33. So This is the Center of the Universe…
33
So This is the Center of the Universe…
Mac
I’m here. I am really here. I stand in the lobby facing the bank of elevators, frozen in place. Partially because I’m freaking freezing. New York is cold in the winter. Ridiculously, ‘why does anyone live here?’ cold. But the main reason my feet are stuck in place is because I’m scared. Scared that when I get up to the thirty-second floor, she’ll say no, thank you. Not interested. And that would be a soul-crushing event that I’m not sure I’ll recover from. But no pressure…
I rub the back of my neck, trying to figure out how I wound up standing here listening to the ding of the elevators and the clicking of heels in this busy lobby? This suddenly seems like a terrible idea. Am I sweating? How can I be sweating when I’m so cold?
I tighten the grip around the bouquet of tropical flowers I brought from home and order my feet to start moving. I came all this way. There’s no turning back now.
When I finally step on the elevator and push thirty-two, I feel a strong mixture of terror and excitement flowing through me. You got this, Mac. You’re about to make her a great offer. You’re willing to trade in your life for one with her, wherever she wants to be .
The doors finally open and I step directly into the lobby of Prescott Marketing and Ad Solutions. A woman behind the front desk smiles and stands up. “Ooh! Flowers! For me, I hope.”
“Actually, they’re for Paige Chadw?—”
I don’t get out her name before the woman launches herself at me, clamping her hand over my mouth. Glancing around wildly, she says, “Don’t say her name.”
She keeps her hand there, muffling my voice as I say, “Is she here?”
“No,” she whispers, finally releasing my mouth. “She quit.”
Breaking out in a wide grin, I say, “She quit? Good for her. I knew she could do it.” I stand there smiling at the woman for a minute before it hits me. I have no idea where to find her now. “Any chance you have her home address?”
“I can’t give it to you,” she says. “That would be a violation of her privacy. For all I know, you’re a stalker.”
A thin, tall man who looks to be in his twenties walks up. “He’s no stalker. This is Mac Gamble, the pilot.”
I smile at him. “Yeah, that’s right. Listen, you don’t know where I could find Paige, do you?”
“Ssshhhhh!” the receptionist hisses. “Seriously! If he even hears her name, he’s going to lose it.”
Lyle rolls his eyes at her. “He’s in the conference room. He can’t hear us from there.” Turning to me, he says, “Do you see that office tower right there?” He points to the one across the street.
I nod, because obviously I can see the massive building .
“She’s in a job interview on the 32nd floor of that tower.”
The receptionist whispers, “At 2M. They’re our biggest competitor.”
Crap. A job interview. I need to get there before she takes the job. Giving them both a nod, I say, “Thank you. I’ll head over there.” I push the down button, and the doors open immediately. When I get on, I say, “You should both quit your jobs. This is a terrible place to work.”