Maggie leans on the counter and peers at me through the hole of a key ring. She flashes me a smile and giggles. I try not to laugh, but she's too damn cute.
"Just one copy of each, ma'am?" The clerk asks.
I nod, "Yup. Thanks so much," I reach for the shiny new set but Maggie snatches it before I can even get close.
"Now I can come and go as I please!" She leans into me and kisses me. My lips are tight and she pulls back, looking at me and then at the clerk whose jaw is on the floor. "You're gonna catch flies that way," she laughs and saunters out of the store.
I catch up to her on the sidewalk, "What was that all about?"
She's admiring her keys, "Huh?"
"The whole PDA thing... I dunno,"
"You know, people don't care half as much about us kissing in public as you think they do," she winds the mail key onto her old keychain.
"I guess I just worry that it makes people uncomfortable,"
"I guess I just don't give a shit what people think about it," she snaps back.
We arrive back at my apartment and she takes her new keys for a spin, opening the mailbox and then the front door. I have a moment as I watch her plop down on the couch. I can see her suitcases in my room, still packed. It's too much too soon. Too bad Ethan isn't man enough to accept that his date fell for his sister instead of him. After he kicked her out for her supposed freeloading, I invited her to stay with me. I mean, she's here all the time anyway.
I walk to the kitchen and open the freezer. I pour an ice cold shot of vodka and take it. Then another.
"Whoa, baby. What's the occasion?"
"I'm just... taking it all in stride," I shiver as the burning in my throat subsides.
"Yeah, sorry about the mess. I'll get myself unpacked later today," she says flipping through my mail. "Hey, Peter Vaughn sent you a letter," she waves the envelope in the air.
My breath catches in my throat and I choke for a moment before tearing across the room. I snatch the envelope from her and stare at it a moment before nearly ripping the entire thing to shreds trying to open it.
Months ago I sent some of my work to Peter Vaughn in hopes that he would invite me to New York to work with him at his studio. Peter Vaughn films supermodels. He does marketing for the likes of Mercedes Benz, Givenchy, and Britney. And everything in between.
I jump up and down, squealing. Maggie jumps up and hugs me tight, "What are we so happy about?" She giggles.
I read the letter to myself.
Dear Audrey,
My sincere apologies for the lag in my response. It seems as though the work you sent to me fell into a pile of rubbish and I've only just seen it. You're incredibly talented, Audrey. I can see your passion in your work and vice versa. I'd love it if you would join me in New York for a couple of projects I've got going.