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Chapters (68)
  1. Partner Pursuit
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Re: Whitaker retirement party
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Friday, New York City
  26. Chapter Twenty-Two
  27. Chapter Twenty-Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-Four
  29. Chapter Twenty-Five
  30. Chapter Twenty-Six
  31. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-One
  36. Chapter Thirty-Two
  37. Chapter Thirty-Three
  38. Chapter Thirty-Four
  39. Chapter Thirty-Five
  40. Chapter Thirty-Six
  41. Subject: Deposition of Plaintiff in James case
  42. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  44. Subject: Mentors Found
  45. Chapter Forty-One
  46. Chapter Forty-Two
  47. Chapter Forty-Three
  48. Chapter Forty-Four
  49. Jake: While you’re stuck at work, think about this: I thought you might want to do a yoga session while I’m surfing in Santa Teresa. Should I book?
  50. Chapter Forty-Six
  51. Chapter Forty-Seven
  52. Chapter Forty-Eight
  53. Chapter Forty-Nine
  54. Chapter Fifty
  55. Chapter Fifty-One
  56. Chapter Fifty-Two
  57. Chapter Fifty-Three
  58. Chapter Fifty-Four
  59. Chapter Fifty-Five
  60. Chapter Fifty-Six
  61. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  62. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  63. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  64. Chapter Sixty
  65. Chapter Sixty-One
  66. About the Author
  67. Acknowledgements
  68. On any top-ten list of best Sunday plans, today’s brunch with my former crush and his new girlfriend would rank number eleven … hundred. Times five. But I couldn’t say no. We’re still friends.

She had entered another New York world—completely different from the one that she lived in. It wasn’t as if she had not been to jazz clubs in New York City—she had been to some downtown clubs—but this was different. It was like being a part of the whole jazz scene rather than just watching a show.

“And we’ve got our very own emerging star in our midst. Where’s Emmeline?” Bill asked. “I know I saw her. Emmeline, come up and sing a set with us.”

From the back of the room emerged a young Black woman in a flowing green dress. She walked up and took the mic from Bill. After some whispered conferring, Bill snapped his fingers, the drummer picked up the tempo, and Emmeline’s clear soprano rang out over the room: “It don’t mean a thing …”

She then sang scat, her voice flipping up and down the scales. The abilities of scat singers to improvise vocally and imitate a physical instrument always amazed Audrey. The whole club roared its approval when Emmeline finished and gave her a standing ovation.

Bill asked for any requests, and someone yelled out “Stardust” from the back of the room. Bill took a few more requests, and then the band continued with some songs that Audrey had never heard before with lots of improvisation and solos, leading up to a crescendo finish. The audience gave another standing ovation, and then the band retreated from the stage, taking their time to talk to some of the audience members. A warm glow seemed to pervade both Audrey and the club atmosphere.

“That was magical,” she said, and Jake nodded. Their gazes caught. He understood, and she didn’t need to say more.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

As Audrey and Jake waited to pick up their bike helmets from the coat check in the narrow hallway, she moved closer to Jake to make room for passersby. It was like stepping closer to a fire. He was studying her. She returned his gaze. His look was intense.

She swallowed. Don’t say anything. She could inadvertently say something to ruin the mood, or even worse, put them in the friend zone. A crowded hallway waiting in line for coats was even worse for making conversation than being alone in an elevator with a partner.

His phone beeped. Then it rang. Checking the number, he answered it.

“Fiona,” he said.