Five First Dates (Sassy in the City 2)

That answer officially sucked.

I thought about Maddox on the fire escape. I thought about the look in his eyes when he had told me he loved me. The gentleness of his kiss. The steadiness of his friendship. The intensity of his passion.

“Or you follow the lead of your greatest heroines and take a leap of faith and go for it,” Leah said. “You can take a risk, go after him, and be vulnerable.”

“You’re starring in your own movie,” Dakota said. “Write the ending however you want.”

All of us turned and gawked at Dakota.

“What?” she asked, sipping her bloody Mary. “It’s true.”

“I just never expected something so profound to emerge from you,” Felicia said. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Dakota cheerfully dunked her celery in her drink.

She might as well have tossed that drink in my face. That was the effect her words had on me.

There was no way I could let my relationship with Maddox end like this.

He was the total package and I would be too stupid to live if I let fear prevent me from accepting what he was offering.

“Oh my God,” I said, shoving my chair back. “I love him. I absolutely love him and I have to go find him.” I was scrambling for my purse to pay for my brunch that hadn’t even arrived yet.

“Don’t worry about your food,” Isla said. “I’ll cancel your order.”

I tried to unbuckle Sully but my fingers were trembling.

“Leave the baby,” Felicia said. “We’ve got this. Just leave the diaper bag and his bottle. Go get your man.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, heart pounding as I pulled on my coat.

“Absolutely. Now go. Seriously, run.”

“Thank you!” I kissed Sully and blew them all a kiss and ran for the door. I was wearing boots with a heel which wasn’t the best for a jog down the sidewalk but I threw my purse over my shoulder and went for it.

By the third block on my way to my apartment it was raining. The plan was to get to my apartment and stop Maddox before he left. It was a fifteen-minute walk but I managed it in under ten. I took the stairs, out of breath, and held on to the railing. My hair was damp and stuck to my forehead.

Fumbling with my key, I tumbled into the apartment. “Maddox!”

It was obvious almost immediately he wasn’t there. The apartment was still and there was no sign of him. His suitcase in the corner was gone. “Damn it!” I kicked the couch and then jumped up and down. “Ow, fuck. That hurt.”

I went into the bathroom as I pulled my phone out. I texted Maddox.

Where are you?

Almost to the train station. Going back to Jana’s until I figure out where I’m living.

Don’t get on the train. Wait for me.

He didn’t answer, which wasn’t promising. I didn’t even know where Jana lived, so I wasn’t sure what line he would take.

But I would be a fool not to at least try.

I locked my apartment behind me and took off running again. Or maybe not running. More like jogging breathlessly. The rain had ramped up and by the time I got to the subway I was absolutely drenched, hanks of heavy hair plastered to my head and face. The front of my pants were wet to the knee from plowing through puddles.

Swiping my card, I tried to go through the turnstile too fast and nearly knocked myself out bouncing off the barrier. Once I was through, I took off for the platform, dodging a guy playing the trumpet. I kept jumping up and down as I was running to see if I could catch a glimpse of Maddox over the other heads. He was a tall guy. I might be able to scan and spot him.

I did the world’s fastest social media dive into Jana, finding her on the tattoo shop’s website to figure out her last name and then going to her various accounts. She lived in Harlem fr