Page 16 of Let's Kiss and Tell

“Ohhh, okay, makes sense.”

“So, you know him?”

“No,” Jonah says. “I haven’t met him, but I heard that Jay’s replacement was going to be at his going-away party on Friday night. I guess that’s him. Why?”

My stomach twists again.

“Long story short, he’s a really good writer. Like really fucking good…and he’s hot. I’m just so confused.”

“Hot writersdoexist, Lucy,” Jonah says. “I’m a prime example.”

“It’s just so weird, right?” I home in. “Like we kind of hit it off the other night and now I find out we practically work together? Like what does that mean?”

“It means that you were both at a work event,” Jonah says. “Shit, I’ve gotta go, Luce. I’ll text you, okay?”

“Yes, no rush.” I shake my head. “Thank you so much, good luck!”

I stare at my other open tab where Marsh’s name is displayed and then back to my blank document for my next relationship article. My leg begins to vigorously bob up and down as I decide what to do with this information.

The idea of spending time with Marshall Oakley feels oddly exciting. Like this is a person who gets me and can challenge me. That’s a refreshing feeling.

Then, I remember something that he said on Friday night. Something I completely dismissed but is now starting to make a lot more sense:You clearly have a strong opinion about it, and if you need to write about relationships then why not write about the real side of it: the messy side. Why youshouldn’tbe in a relationship.

I pull up Marsh’s name on my phone again. I type and delete, type and delete. Maybe this is crazy, or stupid, or unprofessional, all those details I can figure out later. The thing about journalism is it happens fast. You have to use your gut instincts and trust your intuition.

Finally, I hit send.

Lucy:

Do you still need a date for that wedding?

4

Marsh

If you met Julia, you would look at me and think,Poor guy, I hope he’s doing okay.

You would feel sorry for me that after nine and a half years of being together, my beautiful, blue-eyed, magna cum laude–honored girlfriend is now engaged to a neurosurgeon named Chad.

Everyone in my life has met Julia and I have met everyone in Julia’s life.

Therefore, almost everyone I know is going to be at her wedding.

Furthermore, I will be surrounded by hundreds of people who will look at me on September 13 and think,Poor guy, I hope he’s doing okay.

I stare at the email that reads3 Days Left to RSVPin a modern white font. I’ve thought long and hard about saying I’m on assignment or that I’m unavailable that weekend. There’s a part of me that even wishes I could say,Sorry, Jules, I can’t make it because me and my new girlfriend are going to Paris that week.Everyone knows it would be bullshit. Everyone knows that I am thedefinition of single. When my friends and family are attending the wedding, it brings onlymoreattention to me if I don’t show up.

So, while I will, in fact, absolutely be attending the wedding, I just don’t want to RSVP for two when I don’t have a date yet. Because, if worse comes to worst and I don’t find a date, going to Julia and redacting my plus-one will be the path of most resistance.

I close the email and instead open something that doesn’t stress me out. Work. My first official day atThe LA Journalis tomorrow and I’m in a good place. My latest story on the current state of the California Department of Education is at word count, so I email it over to my editor. Just as I’m opening a new window to check what stories I have assigned for this week, my phone buzzes beside me.

The nameLucytakes over my screen, and I think I’m more confused than anything. It’s been almost forty-eight hours since we exchanged numbers and took our separate methods of transportation home. While the other evening was fun, I left with somewhat realistic expectations—that Lucy and I would never talk again.

Perhaps we’d run into each other at some point; Los Angeles is kind of small depending on who you know. Since we’re both on the west side of town, maybe we’ll run into each other at the grocery store. We’ll give a knowing nod or hellos and how are yous would be exchanged, but that’s it. Lucy is clearly someone who has a colorful personal life and meets a lot of people. From what I gathered, she likes to go out, have fun, andpaint the town redas they say. Meanwhile, I like to eat my vegetarian rice bowls and bury myself in an assignment for fun.

Lucy:

Do you still need a date for that wedding?