She sat alone at the bar, her forehead in one hand, her second gin gimlet in the other, and contemplated the cosmic purpose behind the cruel pranks the universe had been pulling on her since birth. Someone tapped her shoulder. She turned.

“Okay, so I guess you probably don’t hate me because you appear to be stalking me,” Nadim said.

Reena tilted her head in confusion. What the hell was he doing in her bar? She narrowed her eyes.

“If looks could kill,” he said, sitting heavily on the stool next to her. “You alone?” After she nodded, he put his elbows on the bar, making himself comfortable. He motioned to Steve, the longtime bartender, who immediately started pulling a draft beer, seeming to know what Nadim wanted. “Well, whether you hate me or not, I’m joining you. I need to keep a close eye to see if you’re glaring or scowling at me.”

She was doing neither, but she could bet her expression wasn’t all that welcoming. She was in no mood for forced niceties today.

His mood didn’t seem too hot, either. His suit was rumpled, and his tie was not just loosened but hanging off his neck undone. Doubtful his day had been as bad as hers, but Nadim looked and sounded as miserable as she felt.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I should ask you that. You following me? I told you I go to the pub after work.”

“But this is my bar.”

He glanced around at the busy decor. “There is a lot on the walls here, but I don’t see the words ‘this pub belongs to Reena Manji’ anywhere.” He turned back to her. “I’ve been coming here regularly for weeks and have never seen you here.”

“I know,” she agreed, dejected. “Amira left.”

“Who is Ami … never mind.” He took a long sip of his beer, almost emptying the glass before turning back to her. “Tough day at work?”

Reena bit her lip. She no longer had a work, but she couldn’t tell this man that. She didn’t trust him not to tell Dad. Especially since every third thing out of his mouth seemed to be does your father know?

Deflect and distract. “You look like you’ve had a rough day.”

“The utter worst.” He took another long sip of beer, then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “But I can’t talk about it. Especially to you.”

Well. That would almost be offensive if she hadn’t just thought the same thing about him.

Reena drained her glass. How serendipitous. A drinking buddy who didn’t want to talk about what was bothering him. She didn’t care if he had a secret. She had enough secrets to fill all the beer kegs in the Sparrow.

She smiled. “Shall we drown our private sorrows together then?”

He nodded. “Steve?” Nadim called out. “Bring my neighbor here another … ” He lifted her empty glass and sniffed it, then looked at her appreciatively. “Gin? Nice. Make that two. On my tab.”