Chapter 19
LIV
I waved Maya off as she climbed up into her jeep and pulled out into the traffic.
As I began walking home, I was on a high.
I had assumed that someone as self-assured as Maya would have no need for someone like me in their life but the more I got to know her, I knew she counted me as a friend.
She valued our friendship. I had spent my whole life struggling with female friendships, always feeling like the outsider, too boring or not pretty enough.
My hairstyle was always wrong or my clothes never cool.
Now that I was at home with Finn, I had lost touch with the women I was friendly with when I was working.
And besides, those friendships had been different, more guarded.
Maybe it was because we were work colleagues, I had always found myself not wanting to do or say the wrong thing in case I came across as unprofessional and so we never truly opened up to one another.
We chatted on a general level but we never went too deeply into our personal lives but with Maya, it was different. My friendship with her was easy.
‘I really like her, Jay,’ I said that evening as I strained a saucepan of pasta into the sink, watching the starchy water run through the holes of the colander while Jay made an alfredo sauce.
I had filled him in on the school-jumper fiasco and how we had bumped into Maya in reception, who was also running late.
‘She’s not like you’d imagine her to be. ’
He hiked his brows sceptically. ‘Come on, Liv, you have to admit, it’s an unlikely friendship.’
I found myself bristling even though I knew exactly what he meant. ‘Why?’ I challenged.
‘Well, I never thought someone like her would be your cup of tea. For a start, she seems really high-maintenance.’
I shook my head. ‘That’s what I thought too but I completely misjudged her. She’s open and warm and she’s great company. She’s not as together as you think; she’s quite vulnerable, actually.’
‘I’ll have to take your word for it.’
‘You need to meet her. I think you’d like her too.’ Suddenly, I had an idea. ‘Maybe I should invite them over for dinner?’
‘Here?’ Jay’s eyes circled our tiny kitchen sceptically.
‘Yeah, why not?’ I shrugged. ‘I’m telling you, she’s not one bit snobbish.’
‘I thought you said they weren’t getting along too well. A dinner party is probably the last thing they want to face.’
I thought about what Jay was saying but I was curious about Hugo. And I knew Maya would appreciate the invitation. ‘Look, maybe they just need a reset. And I know Maya would be glad to come.’
‘Well okay, if you think it’s a good idea…’ I could tell by his tone he was still uncertain about it all and was only agreeing to it for my sake but I really wanted him to meet her.
‘Great!’ I said excitedly. ‘I’ll let you know what she says.’