He put an arm around her shoulders. “Where is your coat?”

“At home, Dad,” she teased.

“You headed to Anacostia?”

“Near there. Merrytown.”

“Do you want a ride? I think the trains are shutting down.” He pulled her hair away from her sticky lip gloss.

Liza thought her heart would stop from the tenderness of the gesture. “Not for a couple of hours, I think. I’ll be fine.” Liza smiled. She did want a ride. She just wanted him to insist.

But he didn’t.

“Sure. Well, keep warm and dry.”

“I will.” Liza tried to keep her eyes from stinging. Who do I have to be to get a man to extend just a little extra effort? Janae?

She parted from him and made her way to the platform. She didn’t know how long she stood in the train station as she tried to make a memory of the nicest man she’d met in a while. Was this the moment everyone talked about, when you know? She pulled her phone out and tapped her sister’s picture. The phone rang twice, and Janae answered laughing.

“Hello?”

“I take it the job interview is going well,” Liza said.

“David was just telling me about the time he stole fifty golf balls from the store,” she replied, still chuckling. “I mean, for what?”

“Because he would never actually be held accountable for his actions?” Her sister was silent on the other end of the line. “Sorry, Janae, I don’t care about golf balls. You should get home, though. It’s already snowing.”

“Oh, stop fussing. It’s not supposed to get bad until the evening. I’m fine.” Her words slurred. Is this girl drinking at a job interview? Oh no. Janae and alcohol always ended up in a pool of tears and a relapse of depression.