Page 151 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

“Things like what?” I ask, sitting on the edge of my seat.

“Mostly emotional support,” he says, then a nostalgic smile graces his lips. “But we had a nice talk that night. I gotta tell ya. I remembered why I married her.”

My heart is going pitter-patter from Greg’s experience. It must be great to be Laura. Their story sort of reminds me of Hercules and me. I ruined our happily ever after by lying to him, though.

I don’t let my despair show as I say goodbye to Greg and tell him I can take the train back home.

“No, you won’t, young lady,” he says. “You call me when you’re ready to go, and I’ll be here.”

“But I don’t know when…”

“You know how to reach me,” he says as if his word is final.

Standingat the callbox while waiting for Lake to let me in, I ponder Greg and Laura’s love story. I wonder, will fate be tempted to throw me and Hercules together when we’re Greg’s age? Will we walk the city all night, rehashing what went wrong with our relationship? I will apologize to him, of course. He would accept my apology. Then what?

The box stops ringing.

“Paisley, meet me on the fifth floor,” Lake says, then the door buzzes.

I enter the lobby and run up the stairs. When I reach the fifth floor, I nearly pass out when I see who’s waiting for me.

“Oh my gosh…” I slap my hand over mouth.Oh my God.

I hug Eden then Jillian.I can hardly believe I’m looking at my two best friends from college.

I’m so thrilled and astonished that I can’t stop shaking my head. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re hanging out with you,” Eden exclaims.

I get an eyeful of them both. I saw her through the window on that dreadful night, but seeing her up close feels so surreal. I thought I lost her as a friend. I thought that once she heard about what I did, she wouldn’t want anything to do with me. But here she is, greeting me with a hug.

Eden still pulls her fine blond hair up into a topknot and wears large hoop earrings that gives her a certain edge. Jillian, however, looks totally different. Her once-long brown hair is blunt cut and chin length. Her siren’s eyes, red lips, and glasses make her stunningly attractive.

“Wow, Jillian, you look amazing.”

She shrugs indifferently. “It’s not because I try.”

Eden raises a finger. “I believe her.”

My chuckle wavers as my repentant gaze remains on Eden. How do I even begin to apologize? My lie thrusted her into the middle of an uncomfortable situation, especially if she’s indeed involved with Hercules Valentine’s cousin.

I’m about say something when the door to the apartment on the fifth floor swings open. “Surprise!” Lake says, her arms open wide. “Paisley Grove, this can be yours for the low, low price of six million dollars.”

My mouth is caught open and I’m speechless.

“Don’t you want to be neighbors?” she asks.

Still unable to speak, I nod. I do want to be her neighbor. There’s no doubt about that.

2 Hours Later

I can’t believe my life right now. We finish touring the apartment on the fifth floor. Lake says it became available this morning. Davey, the blond guy who was sitting on the steps the first time I visited her apartment, is the seller. Apparently, Davey recognized me when he saw me three months ago and asked if I would be interested. He needed money fast to cover the cost of the condo he purchased in Tribeca. He’s moving back downtown. He’s done pretending to be an artist and will be donning his business suit, cutting his shaggy hair, and diving headfirst back into hedge fund management.

“He said, ‘Six million dollars and that includes closing cost, quick close and all cash, and your friend, the Grove daughter, can have it.’”

I absolutely love Davey’s place, which is now my new apartment. The place is stunning. He has the same sleek, high-class taste as Hercules. The floors are high-glossed cement. The kitchen has red flat-panel cabinets matched with glass backsplash, and all the appliances, which I get to keep, are high-end. All three bathrooms are new and modern. In the master, I have heated floors and double sinks, and next to the porcelain soaking tub lives an unobstructed semi-private view of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Then there’s the rooftop—Davey owned the entire space, and now it belongs to me. It has wooden floors, gorgeous patio furniture, an above-ground hot tub, and a high-end outdoor kitchen with a stainless-steel grill, sink, and refrigerator. Not to mention the retractable glass covering, which dims on hot days and heats on cold days, thanks to GIT’s climate control technology. And to top it all off, an eighty-inch flat screen TV is the star of a sitting area, which has a sleek steel firepit in the middle of it. Lake said Davey wanted to install an infinity pool, but the co-op wouldn’t allow it.