“Why don’t we hang out today? I could do with a greasy breakfast.” Lou straightened her back for the first time since she’d arrived in the Pink Bean.

Was this Lou asking her when she was sober? And did it count when she was clearly so hungover?

“If you don’t have plans, of course,” Lou added.

“I go by Annie’s Bookshop every Sunday. She always has a new recommendation ready for me.”

“What are you reading now?” Lou glanced at the Jane Quinn book Mia had cast aside when she had arrived. “Is that one of Jane’s?”

“It’s research now, I guess. If I’m going to be working with them… I can hardly sell coffee in their shop without having read one of her books.” Mia leaned over the table. “Jane has quite the loyal following. I honestly had no idea. There’s so much we could do with that in the shop.”

Lou shook her head. “You might have to up your powers of persuasion. Jane isn’t too fond of the public eye. And that’s putting it mildly.”

“How would you put it non-mildly?” Mia was intrigued.

“She doesn’t like people very much.”

Mia chuckled. “I truly couldn’t tell when I met her, but now that you mention it, I’ve been going to that shop for years and I’ve hardly ever seen her.”

“So it wasn’t a coincidence that I ran into you there on my way to my, er, hot date?” Lou flashed a smile at Mia.

Mia shook her head. “You did make Annie question me, though. The way you were skulking near the entrance until I left. She asked if we’d had a one-night stand gone bad.”

It was Lou’s turn to shake her head.

Mia searched for a sign of something on Lou’s face. She obviously disapproved of what Annie had implied. “Does this mean you’re suggesting we spend the rest of the day in Newtown?”

“If you like.” Mia huddled over the table. “We could catch a movie this afternoon, if it won’t be too traumatic for you to return to that particular cinema.”

“Meredith was the one hung up on me, remember?” Lou leaned over the table as well and their faces were as close together as they’d ever been. “As long as you promise me you won’t be called away for a work thing.”

“I just had breakfast with my bosses. They said something about dinner at Kristin’s parents. I don’t think they’ll need me for that.”

“Speaking of dinner, I need to be back in Darlinghurst by seven for dinner at Phil and Jared’s tonight.”

“Ah, the two gays who were always so friendly and then mysteriously turned on me.”

“I’ll let them know you’re actually not too bad.”