All this time I’ve been trying to measure up to everyone else, when what I needed was to measure up to myself.

I blow out a breath. “I’ve been working at Blue Wave for four years and I’m still a junior associate. Most people are only junior associates for a year. I think I set some kind of record.” I smile grimly, and then sigh and shut my eyes. “I avoided going to LA to see you because I was scared. I didn’t want to disappoint you in front of your friends, make a fool of myself. After you moved out, I had no reason to keep trying. I let my anxiety get to the point where it limited my life. I’ve been lying to everyone, but not as much as I’ve been lying to myself. You were right about everything you said. And I got fired today, so there’s that. We can be failures together.”

She throws her arms around me, hugging me and shaking me in equal measure. “You’re not a failure.” She pushes me back, hands on my shoulders. “You can get a new, better job. I know it.”

I nod. “So basically, we were both jealous of each other, dealing with our own shame, and blaming each other for it.”

She laughs. “I guess that’s an accurate summary.”

We smile at each other for a few seconds and it’s like the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge has been lifted off my chest. “Let’s get some good food. And wine. Can you stay for a little bit?”

She grins. “I can stay for a little while.”

We get takeout from the Elephant Bar and sit in my living room on the floor, eating and talking about nothing and everything.

“Do you still make time for sewing?” Eloise asks, after we finish gorging ourselves on Korean beef tacos.

I take a deep breath. “If I show you something, do you promise not to laugh?”

Her brows lift. “Of course.”

I stand up, getting items I’ve been saving in the magic closet, and toss the bundle in front of her on the floor.

“Jane.” Eloise riffles through some of the finished work, holding up some of the gowns to inspect. “This is gorgeous. What did you make this for? Or who, I guess.”

“Drag queens.”

She stares at me, openmouthed. Then she grins. “No freaking way. That’s amazing. Tell me how this happened.”

I give her an extremely abbreviated version of events, having to omit the fact that I just met Hugo today. And it’s not lying, for me it’s been much longer than a day.