Free Falling Into You by Lauren Abrams Page B

“overnight” was, I was guessing it was going to add a whole other pile of guilt on top of my feelings about the plane ticket.
    Sophia gives m e a questioning look and I shake my head again. “Never mind about bringing her. Ok, ok, I’ll ask her if she minds. What time tomorrow? Of course I will. I’ll call the service and get it all set up. Of course.”
    Sophia turns to me, an apologetic look on her face. “Shit, shit, shit. I am so sorry, Hallie . I told Cleo that I would do this spa trip thing today and tomorrow, and with the party last night, I totally, 100 percent, forgot about it.”
    I had forgotten about it, too. The week before, Sophia had mentioned the annual spa overnight that had become a tradition with her and her stepmother . She had invited me to tag along, but when I refused, she had insisted that she would find a tour guide for me to see the city with . I was hoping that she had forgotten about that, too. I was actually looking forward to spending the day by myself—no one to impress or feel awkward around for a change.
    I wanted Sophia to have the day with Cleo . I knew that Sophia actually liked her , mostly because s he didn’t pretend like she was replacing Sophia ’s mom or anything (who Sophia never saw because she lived in Paris with her “second family” ) . I also knew that some of it came from the fact that she took Sophia shopping and on a tour of all the best restaurants in the city on almost a daily basis . I liked Cleo , too; when I met her the day before, she had been kind and pleasant and had ended our introductions with the promise of getting to know me when she got back to the city. Besides Chris, she was by far the nicest New Yorker that I had met .
    “It’s okay, Sophia . I was looking forward to this, remember? A day all by myself in New York. It will be fun. ”
    “ Are you sure you don’t want to come with us? They have this absolutely to die for little package where you get pampered for two days straight, head to feet. You’re guaranteed to lose at least five pounds after the wrap part, and your skin comes out all glowing and fabulous . Cleo says she’s totally sorry that she forgot to mention it yesterday, too, and that you’re more than welcome to come along.”
    I cringe at the thought of thousand-dollar haircuts and diamond-encrusted facials and some terrifying masseuse wrapping all of my fat up . “No, no, no . I would never want to do that, to interrupt your time. And really, I need some time to see the city. You’re supposed to wander around New York alone.”
    “But I had promised you Chinatown. Shopping. A new wardrobe. Shit.”
    “ Sophia , it’s completely fine. ” I try a different tactic. “ You know I have that art history class next semester, and I wanted to do some work for it anyways. I will be more than happy to spend the day and night bumming around the most exciting city in the world and going to the museums. And we ’ll still have almost two weeks for Chinatown and shopping when you get back.”
    She sighs and hugs me. “You are totally the best friend ever. Probably the only real friend I have.”
    She meant it. I hug her back, meaning my words , too . “ Sophia , I’m grateful to be here. I will be completely fine. I’m not helpless. I’m just from Ohio.” .
    She laughs . “ Fair enough.” Then, a gleam comes into her eye. “Go raid my closet. You’re going to need some new clothes. And I have an idea.”
    I kno w the look in her eye, and it stops me from arguing with her . She meant business. She grabs her phone, shoves me into her room, and wink s at me. I stare into the walk-in closet that was bigger than my room at home, and sigh . She was never going to let me leave here without grabbing at least a few things. I shake my head. We weren’t even the same size, particularly after she went on that post-Thanksgiving crash diet. Sophia ’s surgery-enhanced curves put mine to shame, and that was in addition to the fact that