The train pulled to a stop, and I heard her gasp. She eagerly turned around, pressing her nose to the window, and then looked back at me again.

“Is this an abandoned subway station?” she asked, nearly shaking with excitement.

“This is the abandoned subway station. Welcome to City Hall Station.”

“Oh my gosh, Roman! Do you know how awesome this is?” she screamed, rushing to the door.

I had to hold her back to keep her from plunging to her death.

“Wait for our guide to attach the rail, please.” I laughed, watching her eyes go wide as she looked down to find a foot-long gap between the train and the platform.

“Well, that would have been an unfortunate end to our date,” she said, squeezing my hand in thanks.

Stepping to the edge, by the open doors, we were greeted by a familiar face.

“Kevin!” I said, waiting for him to push the bright yellow ramp up to the train. It provided a nice little bridge for the two of us to safely walk over, landing on the other side in one piece.

“Roman, good to see you. And this must be Cara.”

She nodded, holding out her hand in greeting. She made his acquaintance, but I could tell she was itching to look around. She was twitchy, and her eyes kept darting in different directions, like a kid with a sugar high.

“How did you arrange all of this, Roman? Oh my gosh, is this illegal?” she asked,

Kevin and I both laughed.

“I happen to be a guide from the New York Transit Museum, so this is perfectly legal. We actually do tours just like this for the public several times a year. But tonight it’s just the two of you.”

She peered over at me, her eyes filled with questions.

“Just go with it,” I suggested.

But I should have known better.

“Kevin”—she looked away from me, her focus now completely on the other man—“how do you happen to know Roman?”

“Oh, my wife works for him. Or at least she works for the company, I guess I should say. In HR.”

“Gretchen?” she asked.

“Yes”—he smiled—“that’s her. She’s very fond of Mr. Cavenaugh. He was generous last year, giving her an extra month of maternity leave when our baby boy was born with complications. Not many companies around here will do that.”

She glanced back at me as I tried to look anywhere but.

“Yes, he’s a wonderful man.”

“Okay! Let’s get started,” I said, hoping to change the subject.

All this praise was making me feel like a lab rat under a microscope, and soon, all my secrets and misdeeds would come leaking out.

Seeming to sense my embarrassment, Cara hooked her arm around mine as Kevin began leading us around the old subway station.