AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I don’t mention anything to Sophie or Terrence about staying in New York. I need to have those conversations in person, and I haven’t even talked to Emma yet. I’m counting down the minutes until she’s back from her meeting. Thinking about what Emma’s mom said yesterday, about Emma looking at apartments, I decide to check out the real estate options. When a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment in Gramercy appears for fifteen thousand dollars a month, I nearly choke on my water. Then, I have to rub at my eyes to make sure I’m not reading the numbers incorrectly. Nope, that’s what it said.Fifteen thousand dollars.
The job with Premier Real Estate isn’t officially mine, but their human resources department did send over an email with an estimated compensation package. I do the math and realize that with savings and Emma contributing, paying fifteen thousand dollars a month for an apartment isn’t out of the budget.
While I’m trying to wrap my head around the insanity that is Manhattan’s cost of living, Chad calls me.
“Did you do it?” he asks, not bothering to say hello.
“Did I do what?”
“Bang your wife.”
“Do not say bang and my wife in the same sentence.”
“You’re testy, so I’d say that’s a no.”
“I’m not discussing it with you.” That’s what I say, but now I’m realizing Chad’s the only person I can talk to about this besides Emma. “Did you call to ask me that?”
“Yes, but also, I got your text about passing the bar. That’s fucking rad, man. Congrats.”
“Thanks. It’s a huge relief. How’s everything going? How’s the revue?”
“It’s okay. Not the same without you, though. I’ll catch you up on Dallas’s latest shenanigans when you’re back in town.”
“Yeah, I’ll be back next week for Sophie’s graduation.” I hesitate to tell him about the development between me and Emma, because do I really need Chad busting my balls about it? But then, I decide to tell him. His honesty is refreshing even if he’s a little crass sometimes. “I’m thinking about moving here.”
“What?”
“To be with Emma.”
“Wait, so you haven’t slept with her yet, but you’re moving there to be with her?”
“Not everything is about sex.”
“Fuck, dude. You’re in deep.”
“I know. I love her.”
It’s silent long enough for me to wonder if he’s still on the line.
Then he says, “Fuck, this is crazy. But it sounds like you’re happy, so I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.”
“What does Sophie think about you moving?”
“I haven’t told her yet.”
He lets out a low whistle.
“I need to do it in person.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“It’s time for me to move on with my life. I don’t want to hurt her, that’s the last thing I want to do. It’ll take some time and we’ll have to sort everything out, but I’m hoping she’ll understand that I need to do what’s best for me. That maybe this is a fresh start for both of us.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”
My head turns toward the door where I thought I heard the sound of footsteps. I wonder if Emma is back.
