Well, that would just have to wait.

For now…

Knowing I had limited time with Melissa, I relied on old standbys to get us through the evening. I knew she’d never been to New York, and she would probably enjoy a night out, seeing the sights and enjoying a crazy expensive meal or maybe even visiting a club, but this was my night.

My only night with her.

And I was being selfish.

So, armed with candy, pizza, and copious amounts of beer, I arrived at the hotel, prepared to keep her indoors if it was the last thing I did. Not having a hand free, I knocked on the door with the tip of my shoe. As pain radiated through my toe, I quickly realized it wasn’t the smartest idea I’d had to date.

“Ouch,” I mumbled, balancing several bags and a pizza box in my hands.

“Think you’ve got enough stuff there?” she asked after opening the door.

I looked her up and down. She was in a ratty shirt she’d had since freshman year and a pair of scrub bottoms.

“You don’t want to go out?” I asked.

She took the pizza box and began to dive right in.

“No,” she answered, a slice of pizza already halfway to her mouth. “I came here for you. Not the city. I can come back anytime. Preferably when you’re happier and not a freaking disaster. We’ll do the touristy crap then. For now, I’m trying to put this train wreck back together again.”

And by train wreck she meant me.

I had the best friend ever.

“Thank you,” I said, dropping the bags on the sofa to envelop her in a hug.

“You did it for me when Jeremy broke off our engagement.”

“I know,” I said, “but that was then.”

“And?”

“And I didn’t know if things had changed.”

She rolled her eyes, sitting down on the spot of the sofa that wasn’t covered in bags. “Things between us will never change. For four years, we managed to live together and not kill each other. Believe me, that’s a huge success. We’re friends for life now.”

I snorted, reaching out for a piece of pizza to call my own. “She must be really horrible.”

Melissa sighed. “She’s not that bad. She’s just not you.”

“Well then, maybe you should give her a chance,” I suggested with a wink.

“I don’t wanna,” she whined, grabbing another slice.