Single in the City

**Bonus post to make up for my lame-ness before Memorial Day! Have great weekend guys! Also, I'm loving your comments with your opinions on Nick/Ash/Dani, etc. Keep um coming :) **

Ashley's dinner with Steve went swimmingly, because by the time she got back to my place on Tuesday she was practically on cloud nine. She breezed into my apartment after midnight, looking happier than I'd seen her in weeks.

"I take it that went well?" I asked as she started to change into pajamas. 

"Really well," she grinned. "He has nearly forgiven me." 

"Wait," I said, sitting up in bed. "He's forgiven you already?" I didn't mean to sound so shocked but.. I was shocked.

She nodded her head, "Almost, yeah." 

"So are you getting back together?" I asked. I was close to losing respect for Steve if he was going to be this big of a p-word.

"I mean, soon I would think," she said. 

"Is that even what you want Ash?" I asked honestly.

"Of course!" she replied without even taking time to consider it. 

I took a deep breath. Even if it started a fight, I had to just say it. "Are you sure you just don't want to get him back to prove some sort of point?"

Ashley looked at me incredulously. "What kind of point Dani?"

"I don't know, that you can get him back. I mean it's not some big secret that you always want what you can't have." I steeled myself for an onslaught of rage from Ash, but instead she seemed to consider this. When she didn't speak for ten seconds, I continued. "You live together, I know that this is also the easy way out. And of course Steve is familiar but I can't help but think.. maybe this isn't right." 

Tears started to well up in my best friend's eyes and she dropped her face into her hands. I was completely stunned by this turn of events. Ashley never admitted defeat so easily. 

"Ash?" I asked after two full minutes of silence. 

"I think you're right," she answered, her words muddled by her hands. 

I raised my eyebrows, confused. "Wait, you agree?" 

She pulled her head up and looked me in the eyes, tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. "I didn't even feel chemistry with him at dinner. I'm just fucking terrified of how to start a whole new life without him."

I looked at her sympathetically. "You'll be fine. It'll suck, like really suck, for a little. But then after all of the hard stuff I know you'll realize it was the right thing to do." 

She nodded slowly. "I feel like you're saying everything I didn't allow myself to say out loud. Oh my god I just spent four hours convincing him to take me back, he's going to kill me."

"Yeah, he's definitely not going to like it," I said honestly. "But better sooner rather than later." 

"I'm supposed to go over there Thursday night, I'll tell him then." 

I gave her a hug and we settled in to bed. Once the lights were out and I was drifting off to sleep, Ash's voice pulled me back. "Thanks, Dani." 

"For what?" I asked.

"For forcing me to do the right thing," she said. 

"That's what friends are for, my dear," I answered before succumbing to sleep. 


On Friday afternoon, I found myself not at work but instead trying to navigate a rented Uhaul through the extremely unfriendly streets of New York.

"Okay I have a new-found respect for taxi drivers who put up with this crap everyday. New Yorkers have all of the road rage," I said.

"I'm actually shocked we haven't been rammed by one of these angry drivers," Ash replied from the passenger seat, which she was gripping for dear life. We were on our way to return the car, after dropping Ashley's stuff off at a storage unit. The whole morning was spent moving her stuff out of the apartment she had shared with Steve. She was keeping her larger things in the storage unit until she could find a more permanent home than my place. Steve had been surprisingly okay with the whole thing too, which only solidified how right it all felt. The only sticky part of the break-up was their dog, Murphy. They had agreed on a custody arrangement that I could already see going south really quickly. 

"It's too hot for this," I groaned. 

"What else can we complain about? This is fun," Ash joked. 

"Um.. Happy Hour is starting soon and we're going to miss it since I'm fairly certain the guy in the BMW behind us has plans to rear-end us?" 

"My first Happy Hour as a single lady!" Ash said, throwing her hands up in the air. 

I rolled my eyes, "This break up is so hard on you." 

"Glass half full, smile through life, all that crap." Ash said with a smile. 

After we had returned the monstrous truck and sworn off driving anything larger than an SUV ever again, we headed back to my place to freshen up before meeting Elena at Happy Hour. 

"First round is on me," Ash said as we approached the bar on 7th. 

"Um try the first five, I think I strained my back carrying your couch earlier," I joked, mock rubbing my shoulder. 

We spotted Elena who had staked out prime real estate at an outdoor table. She gave us a huge smile and a wave as she saw us approaching. "Hey guys!" 

"Hey!" Ash and I said in unison, pulling out chairs across from her. 

"How was work?" I asked. "Anything interesting happen?"

Elena shook her head, "No, it was actually a pretty slow day." 

The waiter came over and we ordered a round of beers. "So," Elena started after he walked away. "How was today? Awful?" 

"Not so bad, actually" Ashley replied. "I feel okay."

Elena looked surprised. "Well that's good."

"Yes, Ash is taking this break up very well," I said sarcastically. "A little too well in fact," I said, catching her eye-fucking a guy two tables back. I slapped her shoulder.

"What!" she said with a giggle.

"Single Ash in the city," I said shaking my head. "This is going to get interesting." 

"We are all three single!" Ash said excitedly as the waiter came over with our beers. "Are you single?" Ashley asked him flirtatiously, blatantly ignoring the fact that he was at least three years her junior. He laughed and walked away without a word.

"You've already struck out," I said with a laugh. 

An hour later we were debating going out or grabbing wine and going back to my place, when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out, delighted to see a message from Keith.

Hey, what are you up to tonight? 

I showed the text to Elena and Ash. "Is this too last minute to make plans with him?" I asked. 

Ash shook her head, "No way, go for it."

"I won't look desperate?" 

"Definitely not!" Elena encouraged. 

With their optimism, I sent a quick reply.

Just at Happy Hour now, no real plans for later. You?

I left the phone face-up on the table, anxious for his response.

Just got off work, want to come by? I think Haley is there too with Josh. 

Okay.. see you soon. 

"Are you okay if I go to his place?" I asked Ash. It was afterall, her first night as a real single lady.

"Of course," she nodded. "I'll kick it with Elena!" 

Elena looked mock-horrified and I laughed out loud. "Okay," I said, pushing out my chair. "Have fun!" I gave them each a hug and headed to find a cab. I had a feeling I was about to sleep with Keith on what was barely our third date, and somehow that felt totally fine with me.