Page 44 of The Jerk in Apartment 1B

“Okay, yeah, he shouldn’t broken up with me like that, but it’s not like he cheated. He just wants to focus on his career. Maybe now that he’s had time to think, he’s realized he can have a wifeanda career. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.”

Callie lets out a frustrated sigh. “Please don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Go back to him, two days after he kicked you out on the street. At least take some time to think about it. And whatever he says, and no matter how good he looks, do not sleep withhim. Promise me that, Trina. Promise me you will not sleep with him.”

“I’m not going to sleep with him,” I say, like she’s crazy for even thinking that.

“You didn’t promise.”

“Fine. I promise I won’t sleep with Asher tomorrow.”

“Why are you limiting it to tomorrow? It shouldn’t be happening at all. Ever. For the remainder of time.”

“Well, if we did get back together, which I’m not saying will happen, but if we did, we’d obviously have sex again.”

“I don’t think you should be seeing him this soon. You’re still in love with him. You’re still imagining your wedding, thinking it might happen.”

“That’s not true,” I insist. “Asher made it very clear he doesn’t want that.”

“Then what does he want? To just have you be his girlfriend again? What if that’s it? What if he tells you he doesn’t want to get married but wants to keep dating? Would you do it?”

I pause to consider that.

“Trina, do you seriously need to think about this? The answer should’ve been an immediate no. You’d be going backwards in your relationship. And being someone’s girlfriend for years isn’t what you want. You want to get married. You’ve been talking about it since we met.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t change my mind. Maybe marriage isn’t right for me. It’s not for everyone. Scott’s never getting married and he seems perfectly happy with his decision.”

“Scott? Your neighbor?”

“Yeah, he took me out for brunch this morning and we were talking about relationships.”

“He took you out?” She pauses. “How old is this guy?”

“Twenty-nine.”

“Is he single?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Are you sure this wasn’t a date?”

I laugh. “No. He doesn’t date. Well, he dates, but he keeps it casual, if you know what I mean. He has no interest in getting serious with a girl.”

“Why did he take you out?”

“He said he wanted to get to know me since we’re neighbors. Oh, and guess what? He’s from Milwaukee. A fellow Midwesterner.”

“What’s he like?”

“I haven’t decided. At first, I thought he was a jerk because he had this really loud party and wouldn’t move his stuff out of the hall when I was moving in. But he gave me a bed and took me out to eat, so that was nice.”

“He gave you a bed?”

“An inflatable pool float, but it’s one of those really nice ones with a built-in head rest.”

“Why would he have a pool float? Is there a pool in your building?”

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