Page 1 of Spotlight
1
OLIVIA
“I’m not ready to go home tomorrow,” Ruby says as the hotel door clicks behind us.
“I am.” I toss my purse on the entry table. “I miss Greer, and Gigi still isn’t responding to my texts.”
My sister opens the mini fridge and pulls out the small bottle of white wine that we opened last night. “Everything is fine. Gigi is just dying for you to meet a nice young man and give her another great-grandbaby.”
“I gave her one. It’s your turn.”
“Oh no. I am far too busy doing… things.” She waves a hand in the air as she trails off without a good excuse. “One last drink?”
“Yeah. Why not?” I walk over to the window and stare out at the New York City lights.
I flew across the country with Ruby so that she could meet with her publisher and sign copies of her newest book that releases next week. It’s been a blast to see my sister in her element as a bestselling author, but I’m ready to go home. Back to my daughter. Back to work even.
“Did you get that guy from the bar’s number?” she asks as she pours the wine into two glasses.
“No,” I say, like the idea is impossible. “Why would I do that?”
“Maybe because he was cute and really into you.”
“He was not.” In my experience, guys are only into the version of me out at the bar, not the reality of my life as a single mom.
“He was. And why shouldn’t he be? You’re pretty and smart and?—”
“Not interested in dating right now.”
She rolls her eyes at me as she walks over to where I still stand at the window. “You can’t swear off dating at twenty-four. The right guy is out there.”
“Now you sound like Gigi.”
Grandma Gloria, who we’ve called Gigi for as long as I can remember, is amazing, but she has it in her head that I am missing out on experiences. She hasn’t outright said that, but when I asked if she could babysit Greer this weekend so I could go with Ruby on this trip, she agreed immediately and even suggested we stay an extra day or two. She’s always inviting Greer to sleep over at her house or offering to help so I can “go out, have fun, meet some new people.” And by people, she absolutely means men.
I am not just any other twenty-four-year-old, though. The people I meet when I step out of my normal routine are living their best lives, going out and sleeping in. We have one fun night together and then they either ghost me because they absolutely know they don’t want the responsibility of dating a single mom or they give up quickly when they realize my schedule isn’t as free as theirs. And don’t even get me started on trying to date a single dad. Nothing shines a mirror on your exhaustion like sitting across from someone who fought their kid over putting their shoes on an hour earlier.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Thanks,” I say, taking one of the wine glasses. “To my insanely talented sister. I’m so proud of you.”
Ruby’s expression turns bashful. She clinks her glass to mine despite her obvious displeasure at being the center of attention. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You absolutely could have and did.”
“No. You read it first and gave me a ton of great feedback. You’re a born editor. You see problems and offer great suggestions that make my books so much better.”
She’s overselling my part, by a lot. “I offered a few minor suggestions.”
“No.” She shakes her head and her eyes light up with amusement. “That assessment is so wrong; I don’t even know where to start.”
“If I’m good at it, it’s only because I’m your biggest fan.”
She smiles at that, and we face the window, looking out together as we drink in silence.
Eventually, Ruby rests her head against mine. “I should pack. What time is our flight in the morning?”
“Ten. The car will be here to pick us up at seven forty-five.”
