Audrey came out of her bathroom, smoothing down a wrinkle in her little black dress, her hair blow-dried straight. Hearing a knock on her backyard glass door, she looked up and saw Jake. She slid open the door to be greeted by a rush of cold air.

“Jake.” Surprised, she felt she had to be a little distant after the disappointment of last night. Normally she would’ve opened the door wide and invited him in, but now she stood partially in the door entrance and just looked at him.

He looked down for a minute and then looked up, sheepishly. “I want to apologize for last night. It won’t happen again. It’s over with Veronika. I mean, it’s been over for some time, but I also told her that her ‘I’m depressed’ texts at night have to go to another friend—unless she is depressed. But she can’t write me that text and then meet me at the door in lingerie.” He took a breath. “I thought maybe we could hang out tonight, but you’re dressed up. You look great. Are you going somewhere?”

She stepped back and let Jake in the apartment, closing the door behind him, playing for time. How to respond? I shouldn’t have said yes to Tim.

“I’m meeting Tim for a movie,” she said reluctantly, embarrassed given their last charged encounter and this new overture.

His eyes flashed. “Tim? Isn’t he the lawyer from your firm?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“You’re dating him?”

“We’re meeting for a movie. I don’t know if it’s a date.” It probably wasn’t even a date.

“He seems like a player to me.”

She snorted. “Tim is not a player. He’s such a … straight arrow.”

“Is that your type?”

“I’m a lawyer. I’m not exactly wild—I obviously chose a conservative career path.”

Jake came up close to her and gently pushed her hair away from her face. “But you’ve a bit more spark. Like me.”

Flustered by his touch, she said, “Like you.” Then she worried that he would think she said that she liked him. She blushed.

He stared into her eyes for a moment. “What are the plans for tonight?”

“Dinner and a movie at Lincoln Center.” Which definitely sounded like a date.

“Where’s his apartment?”

“He lives in Murray Hill. I’ve never been. And I’ve known him for years.”

He seemed reassured by that and followed her up the spiral staircase. “Can I check out your movie collection again? I was hoping to watch a movie tonight, but nothing on Netflix is grabbing me.”