Page 21 of The One Where They Fall in Love

“Hello, Earth to Oliver?” Elle’s amplified voice snaps me out of my trance.

“What? Sorry,” I reply, blinking her into focus.

“I said we’re home.” She points at our building, andI take a moment to look at her. Her hair falls over her shoulders in long waves. It’s blonde with a little brown in it, which accentuates the brown in her eyes. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose are a faint shade of pink from the cold, and even though she carries herself as though she’s trying to make herself as small as possible, her expression is open and earnest. She has an effortless beauty about her. I’m sure she literally rolled out of bed looking like this.

I look down at the sidewalk for a second, trying to push down the sadness in my chest after appreciating how lovely she is. I wish I found it as easy as Henry does to ask someone on a date, or even just to flirt. It hurts a little that I don’t.

When I look up, Elle is eyeing me suspiciously.

“What?” I murmur. I tell Thor to sit because he is pulling to go up the steps into the building.

“I have an idea,” Elle says, a grin blossoming across her face.

“Why does that sound terrifying to me?”

“I want to help you fall in love with New York again,” she declares, clasping her hands in front of her.

“Huh?”

“This is going to sound weird—”

“That’s nothing new,” I mutter. Elle narrows her eyes at me.

“My best friend, Lucy, who you met at the hospital—” I nod. “—moved away somewhat recently and I am indesperateneed of a project.”

“Aproject?” I wince at the word.

“Let me show you some good things about New York,please.” She makes puppy-dog eyes at me, and it’s almost impossible to resist.

“It’s not like I haven’t been here before,” I say, gesturing around us.

“Oliver, listen,” she says, a firmness in her voice. She hitches her hip and holds her hands out, like she’s about to explain something to me in detail. “You said you’d never come back here. But here you are. Maybe you should try to not be miserable the whole time.”

“I’m pretty comfortable being miserable, thank you,” I jab. Elle rolls her eyes and groans.

“For the love of God,” she exclaims dramatically, waving her hands in the air. “Youneedme!”

“Ineedyou?”

“This is what I do. I’m a great wing woman. I’ll show you great things about the city. New things, things only a true Manhattan local would know. Maybe make you a littlelessmiserable about being here.”

Her energy is a lot right now.

“Why would I agree to this?” I ask, truly wondering about the answer.

“Because it will be fun!”

I was afraid she was going to say that.

“And why wouldyouwant to do this?” I don’t understand what her friend moving away has to do with any of it.

Elle looks down, crushing a stray leaf with the toe of her shoe. “Because this is what I’m good at. I like to do things for other people.” She pauses, darting her eyes up to meet mine before looking away again. She tugs on the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “I told you it would sound weird.”

“It does,” I say, nodding. “What do you mean it’swhat you do?”

Elle continues to fidget with her shirt and avoid my gaze. “I’m a very good sidekick,” she starts. “I take care of people. It’s what I’ve always done.”

I tilt my head at her.