Chapter Eleven Ella
Chapter Eleven
Ella
We walked through the streets of Manhattan after leaving Flirtify, having declined a lift from Jimmy’s driver so we could soak in New York in all its glory.
The streets were alive with tourists and New Yorkers going about their everyday lives.
I couldn’t believe that was about to be us – three Glaswegian girls calling the Big Apple home for the next couple of months.
I felt excited, but agitation swirled about the opportunity; it felt too good to be true and I couldn’t wait for the contracts to arrive so I could study them in depth.
None of it would feel like it was really happening to us until I saw it in writing.
Zola was chewing on some strawberry laces to keep her energy levels up when we finally spotted our apartment in the distance, while Katy staggered slightly behind.
I knew she was rereading old messages from Travis, making sure she hadn’t missed any clues indicating a wife or the prospect of infidelity.
‘Babe, can you put that away in case you end up calling him by mistake?’ Zola tutted, noticing Katy still analysing the texts.
‘I’m not a complete idiot, Zo,’ she snapped back. ‘I’m entitled to read my messages!’
Zola offered me an eyeroll and I simply smirked.
‘Have you spoken to Curtis about all of this?’ I asked my friend, noticing how quiet she’d been about her own love life, hardly using her phone or mentioning him since we landed.
Zola sighed. ‘Nope!’
I bit my lip. This could be awkward. ‘How do you think he’ll take it?’
Zola paused briefly, then continued chewing. ‘Honestly, I don’t think he’ll be arsed either way. We’re not like most couples anymore; we’re not together all the time. I do my thing and he does his. I’m not even sure he’ll notice that I’m gone.’
Katy had found her second wind and caught up to us. ‘But I thought you guys were trying to sort things out after the Spanish guy?’
Zola sighed, no doubt remembering her encounter with the stunningly handsome Alvero.
‘So did I, but after a few weeks, it just went back to normal. He stopped looking for jobs or courses, and I started focusing more on work again. We have been together for over a decade now. Maybe it always ends up like this, I don’t know.
I love him, I mean sort of more like he’s my brother or something, but I do love him, and I care about him. ’
Katy’s confused expression matched my own. ‘So, you don’t fancy him or have sex?’ she asked.
‘Ugh! Babe, I’ve just said he’s like my brother. Who wants to shag their brother? Ew!’
I laughed as we headed into our apartment building. A doorman held the door open for us as we traipsed through the lobby, grateful for the cool air conditioning blasting down on us.
‘Maybe the spark will come back,’ I said, walking to the lift.
Zola shrugged. ‘Maybe.’
The lift ejected us into the apartment, and a deluge of bright light shone through the glass as we walked through to the lounge.
‘This shit gives me my spark right now,’ Zola concluded, mesmerised all over again at the view.
I couldn’t disagree. Thirty-one storeys high, looking out to the Hudson River with the sun beaming – this place was unbelievable.
‘What are the plans for tonight?’ Katy asked, heading to her bedroom, which she had hardly set foot in since arriving.
‘Well, the contracts are coming and I’d like to go through them properly. We could grab a bite to eat and head back here. We’ll need to go through the plans for the app as well. Think about names and— ’
‘Ella,’ Zola interrupted. ‘We are in New York and we’ve landed a shit-hot, once-in-a-lifetime deal. Let’s celebrate!’
I smiled, slightly unnerved. I was so grateful for this incredible opportunity that I didn’t want to risk blowing it with a night on the town, and truthfully, after the whole Philip fiasco, I wasn’t in the mood to party.
‘I mean, I’d be up for a toast, but I was thinking today in that meeting – we don’t actually know very much at all about the American dating scene, Zo.
And they did kinda call us out on that, so we should take it seriously.
Let’s spend some time researching it and getting to know the problems the women face here. We need to be prepared.’
Katy giggled suspiciously. ‘Well, I have an idea that might kill two birds with one rock or whatever.’
‘Stone, but carry on, babe,’ Zola said with a laugh.
‘Well, the app I’ve been using keeps sending me notifications about singles nights in the city, and there’s a really popular one for twenty-fives to thirty-fives tonight!
’ Katy looked around at us and grinned; that girl really was irresistible when she wanted to be.
‘We can go out, celebrate – and research the single men over here.’
‘Fuck, I’m up for that, gal!’ Zola clapped with delight.
‘You’re engaged, Zola!’ I huffed back. ‘And I’m . . . well . . . fuck knows what my status is.’
‘It’s only speed-dating strictly for research purposes, babe. C’mon, it’ll be fun. We can come back afterwards and read over that precious contract of yours.’
I looked at both my friends and felt my head sink to my chest in defeat. ‘Fine!’