Text Me, Maybe - Jolyse Barnett Page 0,13

in the air, smiling up at her as she held her arms out to play airplane. He was wonderful. He’s the reason I moved to New York. She stared at her last message. Wow. Was that true? She shrugged out of her hoodie and rested her head back on the sofa. But I told my mother all aspiring artists move here or to L.A. and New York is a lot closer to home than California.

You’re an artist, too?

Sort of. I love to play with words, feel the lines take shape, grow the rhythm of them.

A writer?

She felt a smile tug at her lips. Yes.

Ah, a woman after my own heart.

I’m a playwright, yet to be published. LOL

Impressed.

She laughed. Don’t be. I haven’t made as much progress as I’d like, haven’t signed on with an agent yet, and I’m just beginning to let people read and critique my work. She paused. My mother says I make everything harder than it needs to be. Maybe I do. I know it’s a stretch, but I’ve got to try.

Broadway fan?

Ever since I saw Beauty and the Beast. I was seven.

Her father had made all the arrangements for their weekend in the city. They’d stayed at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, and she and Aiden had begged to ride the glass elevators. They’d window-shopped, eaten cheesecake at Junior’s, and surveyed the city below them from the top of the Empire State Building.

But the absolute best part of that weekend had been the play. It was Disney and a lot of critics didn’t always take those musicals seriously, but it had been everything to her.

She glanced at the phone in her hand and her half-written message. I knew I had to live and work here.

You should be proud. Lots of people talk about it, but few actually try to write.

It’s different here. Not what I thought. Hope I fit in.

Crap. She’d shared too much of herself. Ms. Swann didn’t worry about fitting in.

Be yourself. I like you the way you are.

Lexie’s heart did a comical little dance when she read his last sentence.

Until she remembered.

Steel thought he was texting Ms. Swann. Not her. Sure, her boss had given her the go-ahead to chat with the guy to keep him interested, but still, she needed to tread carefully, too. Thanks for listening. You made a crappy day better.

You’re very welcome. Text soon?

Looking forward to it. Good night. She powered off the phone and held it against her heart for a few moments.

Maybe it wasn’t too late.

Lexie clicked on the nearby lamp, powered up her laptop, and logged in to Skype. She waved as Aiden opened his screen. Wow. It was like he’d been waiting for her to connect with him online. “Hi.” She smiled through a fresh batch of tears at the sight of her twin hanging out at their childhood home. The place triggered so many memories, good and bad. “How’d you know?”

He shrugged and gave her that lopsided grin she hadn’t seen him wear for years. “I didn’t. But I hoped.”

Maybe they could start a new tradition, in addition to putting flowers on the grave. “Where’s Mom? I thought maybe we could talk about our memories of Dad as a family, the three of us. What do you say?”

Her mother popped into view, looking tired but happy. “Okay, but you kids start. I’m afraid I’ll bust out crying if I share first.”

For the first time in a long time, far longer than before she’d moved to New York, Lexie felt like she was part of her little family again. “I was talking to a friend earlier and I remembered about the time we all came into the city that weekend…”

Chapter Nine

‘If ever any beauty I did see, which I desired, and got, ‘twas but a dream of thee.’

“Ah, now that’s romantic.” Lexie sighed. Good thing she’d waited to check her messages until after she’d met her writing goal for the day and was all snuggled in bed. Steel’s texts were definitely a distraction.

A sweet, confusing distraction, but still…

She read the next. Forgive my late text but this line popped into my head, and I wanted to share with you.

He’d never know that he’d inspired her to connect with her brother last night, or that it had been the first real talk they’d had as a family about her father since his death. But she could acknowledge his thoughtfulness toward her boss. It’s beautiful. Thank you.

Another bubble appeared on the screen. Hey! You’re there. Hope