She checked her phone so she looked busy as she stood next to him, waiting for the light to change. That hard contact had her flustered. Had she stared at him like a lovestruck teenager? She really needed to get out of the office more often. Fortunately, her mobile had survived the fall. The caller ID had identified the call she thought was from Winnie as a scam call. Now his phone rang.

He shook his head. “Being on call. It’s so …”

“Essential, right?” She nodded. It allowed her the freedom to leave the office, but still be available wherever she was.

“I was going to say annoying.” He answered the phone. “Jake here.” He listened to the caller and then said, “Yes, come on by. You know my opinion: you’ve got to shake it off and get out there. Dating in New York for a guy is like shooting fish in a barrel.” He slipped his phone back in his jean pocket.

“I’ve always preferred the metaphor that honey catches more flies than vinegar,” Audrey said. “You might want to try sweet bait on your hook, rather than your shotgun approach.” She raised an eyebrow, less than charmed by his remark.

He laughed. “You’re right.” Her gaze met his; his eyes were warm blue with hints of green and gray, like the Atlantic Ocean on a calm day, and her stomach did a little flip. “Can I help you carry anything?” He waved at her purse and the flowers.

“Thanks, but I’m good.” She was tempted to hand him the flowers to carry, just to keep talking to him, but he was carrying a case of beer.

A little boy scootered past them, over the curb, into the street, towards the busy intersection. She stared in horror, her feet glued to the sidewalk as if stuck in cement. Jake bolted after him, scooping the child up with one arm as the scooter fell to the ground, just past the parked car. And then her feet moved and she sprinted over, picking up the dropped scooter from the street and following Jake back to the safety of the sidewalk.

A mother with a baby stroller laden with Trader Joe’s shopping bags ran up, screaming. “I told you to stop at the curb, Eddy!”

“I tried, Mommy, I tried.” The boy started crying. “I missed the brake.”

Audrey and Jake exchanged a look of “that was close.” Her heart was still hammering. And she felt shaky. Jake wiped his hand on his jeans.

The mother hugged her son tightly and turned to Jake. “Thank you so much.”