Like Cats and Dogs by Kate McMurray (scary books to read TXT) 📗

authentic,” Paige said. “It was tasty, though. But get this. When I was walking there from the subway, I walked past a store that only repairs those fancy trendy strollers all the rich parents have.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Can you imagine? A whole business whose only job is to repair one brand of stroller, and there’s enough business in the neighborhood for it to stay open.”

“That’s wild.” Lauren shook her head. “I mean, we’re clearly part of the problem, but it’s amazing what gentrification brings to Brooklyn. A cat café is one thing, but a stroller repair shop?”

“The Mexican restaurant is a block from that new indie bookstore, so I made Brandon take me there after dinner so I could check it out. Compare it to Stories.”

“And?”

“It’s more open and modern. It’s a huge space and they’ve got a good variety of books, but I always thought Stories has old-school charm. Also, they sell T-shirts. I should tell Pablo to let the owners at Stories know that they should sell T-shirts.”

“Maybe we should sell T-shirts.”

Paige’s whole face lit up. “We definitely should. You should hire Evan to design them. I bet he’d give you the best friend discount.”

It was a sound idea, Lauren thought, and another potential income stream for the business. She filed that away in her mind and grabbed a broom to start sweeping the floor. “How was the date otherwise?” she asked.

“It was…fine. Brandon seems like a nice guy. He’s young though. Only twenty-five.”

“That’s only, like, two years younger than you are.”

“Yeah, but there’s a wide gulf of difference in life experience. He lives in an apartment over a pizza place on Nevins with, not kidding, four roommates.”

“Did you see the inside of this apartment?”

“Not yet. The potential of all those people overhearing us was daunting, and then I chickened out about inviting him back to my place because I thought having to ride the subway together would be awkward and might spoil the mood and I didn’t know how to break it to him that my place is kind of fancy. We’re seeing each other again next week, though.”

“That seems promising.”

Paige shrugged. “We’ll see. I want to keep my options open. I kind of think I might be the oldest person on Tinder, though.”

“That can’t be true. But that is also why I’m not on Tinder.”

“Nobody meets in person anymore. We’re all too busy looking at our phones. I want to meet a great guy and fall in love, so I might as well give this a shot.”

“What about all the frogs?”

Paige smiled. “There’s got to be a prince in there somewhere.”

“I admire your optimism. I wish I shared it.”

Paige sighed and looked at the table.

“What?” Lauren asked.

“I just… Please don’t be mad, but Evan and I talked recently about you. Like, maybe this whole choosing-yourself thing is just because you don’t want to put any effort into dating.”

Lauren didn’t want to have this conversation. Part of her did believe strongly that she had to see to her own happiness before she could commit to anyone else, but this thing with Caleb was throwing her off her plans. She’d forgotten how nice it was to spend time with a man in a sexual and romantic context. She loved her friends, she loved spending time with them, but it felt like Caleb had fallen into a hole in her life.

But her life was not complete. Not while things with Caleb were secretive. Their relationship felt unreal at times.

“Maybe,” she said, trying to sound noncommittal. “Although I was serious when I said I wanted to work on myself before anything else. If I don’t date, why does it matter? If I’m happy and single, I’m not hurting anyone.”

“Sure, but…are you happy?”

Lauren smiled to show she was. It probably wasn’t convincing. “I’m getting there.”

“Are you?”

Lauren was frustrated her friends didn’t really get this or thought she was lying. She wasn’t; she’d meant it when she’d said she wanted to find her own happiness. “Look, it wasn’t a hollow sentiment. I could probably walk into Pop right now and find some guy to go home with. That’s not the point. The point is to focus on myself, to find a way to be happy with my life even if I never end up meeting the man of my dreams. Evan’s been freaking out about Brooklyn being out of eligible men, and although I think his fears are unfounded, there is a real possibility that I will never meet a man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I don’t want my future happiness to hinge on whether or not I get married. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but it shouldn’t matter.”

Paige held up her hands. “All right.”

“I’m just saying. And that’s not a knock on you and Evan either. If finding the right person and getting married and having babies makes you happy, then you should do that. If being in a relationship makes you happy, then I hope you find the best guy in New York to be with. I personally have some other priorities, and I want to be successful in my work here more than anything else right now. I like my life as it is. If the right man wandered in here one day, well, that would be one thing, but since he hasn’t walked into my life yet, then I want to work to make my life amazing, man or not.”

Paige frowned for a moment. “Okay. I mean, I get it. I believe you. I just wanted to be sure that you were swearing off romance willingly and not because you feel hopeless or whatever.”

“I haven’t sworn off romance. It’s just not a priority.”

“All right. Well. I think I’ll give Brandon another chance.”

“Good. I hope that works out.” And now things were awkward between them. Lauren sat on the sofa and rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry for speechifying.”

“It’s okay. I do understand what you’re saying. We women kind of grow up molded