His head was turned, but she could see his profile, the streetlights playing off his angular cheekbones, his tousled brown hair, his kissable lips. She had to get ahold of herself. She didn’t have time for full-blown crushes.

Their glances met, and his mouth tipped up, then he looked back out his window. “Yeah, the vocalist is amazing. Like shivers down your spine when she sings. You need to rally and come out,” he said into the phone. He hung up and turned to her. “She really is incredible.”

The Uber stopped in front of Irving Plaza. Jake held the car door open for her. She took out her wallet as they approached the entrance, but he stopped her and said, “You’re comped as my guest.”

The concert space at Irving Hall was already packed. Disco balls and crystal chandeliers hung from the metal ceiling as if mixing remnants from its ballroom heritage with its 1970s concert hall inception. Jake held her hand and steered her towards a group at the bar. His hand felt solid and warm. He introduced her around, and she recognized several people from the party, including Rafael and Penny.

“What do you want to drink?” he asked. He had to talk into her ear to be heard above the crowd, and his breath on her neck tickled. She smelled his familiar fresh-laundry scent.

“A Diet Coke,” she said.

“Don’t go too wild here.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep up.”

“No pressure.”

Devon came over, and Jake introduced her. While Devon and Jake discussed final strategy notes for signing the artist, Lolly, Audrey said hello to Rafael.

“Good to see you again,” Rafael said. “Are you and Jake dating?”

“Dating?”

“I thought from the way you came in together. . .”

A glow filled her. She hoped that she was reading the signs correctly and Jake was interested romantically, but she was afraid to misinterpret his just being friendly. And she didn’t want to say that it was more than it was.

“Jake just invited me when we ran into each other on our block. We took a car down here together,” she said.

Rafael nodded. “Jake does like to collect people.”

She hoped she wasn’t just part of a collection.

Penny joined them, and Rafael offered to get her a drink. The crowd milled around as upcoming show announcements displayed against the stage curtain.

“So how do you know Jake?” Penny asked.

“We’re neighbors,” Audrey said.

“Oh, neighbors. What do you do?”

“I’m a lawyer.”

“Legal Aid?”

“No, corporate. I work for a law firm,” Audrey said.

“Like a Wall Street law firm? Like his father?” Penny asked.

She nodded.