Page 39 of Pick Me

“How hard is it to make a mocha?” I asked Meredith as I glanced over my shoulder to the counter where one barista was working

and two were watching him. “Not trying to be a Karen, but let’s go , my dudes.”

I circled my hands impatiently.

“You do realize that you’re probably the only person in the city drinking a hot beverage during a heat wave?”

“I like what I like,” I grumbled softly.

“Did I tell you that this shelving unit in the storage area stays?” Meredith asked me, gazing at a photo of a standard-issue

metal IKEA shelf on her phone like it was a picture of Colton.

We’d just come from touring the space she was hoping to rent and decided to grab some coffee to swoon over the details. Or

Meredith was swooning; I was manufacturing enough enthusiasm that she didn’t suspect how crappy I was feeling.

“It’s perfect,” I agreed. “Meant to be.”

I longed for some of that kismet in my own life, though not specifically real estate–centric.

“ Brooke ,” the barista called out.

“Finally.” I jumped up with a sigh.

I normally wasn’t so impatient, but I felt like I was living in a constant state of PMS. The night before, I’d gotten pissed off at the water dripping down my arms as I washed my face. Of course, the coffee stirrers were out, because even the little things were conspiring to shit on my life.

I felt a presence hovering behind me.

“Well, there you are.”

My pulse kicked up, but only because I was in no mood to plaster on a smile for the person who’d accidentally derailed the

only good thing in my life.

“Oh, hey!” I said as I turned around to face Kai.

I wasn’t surprised to see him given we were close to the building where he worked. This time, there was no golden hour light

on his face, no bluebirds swooping in the air above him. He was just a good-looking guy, smiling at me like I owed him something.

“You went dark on me last weekend.”

He said it as if it was shocking, but I guess given the way I was usually a deer in the headlights in his presence, he probably

assumed that I was a sure thing.

I fidgeted as the cup started to scald my fingertips. “Oh yeah, I’m sorry about that. It turns out there was a fire in the

apartment below mine, and everything was a mess on Saturday night.”

“No way .” He widened his eyes. “You good?”

I opted to embellish a little. “It was dicey for a while, but yeah, we’re fine now.”

I glanced over at Meredith to see if she was watching, but she was still glued to her phone.

“Maybe you and I can get a make good on the books?” Kai asked. “Dinner?”

In any other version of my story, this would be the climax. The moment I’d flipped my life upside down to reach. Instead, it felt hollow.

I finally put the hot cup down on the counter. “You know what? I have to be honest with you. I’m not in a great headspace

for social stuff right now, because I’m going through some professional changes that are sort of terrifying. I really need

to focus on my work for the next few months.”

I was expecting some sort of bro-tantrum, but Kai was nodding good-naturedly before I even finished speaking.

“I feel you,” he said. “Been there. Hey, no foul. I’ll see you around CPA, and if you ever want to play, I’m in. Grip literally

told me yesterday that you’re incredible.”

My heart dropped to my feet. Despite everything that had happened between us, Owen was still talking me up to Kai.

“He’s a phenomenal coach,” I replied, working hard to keep my expression neutral.

“Like I told you, he only coaches the best of the best, so don’t give him all the credit.”

It was the second time he’d mentioned it, so either it was a humblebrag about his own skills or there was a grain of truth

to whom Owen opted to work with.

Which obviously made zero sense given where I’d started out.

“Anyway, good luck getting your shit done,” Kai said. He pumped a fist. “I believe in you, Brooke!”

Yeah, he was still a golden retriever.

“Thanks.” I laughed despite myself. “That makes one of us.”

I grabbed my coffee and walked back to my chair, mulling over the brief conversation.

Kai was dangerously hot, and lighthearted, and probably fun as hell, but I finally realized that he didn’t fill my cup.

I’d wasted so much time chasing after an idea of a person, instead of investing in the one who actually mattered to me, in so many ways.

The one who’d been right in front of me the whole time.

Meredith looked at me with wide eyes as I sat down across from her, dealing with her own existential crisis. “Am I making

a mistake? Be honest.”

“Mere, no . You’ve wanted this forever.”

“But it’s really expensive,” she whispered.

“This is Manhattan,” I whispered back.

“What if no one comes?”

“That’ll never happen, but worst case, you’ll be out of the lease in two years.”

“Hold on, hold on—pause for a sec.” Meredith squinted at me like she was seeing me for the first time. “What’s going on with

you? Are you okay?”

I knew she’d eventually figure out that I was in a bad place. I hadn’t wanted to get into it with her, especially because

she was in her own big life-defining moment. Add to it the fact that she’d been quietly pro-Owen since day one, and I knew

the conversation was about to get uncomfortable.

“I’ve been better.”

I reluctantly spilled the whole story, from the Owen-trauma to leaving Liaison and finishing with the Kai run-in, which she

somehow managed to miss.

“Oh, Brooke...” she said once I finished. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I’ve been so wrapped up in my—”

“ Stop ,” I interrupted. “Life is crazy right now; it’s okay.”

She leaned over to squeeze my hand. “Do you want to dissect, digest, or distract?”

“Distract. I’ve already dissected everything down to the marrow. Owen still thinks I’m into Kai, end of story.”

“So he’s not responding at all?”

I shook my head.

“I mean, I get it,” I added. “He got hurt really badly with that horse girl. But he won’t even hear me out.”

“Can you blame him? You were pretty relentless about Kai.”

“The idea of Kai,” I corrected.

“Yeah, well, he didn’t know that. All he could see was someone he was pining for, pining for someone else.”

“You think he was pining for me?”

Her expression shifted to “are you fucking kidding me.” “Brooke, the guy has been giving you free pickleball lessons for weeks

now. You had a horse date in New Jersey. C’mon. And have you forgotten about the Hamptons gropefest? He’s been into you since

the day I fractured my foot.”

“It’s all my fault,” I said mournfully. “I’m an asshole.”

“Maybe a little...” She wrinkled her nose at me.

I didn’t laugh.

“So what happens next?” Meredith asked.

“Before everything blew up, I told him I’d get back to him about his chapter summaries for the book he’s writing. I’m not

sure he wants my feedback at this point, but I have ideas that could really help him. And he’s done so much for me, so...”

“Everything is going to work out. I have a good feeling,” Meredith said sagely as she leaned back in her chair.

“Not if he won’t talk to me,” I said mournfully.

“You’ll find a way to get through to him.”

“Carrier pigeon?”

“Why not?” She chuckled. “We’re both in an uncomfortable transition stage, but this is where the growth happens. You’re done with Liaison for a reason. Now you can focus on—”

“Not being able to afford rent,” I finished for her.

She harrumphed at me. “You can focus on your real book.”

“While I go broke.”

“Not gonna happen,” she said over her mug. “Better days are coming.”

Her phone rang. “Yup, it’s Colton, looking for the update.”

I decided to check my email, to see if the dire legal stuff from Liaison had ended up in my inbox yet.

My vision went hazy for a few seconds, because the only new message was from Celeste, and the subject line was “Archer—OMFG!!!!!!!”