––––––––

Piper

––––––––

“I ordered too much pizza. Do you like pepperoni with extra cheese?”

I look to my left and the now familiar sound of my neighbor’s voice. Jo and I have bumped into each other a few times in the shared corridor since I moved in. We never exchange more than a couple of words about the weather, but every time, I’m always greeted by a bright smile on her face.

This time is no different. She’s sporting a wide grin. She’s dressed in navy sweatpants and a grey sweater. Without the dark makeup that usually circles her eyes, she looks younger.

I passed on Rufus’s invitation to stop for pizza on the way home from class. I was hungry but not in the mood for his company. Pizza with Jo sounds much better to me tonight.

“I’d love some.” I turn my key in the lock of my apartment door. “Your place or mine? I’ve got a bottle of red wine we can share.”

“My place works.” She motions beyond the door she’s propped open with her foot. “Do you want to change first? I’d hate for you to spill tomato sauce on that get-up.”

I laugh. I’m wearing white slacks and a blue short sleeve sweater. In my world that’s a magnet for stains. “I’ll put on something else and then head over.”

“Come straight in. I’ll get the plates ready.” She glances back at me before she disappears into her apartment.

She may be old enough to be my mother, but there’s no age limit on friendship.

I duck into my dark apartment, race to my bedroom, and change my clothes.

***

“You’re from Denver?” Jo swipes a paper napkin over her lips as we sit cross-legged on an area rug in her living room next to the coffee table. “So you’ve seen the mountains?”

My dark blue Denver University sweatshirt gave me away. I pulled that on along with a pair of cut off denim shorts and flip-flops before I grabbed the only bottle of wine I have and made my way to Jo’s apartment.

I expected it to be a mirror image of mine, but it’s not. Jo’s place is larger. The walls are painted a warm gray. Her furniture is nicer than mine too, but that’s to be expected. I rented my plain white-walled, one bedroom furnished.

“You can see them from my parents’ place.” I take another bite of the thick-crusted pepperoni pizza. It’s better than any pizza I ever had back home.

Jo swallows a mouthful of the cheap red wine that she poured into two glasses while I served up the pizza. “I’ve never seen mountains in person. Why would you leave a place like that to come here?”

I didn’t hesitate when Bridget offered me the job with her studio because I’ve always wanted to live in New York. I can’t say it’s exactly how I pictured it would be in my mind’s eye, but I’ve only been here a few weeks.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Jo goes on as she lifts another slice of pizza from the cardboard box. “I love New York, but it’s almost impossible to find peace here. I’d give anything to have a week in the mountains. I’d finally be able to hear my thoughts.”

“It is a lot quieter there,” I say quickly. It’s going to take some time for me to get accustomed to the blaring car horns and the non-stop sounds of Manhattan. “I was offered a job at a gallery here, so I took a chance that I’d fall in love with this place.”

“Oh, you will.” She laughs. “This city has a way of burrowing into the deepest parts of your heart and holding tight. I’d never leave but I sure as hell could use a break every now and again.”

I chew on another bite of pizza as she studies my face.

“Are you an artist?”

I nod. “I do charcoal drawings. I’m teaching a class at a gallery uptown.”

“You’re chock full of surprises.” Her entire face brightens as she takes another sip of the wine. “You must be really good if you’re teaching.”

The corners of my lips tick up in a small smile. I’m proud of my talent. I’ve been honing it for years. “There’s always room for improvement, but I’m good. I think I’m really good.”

“You have more confidence than the last girl who lived in your apartment. If I’m being honest, you have more confidence than the last three tenants combined.”

I tuck my hair behind my ears before I ask the obvious question. “Have you lived in this building for a long time?”

“Longer than I care to admit.” She winks. “It’s my home now, so I’m staying put.”

I’ve never focused too far in the future but in an abstract way, I’ve always pictured myself getting married and having kids someday. I’m tempted to ask Jo if she’s a mom but that feels like way too personal a question at this point.

“Every girl before you has left because she fell in love while living next door.” She jerks her thumb at the shared wall between our apartments. “One told me I was her good luck charm so keep that in mind when you cross paths with a looker.”

I’ve already crossed paths with the best-looking man I’ve ever seen. I turned Griffin down again tonight.  As I watched him stalk out of the studio, I had an unexpected burst of regret. A man like that would have no trouble finding someone to hook up with him.

I’d bet my last dollar that right now, he’s naked in someone’s bed.