“Spoken like a true New Yorker,” he said. “Looking up at stars with the right person is good too, though.”

“How do you know you’ve met the right person?”

“I don’t know. I’m still figuring it out. I do have my top five questions.”

“Really? What are those?” she asked, turning her head to look at him. He was shadowed in the dusk.

“Do you want to know all my secrets?”

“Only the good ones,” she said. The lights of the next-door apartment came on, casting a warm glow over their chairs, illuminating their faces.

“Well, what if you wanted to get to know someone and you only had five questions—what would you ask?”

She bit her lip. “Difficult. Top five favorite books?”

“Yes. Here’s another: five favorite countries to travel to or what five countries would you like to travel to?”

“You asked me that one.” A zip of hope buoyed her. Was Jake vetting her?

“So I did. I also have to ask about musical taste and pets, because those could be deal-breakers for me. And then the fifth question is, what is your perfect day?”

“If they’re from New York, I always ask what high school they went to, but I don’t want that to be one of my top five.”

“All right, you’ve three more questions—what would you ask?” he asked.

“Children—but I’d never straight up ask.” An apartment light went out.

“Yes, it’s easier for me to ask if she likes dogs, because I can sleuth it out when I bring up Biscuit. And I can sleuth out kids when she meets my sister’s kids.” He petted Biscuit.

Her pulse quickened. Had there been an ulterior motive behind the drop-off date? “Does your sister know you’re using her kids as bait?”

“She suggested it. She’d be pissed at me if I didn’t have kids and dogs as deal breakers. You have two more.”

“I’m stealing yours: perfect day.” The night air was invigorating, heightening her senses. Off in the distance, the slight hum of nighttime traffic buzzed. “And then my fifth is tell me about your friends.”

“Good one. I’m still keeping musical taste. I’ll probably meet her friends.”

“I thought you’d borrow their iPhone to check out their music, as you did at my apartment.”

“As I did indeed.” He smiled. Their glances met.

“And did I pass?”

“You passed, but we can expand your repertoire from dance parties. But the main thing is not to fail.”

“What would fail?”

“No music whatsoever.”

She laughed. “All right, let’s go to next top five—less pressure: beach or mountain person?”

“Both.”

“Okay, that works.” She asked, “Morning or night person?”