“Yes. I do find myself running short on trauma to work through.”
“You’re welcome.”
“When do you need to make a decision?”
I sigh. “Technically, a couple of weeks ago. But my landlord is giving me more time to decide.”
“That's surprisingly nice for a landlord.” They take the seat across from me, keeping a watchful eye on the counter.
“They're really great.”
“So that's in your pros column. What else?”
I go through a few highlights. “And the seasons actually changing is nice. I have so many sweaters waiting for their moment.”
“Huh . . .”
“What? Not a fan of the colder months?”
“I mean, I could live without it being the dead of night before 5 pm, but I grew up in Buffalo. Cold and I are old friends.” The bell above the door jingles as someone walks in. “I'm just surprised a certain bartender hasn't made his way onto that list.”
I don’t justify that with a response and instead busy myself by packing up my hanging supplies and tossing my trash. However, the activity doesn't do much to keep me from rolling Jac's words over and over in my head.
Cillian had been putting in the work to win our little wager, that was for sure. Even if it wasn't something he could take me to, like apple picking a couple of weeks ago or Provincetown at the end of the summer for a gloriously queer beach weekend, he'd been making sure I clocked in as many quintessential New England experiences as possible. Not to mention, since the day he steamrolled me into letting him assemble my furniture, my apartment had begun morphing from a place some animal went to ground, into a place someone actually lived. I’d even had Lucy over for a girl’s night this past weekend.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
Cillian
How's the gallery coming along?
I snap a few pictures to send over.
Not too shabby.
Cillian
I can't wait to see it later. :)
Will you be around?
I was gonna go into the city and get some work done there, wanted to see the park in the fall.
Cillian
Great idea.
Still coming to mine tonight?
You've offered to feed me. So yes.
Cillian
Good.
“He's definitely on the pros list,” Jac says from behind the counter.
“You don't know who I'm texting.” I shove my phone into my jeans pocket.
