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1

Today could go straight to hell.

I leaned against the rusted fire escape railing, staring out at the city. As the night deepened, the lights in a thousand windows flared in the darkness like a blanket of stars. The buzz of taxi horns, murmured conversation, and clinking glass swirled around me. A pigeon kept me company, nibbling on the chunks of bread I tossed into the air. I’d named him Hendrix. He visited more days than not, always recognizable by the single black spot above his eye. This place had begun to feel a little like home, even though I’d only moved to New York a few months ago.

Moved. Ha! I’d been living out of my car before this.

My best friend, Serena, joined me on the fire escape and handed me a coffee mug full of white wine—the cheap kind that came in a box. Her midnight hair cascaded around her slim, dark shoulders in perfect waves as she tipped back her head to stare up at the sky. A crescent moon glowed over the buildings. She caught the look on my face and frowned.

“Bad news again?” Serena asked.

I sighed and took a sip. The wine tasted like boiled socks, but it was better than nothing, especially on a night like this. “Rejection. Again. They went with someone else. Surprise, surprise. No one is ever going to give a job to someone who was charged with involuntary manslaughter. The HR guy said I was more than qualified, but they had ‘concerns’ about me. What a dick.”

It was at least the fiftieth job I’d applied to since moving to the city. I’d managed to make it to the interview stage a few times, but it always ended the same. As soon as they Googled my name, it was all over.

“You were acquitted.”

“Only because they couldn’t prove it. Everyone thinks I’m guilty.” I glanced at Serena, who swirled the wine in her mug. “Except for you.”

She slung her arm around my shoulder and sighed. “This sucks. I’m so sorry. You know I love the hell out of you, Mia.”

“But you still want me out of your very voluptuous hair.” I gave her a knowing smile. “Is Noah coming over tonight?”

Serena flushed and downed her drink in one gulp. “I’m supposed to hang out with him tonight, but I’m not going to kick you out of your own apartment just to see a guy.”

“Your apartment,” I corrected. “And this studio is not big enough for the three of us, especially when there’s a date involved.”