As Audrey and Eve entered the apartment, Rafael crossed the room to meet them, making his way through bright-colored balloons floating around a bare room. Either the new tenant was an extraordinary minimalist or his stuff hadn’t arrived yet. After they exchanged real names (although he joked that he might want to keep calling Audrey Rapunzel), he said that his friend had just moved in and offered to introduce them. He took them out the sliding back door and through the crowded garden, aiming straight for the guy Audrey had bumped into on the street. Jackpot. For a minute, she was tempted to invent an excuse to leave before he thought she was pursuing him, but he turned her way and their gazes collided. He raised one eyebrow. She flushed.

“Eve and Audrey, this is Jake,” Rafael said. Jake smiled warmly at them, but there was definitely a teasing light in his eyes. As Rafael explained how he’d invited them, he remarked that Eve looked familiar. They started comparing names of schools and jobs.

So, here was her chance to talk to Jake, but she couldn’t think of a sparkling opening.

“We meet again,” Jake said. “So, you’re my neighbor—a woman who knows her fairy tales as well as Shakespeare.”

“Doesn’t everyone know their fairytales?”

“Valid point. Brainwashed at an early age to believe in happy endings.”

“You don’t?” she asked, surprised. He gave off a happy-go-lucky vibe.

“I do. But why is it called a happy ending rather than a happy beginning?”

“Sounds accurately titled to me, given that I end up as a slaughtered fish,” she said, wryly. It was kind of an accurate description of dating in New York for women.

“No shooting needed. That’s my whole point. I just have to stand here and a woman will approach.”

She wished she had that self-confidence, but … She smiled innocently. “You are the host. I’m going to presume they’re asking you where the bathroom is.”

He laughed and nearly choked on the sip of beer he’d just swallowed. “Nobody has ever asked me that.” He looked at her as if intrigued.

Well, at least he was a good sport when challenged.

He reached out to gently pull her out of the way of someone vigorously gesturing. “Anyone here look like he could be your Prince Charming? Or you’re dating him already?”

“I’m not sure I’ve met him yet.” He looked like her Prince Charming, but there’s no way she’d tell him that. He was already very much aware that he was a catch.

“Aren’t you supposed to ‘just know’?” His eyebrow arched up again.

“Apparently, but I’ve never believed that.” She tilted her head. Kevin had ticked all the boxes, but he had definitely not been the one.