guys, the type who never left you flabbergastedbecause they failed to call when they promised they would or made goo-goo eyes at the waitress’s boobs with you sitting right next to them. And yet she hadn’t felt a magic connection with any of them.
Within two months she could see herself beginning to pull back, declining invitations. Plus, her business was at full throttle and it was easy to convince herself that she needed to be working weeknights and weekends, too.
Of course the trip to Islamorada was supposed to be a kick in the butt, the launch of a feistier, more adventurous girl. Or rather relaunch. Up until she was seventeen, she had been that girl—whether it was traipsing around Manhattan on her own to museums and galleries or traveling during summers in special volunteer programs to South America.
In the end, Islamorada seemed like a warning that she was better off playing it safe. And yet she couldn’t let her life become an intolerable bore. She picked up the phone and called her friend Chuck, an associate at the last big interior design firm she’d worked at. She not only adored Chuck, but he was also always game for last-minute invites.
“Well, hello Miss Kit Kat,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but it’s just been insane around here this month.”
“Any chance you could cut out from work early tomorrow? I was hoping I could interest you in a little gallery hopping in Chelsea, if you don’t already have plans that is. We could have dinner afterwards.”
“Oh, I’d adore that. I was supposed to have a date with a new guy I’ve been seeing, but he just called to say he needs to review his tax forms before he submits them this month. Who does that on a Friday night? You can ease the sting of rejection.”
“My pleasure.”
“Oh, and both partners are away this week, so I could start as early as four.”
“Perfect,” Kit said. They agreed to meet at the Gagosian Gallery on West 24th Street and grab a bite afterwards in the area.
So she’d pulled the weekend out of the fire, at least. As for her romantic situation, that was a far tougher challenge. She’d never actually been what you’d called lucky in love. Before Jeremy there’d been a fairly long drought, preceded by two and a half years of living with a man who was smart and decent and attentive, but had never roused any real passion in her. Like Jeremy, he’d been a safe bet, a situation that at first had seemed alluring, but had come, over time to feel nearly suffocating. When he eventually told her about a job offer in Silicon Valley and his desire to take it, she’d felt mostly relief.
Baby worked from home most Fridays, and it was just Dara and Kit in the office the next day. As Kit opened her email, she discovered, to her delight, a message from Keith Holt saying that he’d like to sit down for a second discussion.
“Are you ever available weekends?” he’d written.
“Definitely,” she replied. “I could even meet you tomorrow afternoon if that’s good for you.”
He responded a few minutes later, saying that he had to be downtown in the afternoon and wondered if that area would be convenient for her.
She suggested that he stop by her office. That way she could show him more of her work if necessary, and even offer him a glimpse of her apartment. They agreed on two o’clock.
Midafternoon, she looked up from her work and caught her assistant’s eye.
“Why don’t you split now, Dara?” she said. “Get a head start on the weekend.”
“Thanks, but I’m still doing research for the Avery Howe job.”
“That can wait until Monday. Besides, I’m leaving early today myself.”
Dara’s expression clouded.
“Is there anything I can do—I mean, do you need me to help with anything?”
Kit sensed that Dara was distressed about all the undercurrents in the office this past week.
“Oh, no, I’m just headed to a few galleries.”
The last thing she wanted to do was drag Dara into the
Within two months she could see herself beginning to pull back, declining invitations. Plus, her business was at full throttle and it was easy to convince herself that she needed to be working weeknights and weekends, too.
Of course the trip to Islamorada was supposed to be a kick in the butt, the launch of a feistier, more adventurous girl. Or rather relaunch. Up until she was seventeen, she had been that girl—whether it was traipsing around Manhattan on her own to museums and galleries or traveling during summers in special volunteer programs to South America.
In the end, Islamorada seemed like a warning that she was better off playing it safe. And yet she couldn’t let her life become an intolerable bore. She picked up the phone and called her friend Chuck, an associate at the last big interior design firm she’d worked at. She not only adored Chuck, but he was also always game for last-minute invites.
“Well, hello Miss Kit Kat,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but it’s just been insane around here this month.”
“Any chance you could cut out from work early tomorrow? I was hoping I could interest you in a little gallery hopping in Chelsea, if you don’t already have plans that is. We could have dinner afterwards.”
“Oh, I’d adore that. I was supposed to have a date with a new guy I’ve been seeing, but he just called to say he needs to review his tax forms before he submits them this month. Who does that on a Friday night? You can ease the sting of rejection.”
“My pleasure.”
“Oh, and both partners are away this week, so I could start as early as four.”
“Perfect,” Kit said. They agreed to meet at the Gagosian Gallery on West 24th Street and grab a bite afterwards in the area.
So she’d pulled the weekend out of the fire, at least. As for her romantic situation, that was a far tougher challenge. She’d never actually been what you’d called lucky in love. Before Jeremy there’d been a fairly long drought, preceded by two and a half years of living with a man who was smart and decent and attentive, but had never roused any real passion in her. Like Jeremy, he’d been a safe bet, a situation that at first had seemed alluring, but had come, over time to feel nearly suffocating. When he eventually told her about a job offer in Silicon Valley and his desire to take it, she’d felt mostly relief.
Baby worked from home most Fridays, and it was just Dara and Kit in the office the next day. As Kit opened her email, she discovered, to her delight, a message from Keith Holt saying that he’d like to sit down for a second discussion.
“Are you ever available weekends?” he’d written.
“Definitely,” she replied. “I could even meet you tomorrow afternoon if that’s good for you.”
He responded a few minutes later, saying that he had to be downtown in the afternoon and wondered if that area would be convenient for her.
She suggested that he stop by her office. That way she could show him more of her work if necessary, and even offer him a glimpse of her apartment. They agreed on two o’clock.
Midafternoon, she looked up from her work and caught her assistant’s eye.
“Why don’t you split now, Dara?” she said. “Get a head start on the weekend.”
“Thanks, but I’m still doing research for the Avery Howe job.”
“That can wait until Monday. Besides, I’m leaving early today myself.”
Dara’s expression clouded.
“Is there anything I can do—I mean, do you need me to help with anything?”
Kit sensed that Dara was distressed about all the undercurrents in the office this past week.
“Oh, no, I’m just headed to a few galleries.”
The last thing she wanted to do was drag Dara into the
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