Anna walked back through the cars in a daze, yawning and sleepy. She was suddenly starving and decided to get a hot chocolate and a donut from the café car. Right as she was about to pay, someone put a fifty on the counter and said, “The lady’s breakfast is on me.” She whipped around to see Vronsky standing behind her. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she felt a rush of conflicting emotions. Of course she was happy to see him, more than happy, ecstatic even … but what did he think he was doing? He ordered himself a hot chocolate, too, and soon the two of them were seated across from each other in the first empty car they could find.

“What are you doing on this train?” she asked.

“I have to be where you are, so here I am. Plus, you didn’t even say good-bye.”

Anna blushed. “I didn’t know what to say.”

“Good-bye would have worked,” he said teasingly.

“Alexia, this is madness. You have to go back to the city.”

“I can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “I need to be here with you.”

“I have a boyfriend. And everyone knows him in Greenwich.”

“And I have an aunt and uncle there who are always happy to host their favorite nephew for as long as he would like.”

“What about Kimmie?” Anna asked, as she was starting to feel a little panicky over the emotions swirling around her head. “She’s so cute. You could be with her.”

“Now you’re the one being crazy,” he said. “Kimmie’s sweet, but I’m not interested. I’m interested in someone else.” He was nothing if not direct, and it was sexy.

Anna’s phone dinged, which she found odd given the early hour. It was a text from Alexander, asking her why her train was delayed. Staring at the bubbles on her screen, she was suddenly scared of what he was going to say next. The text that came in was the worst news possible. He said he was unable to sleep after their fight and decided to drive into the city to see her. He had stopped in Greenwich to get gas and breakfast when her text came in stating she was on the train. He said he was now at the station, waiting to pick her up.

“Oh god, Alexander is at the station. Waiting for me. He drove in because we had a…” She looked up breathlessly and met Vronsky’s eyes. “Never mind, it’s not important. What’s important is you can’t do this. We can’t do this.”

Vronsky reached across the table and took her hands in his own. “Anna, you know it’s too late. It’s happened already.”