignored her inquiry, lapping away at his breakfast. “No offense, but I am very allergic to you.”

Her phone buzzed again. It was her mom calling. She rejected the call, noted with a sigh that it was the third missed call from her mom this morning, and opened her texts.

Mom: Where are you? I’m getting worried!