My office phone beeped. Sara, on the intercom. “Good morning,” she said. “Your next meeting is here.”

“My next meeting?” I flipped through my day planner. Had I forgotten one?

“Daisy.” Atlas’s voice filled the office from the intercom. “I’m due to be on the Hill soon, but I thought I’d take a chance and drop in on you.”

“Um,” I said, as Ari cocked her head. My hand hovered over the receiver; I contemplated whether I should take him off speaker. But would that look more suspicious? “Well—” I stalled.

“I brought you that latte you like, from that place. Went six blocks out of my way. I stole a sip, and you’re right, it is truly fantastic.”

I waited for Ari to broadcast her presence. But she didn’t. Her lips were pressed tight, her smile painted and insincere. Here was her boyfriend, I saw, bringing me gourmet coffee. But he was my friend, and we, the three of us, would have to make it work. “Come on back,” I said. When I hung up, I raised my hands to Ari, as if to prove my innocence.

“Is this a habit of his?” she asked, gesturing around my office, her enamel bangles rattling on her wrist. “Dropping in unannounced?”

I didn’t dislike Ari, but bearing witness to her jealousy was a small luxury I couldn’t help but welcome. Later that night, she might post a photo of herself and Atlas, together, smiling lovingly, but today, this morning, I could have this.

We both heard his footsteps in the hall. I got up to open my office door and met him with a smile. Atlas gave me a friendly hug and handed me a very tall to-go cup. “There,” he said. “An offering. Forgive me, for dropping in on you so abominably early.” Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Ari, sitting, observing.

“You better come in,” I said before he could say anything truly incriminating, “and see who’s here.”

“Hi, babe!” She rose and embraced him with a tenderness that seemed overly theatrical.

I retreated behind my desk as they sorted where to sit.

“This is a happy coincidence,” Atlas said after an uncomfortable silence. Then, to his girlfriend: “I didn’t know you were seeing Daisy today. I could’ve tagged along.”

“That’s what you get for spending the night at your apartment instead of mine.” Ari spun her finger in the air. “You fall out of the loop.”

“Yeah,” he said, although it didn’t seem like he knew what he was agreeing with. He chewed his bottom lip. “Yeah,” he repeated, to his own nervous beat. “Yeah, yeah.”

“Thank you for the coffee,” I jumped in. “It’s much needed.”

“Isn’t he the sweetest man on the planet?” Ari asked me. “He does these kinds of things for his friends. He’s so thoughtful. But you know this, of course.”