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On a normal day, one where the universe wasn’t conspiring to reveal truths to her in painful and humiliating ways, she would have acted like a grown-up, agreed with him, wished him the best, and walked away.
But today, instead of saying anything, she put her hands on her newly ex-boyfriend’s chest and shoved him into the fountain.
She walked away to a splash, gasps, and clapping from an unacquainted but invested bystander.
—
Lucy noted the time and cursed under her breath. Her plan for dropping by Caleb’s office and making it back to her own on time for lunch did not involve an unexpected plunge in a fountain. She needed to call for help if she had any hope of being presentable for her date with Lily.
She walked half a block, away from the scene of the crime, to order a ride and call her best bet for assistance. Given that Oliver’s job entailed running errands for divas on Joanna’s behalf, she knew he would take her demand in stride. He prided himself on his ability to deliver on the most impossible of tasks. If anyone could find her a dress in twenty minutes, he could.
He answered her call with no preamble. “Did it work? Can you lie again?”
“No. And I need your help, fast. I need a dress.”
“A dress? What happened to screw the patriarchy and all that?”
“Yes, still that, but there’s a difference between being comfortable and confident and looking like you fell into a fountain.”
“You fell in a fountain?”
“Yes. I also broke up with Caleb. Long story for later. Now can you help me, please? I have to meet Joanna at the office to go to lunch, and I don’t have time to go home and change first. I need you to find me something to wear.”
“Uh, need I remind you that I’m an assistant, not your assistant?”
“Yes, and you’re also my best friend, extremely good at your job, and you never let me down. Please?”
“That’s more like it,” he teased. “Of course I’ll help. What do you need?”
“Thank you,” she said, realizing she should have opened with flattery. “Something low-maintenance but classy. Maybe black because my bra is still wet, and it won’t show through.”
“Your bra is wet?”
“Yes. Fountain, remember?”
“What the hell is going on out there, Lucy? I thought you went to the bar.”
“I did. I’ll explain it all when you meet me in my office with something to wear to lunch.”
“This better be a good story,” he muttered. He sounded like he was displeased, but she knew he welcomed the challenge of finding a specific piece of clothing under pressure as if it were a game show. “So, you want something flashy, lots of leg, complicated straps, and at least four inches of cleavage. That right?”
“Only if you plan on wearing it for me.” Her rideshare pulled to the curb, and she hoped the driver didn’t notice just how soggy she was.
“Kidding. Budget?” Oliver asked.
“Use your judgment; this is an emergency.”
“You got it, boss. See you soon.”
Lucy kept her eye on the clock on her ride back to the office; it would be a whirlwind wardrobe change when she got there. As she sat in the back seat, she sent an email to the leasing office of her new condo informing them the lease would be broken and to please direct any costs incurred to Caleb Allman, Cc: Caleb Allman. She then texted Nina.
Caleb and I broke up.
She didn’t expect a response given that Nina was surely starting an IV or filling a chart or perfectly positioning someone’s pillow and rarely checked her phone during the day, but telling her made it feel even more official.
She was single.
And she was halfway dry by the time she made it to her building. She grimaced at the wet butt print she left on her driver’s back seat and decided it was worth a custom tip. Inside, she scurried past reception, head down, and made it to her office unscathed.
