Lara checked her phone. She texted Tess back about something relating to the lease they were signing together next year. When she looked up, Jenna was leaning on the table with one elbow. She was looking at the taller other woman with wide eyes, as if she was taking notes with her other hand. Alexis noticed this, leaned back in the booth and narrowed her eyes slightly, periodically looking away to make some point or another before training her gaze back on Jenna. Jenna, who either didn’t pick up on the fact that Lara’s friend was eyefucking her or liked it, widened her eyes and listened to Alexis’s easy, low voice.

This is too much, Lara thought. Way too much. She went to the bathroom, and by the time she got back, Kenny had arrived, playing the usual role he had in bringing the conversation down to a tepid, coed level.

“Oh, hi, Lara,” he said. “Long time no see.”

“We were just talking about how weird Ken’s parents are,” Jenna said.

“Yeah, they’re old hippies,” Kenny said. “They were a little disappointed at how boring I turned out.”

Lara looked at Alexis, who had a blank, patient expression on her face.

“How’s the thesis going, Lara?” he said. “Still working on, what’s his name, James something — ”

“Henry James,” Lara said.

“The Master,” Alexis said dryly.

“Oh, let’s not talk about work,” Jenna said.

“We don’t have to,” Lara said with relief.

“Yeah, we already had, like, shoptalk hour before Ken showed up,” Jenna said, a little drunk already.

It was the first time Lara had seen Jenna and Kenny together since the conversation outside the library. There was supposed to be a verdict by now, and Lara was looking for some change in Jenna’s demeanor, some indication of temporariness that was missing before, a signal of a definite change. What hadn’t changed was how Kenny kept sneaking glances at her. Lara didn’t feel like reciprocating anymore. She felt frustratingly marginal to this entire situation.

She reached out her leg experimentally and nudged Kenny’s foot. He started and looked up at Lara, who made a point of not looking at him. When she did it a second time he didn’t react, and she let her foot linger there for a beat before withdrawing it and then returning it to his leg a little higher, above his ankle. Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she tucked her hair behind her ear and laughed at something Alexis said.

With the top of her foot she caressed the back of Kenny’s calf through his khakis. She looked over at him briefly and noticed that his face had assumed a drawn-in, concentrated look.

“I’ll be right back,” Lara said. She got up and headed for the bathroom.

“Lara,” said Kenny’s voice from behind her.

She turned. He approached her with a concerned look.