8

I WAITED until Sabrina had left before coming out of my room for

breakfast. I didn’t want her to drill me about my plans for the day,

and boy, did I have plans.

First, I hustled over to a boutique lingerie shop nearby Sabrina’s

Midtown apartment. They were on holiday schedule and opened

early, so I got what I needed and was at the register well before ten.

With my purchases “in hand,” so to say, I finally pulled out my

phone to get ahold of Dylan. Sure, I could have texted him before I’d

gone shopping, but I didn’t want to seem desperate, contacting him

before the sun had reached a decent place in the sky. Because I

wasn’t desperate. I was eager. There was a difference, I was sure.

I had, however, composed my text the night before so it was

ready to go with just a press of the send button.

A: Happy Tuesday! Did U sleep OK?

Polite, harmless. A message that wouldn’t scare him off.

Still, he took his time answering. Almost seven whole minutes.

Thankfully there was a Starbucks next door s