Shayne: No idea. She’s been a bit flaky for a few weeks but won’t talk about it.

Reena: Weird. I’ll call her later.

Reena reached her door when she realized she had no keys.

Crap. She forgot to grab them when she left the apartment. Her overprotective father had of course insisted on doors that locked automatically for his precious girl. Reena locked herself out pretty often, so she left several spare keys among friends and family. One with Amira, who now lived an hour and a half away. One with Marley, who, while normally convenient, right now was MIA. And the last at her parents’ house. Where Saira lived. Who Reena just pissed off over eggplant.

She called Marley anyway. No answer.

Reena groaned as she slid down against the wall, landing with her butt on the cold floor near Nadim’s door. Her bag sat next to her, a golden brown fougasse peeking out the top.

At least she had bread if she got hungry. Or hangry. Scratch that, she was already hangry. She’d missed dinner.

Closing her eyes, Reena contemplated the merits of either walking forty minutes to her parents’ house or climbing up the fire escape and breaking Marley’s window. And probably breaking a leg, too.

“Funny, I don’t remember ordering a woman. And I’m surprised they leave deliveries by the door here even when no one’s home. Anyone could have walked by and taken her.”

Damnit. Nadim. So much for avoiding him. Reena opened her eyes and raised her eyebrows. “Oh, hello. Was that supposed to be funny?”

“Apparently not. Sorry,” he said, smiling. “But I didn’t expect to see you sitting in front of my door. Next time give me some warning and I’ll write a better quip.” He looked down. “Nice feet.”

She tucked her bare feet under her. He looked much cleaner today. And his hair was styled upward. Reena now understood why Marley had called him a haircut. “I’m locked out. Left my key inside.”

He pulled his key out of his suit jacket. “No spare?”

“No. My cousin isn’t answering her phone.”

He turned back to his door and unlocked it, opening it widely before looking down at Reena again.

“Well, come on then.” He motioned her into the apartment.

“It’s fine. I’ll wait for my cousin.”

“I’m not leaving you on the floor. Come inside, I won’t bite.”

She stared blankly.

“I won’t even make jokes about wanting to bite you. Or you to bite me. Or …”

Reena scrambled up quickly, before this conversation could go any further.

“Marley will be home soon. I left her a message.”

He tossed his keys on the kitchen counter and dropped his bag on a chair. “Marley. That’s the tall one upstairs, right?”

Reena stepped around his dining chair and put her purse and tote bag on the table. “Yeah, the breathtaking woman upstairs. Don’t feel you have to hold back on my account. You can sing Marley’s praises. Everyone drools after meeting her.”