“But…no sex until we’re finished with therewrite.”
“Define ‘sex.’”
“No touching each other in anyway.”
“Can we be naked while working and not touching eachother?”
“Absolutelynot.”
“What ifwe’re—“
“Even if we’re in different rooms or blindfolded! I’m serious, Braddock, we need to finish this script and get it outthere.”
“Do you needmoney?”
“Of course I needmoney.”
“I can loan you money for rent if you need it. I know you’re good forit.”
“Oh my God. No. I do not accept personal loans, especially not from people withpenises.”
“Well—you should know by now that I only have onepenis.”
I am in so much shock over his offer to loan me money that it takes me a few seconds to get his joke. I don’t even laugh, I just slap hisarm.
“What if I give the money to Maya and she gives it toyou?”
“No! I’m fine, I just need more money coming in, in like two months, that would begreat.”
“Well, it can take a while to get a check from thestudios.”
“I know, but as long as I know a check’s coming then I won’t have to get a job at a restaurant. I can eat ramen and drink tap water, cancel Netflix and HBO Now, downgrade my internet speed, sell clothes at a consignmentstore.”
“Are you that close to getting a job at arestaurant?”
“Yeah. I’m veryclose.”
“Why didn’t you say so? Okay. No sex until we’ve finished the rewrite…Or how about this…No sex until New YorkCity.”
“What?”
He straightens up and leans in towards me. “Come with me to New York in two weeks. I’m going to my cousin’s wedding and a lot of my family will be there, and I need a date. My usual plus-one is preoccupied with your go-to plus-one. It doesn’t mean we’re dating and I’ll explain to everyone that you’re just my temporary writing partner and not my girlfriend, but…I’d really like you to come withme.”
He just said so many things in those few sentences, it takes me a while to process a response, but all I can really say is this: “Shit. I love New York. Especially at the end ofSpring.”
“Then come withme.”
“Do you have a hotelroom?”
“I booked a room at the ParkerMeridien.”
“And you want me to stay withyou?”
“Yeah.”
“In the sameroom?”
“Yes.”
