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“Cars are not beings, Maddison.It, notshe.”
“Sheis a very special vehicle and I would sorely miss her if I had to give her up. That’s perfect motivation to keep me on the friendship track with Nick. And that’s what I want—to be his friend.”
Her fingers fly over the keyboard. Soon the printer on her desk is whirring, and then I have a fancy ballpoint pen in my hand. She taps the line I have to sign.
“And how about this,” she says, snagging the pen from me once I’m done. “I’ll sign it too, as your witness.”
Her signature is a worm-like scrawl under mine. She pens the date next to it and then swiftly makes a photocopy on the machine behind her.
As she slips the original in a file, she pinches her lips together.
Like she’s mad.
But again, I’m in the dark.
What is she so uptight about, anyway?
I’m not willing to ask her outright. Better to let it slide. “So, wow. You’re great at this stuff. That took all of two minutes, just like you promised. I feel better already. Thank you. You wantedto know about the details of my case, right? Before I derailed us?”
“Yes. The script’s title, a timeline of your work on it, the county you lived in. And as I said, I’ll need you to get me documentation of any and all communication regarding the script—including your emails to the critique partner you mentioned.”
“Got it. I can totally go over all that.” I spend the next few minutes filling her in, and then promise to get back to her with the copies of relevant emails and phone records.
As we wrap up, I gather my bag into my lap. “Hey, before I go, you haven’t told me yet who I’m setting you up with. You know, this magical coffee date I’m supposed to steer into being.”
“Ah. Right. I wondered when you’d get back to that.”
I pull out my phone so I can jot down the name she says in my notes.
With my thumb paused over my screen, I wait.
She draws in a breath. “Hrm. Well. This is awkward.”
“Don’t worry about being shy, Hana. I spilled my guts about my stupid Nick thing. We’re in this together, now. You can tell me who you’ve got a crush on.”
“Alright then. You don’t need to take notes. You know this person. Well. In fact, you’re now his neighbor for the time being.”
I glance up at her.
No.
Yes. I can see it in her eyes: she’s got a crush on Nick.
My Nick.
No!
Scratch that. He’s notmyNick. He’smy friendNick… that’s all.
That’sall.
I have the paperwork to prove my intentions, right here in my purse.
Hana and I stare at each other.
It’s like that face-off moment in a hockey movie, where two opposing teammates lock eyes over a puck, just before they start slapping at it with their hockey sticks.
The second hand on the wall clock ticks.
