“I have to take this,” I say.

“By all means,” she responds, and then goes back to her laptop, as if this whole exchange has been nothing but . . . banter. My own word comes back to haunt me as I fling the door open and take Jude’s call outside, away from prying ears.

“Hi, Jude,” I say, trying to sound like a professional and not a thirty-one-year-old man who has just been flustered by a little innuendo from a girl.

“Hey, man. How are you?”

“Good. How’s it going?”

“Great.” He laughs on the other end. “Actually, that’s why I’m calling. It’s about Bree.”

“Oh?” Through the café’s picture window, I can see Zoey slam her laptop shut. She starts to gather up her belongings.

“Yeah, I think we’re going to take this thing completely offline.”

Bree. I feel the slightest pang at her name but then again, it could be the warm exhaust that a passing city bus just blew my way. “You’re saying you want to close your account?”

“Let’s do it.”

“Okay then, it’ll be down by end of business today. And hey, I’m happy for you, Jude. That’s great.”

“It is. She is. I’m really happy. And I want to thank you.”

“No problem. It’s my job,” I say, as the bell jangles next to me and Zoey walks out. She nods briefly when she looks my way, but then crosses the street without a glance back.

I feel compelled to follow her. Unfortunately for me, Jude feels compelled to wax poetic about how much he thinks I may have changed his life.

“I really think she might be the one,” he says. “I mean, the other night we took it to another level, if you know what I mean. And, by God, that girl has got everything. Absolutely everything.”

“Right,” I say, as I watch Zoey hail a cab, get in it, and leave.

“Turns out she’s into costumes in the bedroom too,” Jude says and it sounds like he’s actually physically settling in somewhere to give me the full details.

I walk myself back into the café and take my own seat at the now empty big table. I guess I may as well make myself comfortable too.

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 26

ZOEY

I’m weirded out that Miles ran into Mary. It was only a matter of time, I guess, what with her letting herself in and out of the apartment, but I can’t help feeling that two worlds have collided and I’ve lost something in the process. Worse, he’s being suspiciously nice to me now.

Our discussion of the High Line and its mutually agreed-upon splendor had me itching to experience it again, so I bailed from Crudité pretty quickly to do just that. I need some air, and it’s become my go-to place for gathering my thoughts.